Avowed

The main pros of the game

• Visuals and World Design: Players praise the game's beautifully crafted environments, vibrant graphics, and attention to detail, making exploration enjoyable and visually appealing.
• Combat System: The combat is described as satisfying and engaging, with a good mix of melee, ranged, and magic abilities that allow for diverse playstyles.
• Exploration Rewards: The game encourages exploration, rewarding players with hidden treasures and lore-rich items, contributing to a sense of discovery.
• Character and Lore: For fans of the Pillars of Eternity series, the game offers a coherent story and familiar lore, with intriguing characters and dialogue that sometimes resonate well.
• Voice Acting: The voice acting is generally well-received, adding depth to character interactions.

The main cons of the game

• Lack of Depth: Many players feel the RPG elements are shallow, with limited character progression and customization options that don't feel impactful.
• Static World: The game world feels lifeless, with NPCs often remaining stationary and unreactive to player actions, which detracts from immersion.
• Repetitive Combat and Enemies: While initially fun, combat can become monotonous due to a lack of enemy variety and the repetitive nature of encounters.
• Weak Writing and Dialogue: The dialogue is often criticized for being uninspired, with choices that feel inconsequential or lead to the same outcomes, undermining the role-playing aspect.
• Performance Issues: Some players report technical problems, including crashes and frame rate drops, particularly in populated areas.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

• Criminality and Consequences: Players express disappointment over the lack of a crime system, feeling that the ability to steal without repercussions diminishes the role-playing experience.
• Complexity in Skills and Builds: Many feel that the skill trees are overly simplified, lacking the depth and variety found in previous Obsidian titles, which limits character customization and strategy.
• Dynamic NPC Interactions: Users wanted more lively NPC behavior and interactions, including meaningful responses to player actions and a more immersive world.
• Crafting and Loot Variety: The crafting system is seen as lacking, with many players desiring a more complex and rewarding loot system that offers unique and varied items.

Conclusion

• Avowed presents a visually stunning world with enjoyable combat and exploration mechanics, appealing to fans of the Pillars of Eternity series. However, it suffers from significant shortcomings in depth, NPC interaction, and writing quality, leading to a mixed reception. Players recommend waiting for a sale before purchasing, as the game may not meet the expectations set by its predecessors or the price tag it carries.

Summary generated on: January 5, 2026