For those unaware, Obsidian Entertainment's upcoming action-RPG Avowed is technically a continuation of the same fantasy universe present in the studio's Pillars of Eternity series. And like all good fantasy worlds, Avowed and Pillars of Eternity's Eora is filled to the brim with intricate, interweaving tapestries of history and lore.
One key part of Eora's lore revolves around Avowed's player-character. In Avowed, players will assume the role of a "Godlike," someone whose spirit has been blessed by one Eora's 11 deities before birth. These blessings usually manifest in some form of unique physical feature, such as Moon Godlikes (who have been blessed by Ondra) often having large crescent moon-shaped growths of their foreheads, and shimmering blue or purple skin. But unlike in Pillars of Eternity, players won't know which of the 11 gods has blessed them in Avowed, which paves the way for a rather unique character creator.
Avowed's Companions May Not Shatter the Ceiling Created By Baldur's Gate 3, And That's Okay
Expected to release this year with its own set of RPG party members, Avowed has big shoes to fill when it comes to creating iconic characters.
Godlike Features Could Be What Sets Avowed's Character Creator Apart
The Bar Has Been Set Incredibly High for Modern Character Creators
RPG character creators have only continued to grow more complex over time, and the last few years have seen a number of entries in the genre that have broken new ground for the staple feature. 2023's Baldur's Gate 3, for instance, is often praised for having one of the most impressive character creators in video game history due to its sheer breadth of options, with each individual physical or personality trait being customizable in some form.
Last year's Dragon's Dogma 2 was also praised for its character creator, which allowed players to customize every conceivable physical feature down to the player-character's teeth. It really feels as though RPG character creators have gotten as good as they could possibly get, though it'll be no easy feat for Avowed to reach those heights. But Avowed might have a trick up its sleeve.
Avowed's Godlike Features Offer a Unique Form of Customization
When creating a custom character, players often fall into two main camps. The first camp tries to create a realistic, albeit attractive player-character, with regular proportions and standard physical features. The other camp, however, will try to create the most heinous, monstrous characters imaginable, often manipulating all of the game's sliders to turn their protagonist into an abomination.
It's rare that an RPG character creator caters to this latter camp directly, but Avowed seems to be doing just that with its Godlike features. When creating their character in Avowed, players will be able to select from a range of Godlike facial and hair features that are extremely distinct. Obsidian hasn't confirmed all of these features, but a recent Twitter post from the game shows just how absurd things can get, showing player-characters with gigantic fungus growths coming out of their heads, beds of mushrooms growing from their temples, and moss forming behind their ears.
Generally speaking, Avowed's character creator is sure to be pretty robust, offering all the usual fantasy RPG customization fans of the genre have come to expect, such as being able to choose the character's race, background, physical appearance, and voice. But these Godlike features are what could end up setting Avowed apart from games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Dragon's Dogma 2.
Avowed
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 80 /100 Critics Rec: 82%
- Released
- February 18, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger. Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands - an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder?
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Franchise
- Pillars of Eternity
- Number of Players
- 1
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- PC Release Date
- February 18, 2025
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- February 18, 2025
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
