Avowed to Playstation 5

Avowed is a first-person action role-playing video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios. Set in the fantasy world of Eora, the same universe as Pillars of Eternity, the game blends deep narrative and choice-driven gameplay with immersive combat and exploration.

Overview

Title: Avowed

Developer: Obsidian Entertainment

Publisher: Xbox Game Studios

Director: Carrie Patel

Artist: Matt Hansen

Composer: Venus Theory

Engine: Unreal Engine 5

Series: Pillars of Eternity universe

Genre: Action role-playing

Modes: Single-player

Platforms: Windows, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5

Initial Release: February 18, 2025 (Windows, Xbox Series X/S)

PS5 Release: February 17, 2026

Gameplay

Avowed is an action RPG played primarily from a first-person perspective, with an optional third-person view. Combat integrates melee weapons, magic, and firearms, allowing players to build and switch between flexible combat styles on the fly. Spells can be combined with weapons for tactical advantages, such as freezing enemies before striking them with heavy weapons.

The game world isn’t a traditional open world, but it features large, semi-open explorable zones connected through loading transitions. Players can upgrade weapons and unlock abilities across several skill trees and tailor their combat approach to their preferences.

Dialogue with non-player characters (NPCs) includes choice-driven interactions that influence faction relations and story outcomes, though deeper elements like romance are not part of the experience.

Plot

The story takes place in the Living Lands, a geographically diverse region of Eora, featuring forests, deserts, and cavern systems. Players assume the role of an Envoy from the Aedyr Empire sent to investigate the spread of a mysterious plague known as the Dream Scourge.

Upon arriving in the port city of Paradis, the Envoy becomes embroiled in political tension between local inhabitants, the Empire, and the zealous religious order called the Steel Garrote. After being murdered by insurgents, the Envoy is mysteriously revived by a deity who compels them to help halt the Dream Scourge.

The narrative unfolds across multiple regions including the Emerald Stair, where controversial soul-based magic called Animancy fuels rising conflict. Players must make critical choices about factions, including whether to destroy or free powerful entities like Sapadal, and ultimately influence the fate of the Living Lands.

Development

Development on Avowed began around 2018, originally conceived as an online multiplayer experience. After Obsidian was acquired by Microsoft in 2018, the team shifted focus to a single-player, narrative-focused game, with Carrie Patel (known for The Outer Worlds: Peril on Gorgon) as director. Early announcements positioned the game as a blend of elements inspired by titles like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Destiny, but the multiplayer aspects were eventually dropped.

The game underwent a major pivot to embrace the existing lore of the Pillars of Eternity universe and to focus on zone-based design instead of a full open world. It experienced multiple development cycles and delays before launching in February 2025. A premium edition with early access was available prior to the standard release.

Reception

Upon release, Avowed received generally favorable reviews from critics. It was praised for its immersive combat, rich worldbuilding, and narrative choices, though opinions varied on the depth of RPG mechanics and world interactivity. The game holds positive aggregated scores on sites like Metacritic and OpenCritic.

Avowed was nominated for Best Role-Playing Game at The Game Awards 2025 and received recognition for its writing and design at other industry award events.

Legacy and Updates

Following launch, Obsidian continued supporting the game with updates addressing player feedback and adding features such as improved platform support and gameplay refinements. Avowed also expanded to PlayStation 5 in February 2026, coinciding with a significant anniversary update that introduced new playable races and modes across all platforms.

References

This summary is based on verified sources including the English Wikipedia article and reliable game news outlets.