Obsidian returns to the genre it cut its teeth with and Avowed is a fantastic entry that sticks out thanks to flexible combat, great writing, and a whole lot of colourTech14:25, 13 Feb 2025Avowed is one of the year's best surprises alreadyObsidian Entertainment has become one of Microsoft's most bankable studios. While Halo has stuttered and Gears has gone quiet, the California-based team once responsible for Knights of the Old Republic II and Alpha Protocol has churned out The Outer Worlds, Grounded, and Pentiment in recent years.Such a run is impressive not just for its consitency in quality but also its inconsistency in genre, but Avowed sees the studio return to its RPG roots. And, while the studio hasn't quite eclipsed stablemates Bethesda when it comes to first-person, fantasy RPG scope, it joins Indiana Jones and the Golden Circle as one of the best Xbox games around.Avowed's world is beautiful and dangerousTo clear up a common question no, despite being set in the same world as the developer's Pillars of Eternity franchise, you don't need to have played those to jump right in.The plot setup is simple enough for anyone to get their head around, as players step into the boots of a customisable 'Godlike' character tasked with investigating a mysterious 'Dream Scourge', a plague infesting living things and bringing dead things back with violent results.I admit it's not the most original setup, but Avowed is elevated by some solid writing and conversation options that lean into the role-playing fantasy. Baldur's Gate 3 it ain't, though, and while some choices have longer-reaching consequences, many of them add flavour to well-written scenes but feel like flourishes rather than adding new directions to explore.And, despite being relatively by-the-numbers in terms of setup, there were multiple points where I found myself surprised by the direction of Avowed's story. Every now and then it zagged where I expected a zig, and by the time I was half a dozen hours in I was hooked as a result. It's also worth mentioning that it doesn't take long for the initial plot thread to be scattered to the wind, opening things up considerably.It doesn't take long to amass companions to fight by your sideIt's a little more po-faced than The Outer Worlds, leaning less on gags and quips and more into more existential matters, but there's still plenty of levity just don't expect to find the same laugh-out-loud commentary on capitalism and consumerism that the likes of Outer Worlds offered.Avowed is a very colourful adventureOne of the biggest questions I had about Avowed (aside from the tone being immediately different to its 2021 reveal) was about its scale.With Obsidian rolling out multiple games in recent years, I feared Avowed would suffer from a lack of focus and I was wrong to do so. Early on, you'll visit the pirate settlement-like Paradis, a place full of lawlessness reckoning with itself by employing a heavy-handed militia.It's here that I spent almost an hour roaming the streets, walking through buildings and taking in the sights. I mention this because it's only once you leave Paradis, and you check the map, that you see just how large Avowed is.Avowed gives the Series X a workoutParadis and its surrounding areas feel much larger than hubs in The Outer Worlds, but are no less stacked with detail. Sure, you can make a beeline through each area, but doing so means you'll skip optional areas, bosses, and even sizeable dungeons with their own rewards.It's a world begging to be explored, and while it's not as open-ended or massive as the likes of an Elder Scrolls game, the mix of colour and lighting mean it beckons you in more than the frigid colds of Skyrim's mountains or the flat plains of Cyrodil.That brings us nicely to the visuals and playing on Xbox Series X, I felt as though Avowed frequently surprised me with its vistas as rays of sunlight burst from behind cloud and sparks flew as my spells connected.Combat is so fun I relished walking into these lizard-folkI've done by best to avoid mentioning combat in this review so far, not because it's not good, but because of the opposite combat in Avowed is flashy, malleable, and occasionally pretty tricky, too.For all of the great examples of first-person RPGs, you can count on one hand the number of them that offer combat that could be described as anything more than serviceable, but Avowed has so many tricks up its sleeve that it's hard not to find some way of playing that you enjoy.With a little tweaking you really can create any build you fancyWhether you're swinging a sword or axe, blocking with a shield, or casting spells with a wander, there's plenty of variety in the way you can tackle foes. Using a Grimoire (essentially a spellbook) gives you access to multiple spells at once, and with the option to set up two loadouts that are easy to switch between, you can play as a melee class and switch to a spellcaster whenever you feel like it.While there are character stats and backstories to choose from, no ability is off limits for any of them, meaning you can roleplay solely as a sorcerer if you'd prefer, or just be a strength-focused melee specialist.Tying all of this together is a nifty dash function that can help you close the distance to opponents, move sideways, or fire yourself backward to unleash a fireball or well-placed arrow.Put simply, Avowed's combat is what I wanted from Skyrim the first time I played it, and it's one of the brighter spots in the genre.It ties in nicely with your in-game companions, too. The aforementioned Kai can use elemental ranged attacks, but he's just as capable getting in close, while Marius has an arsenal of traps. These can be triggered within combat, and making use of them will not only help wear down bosses but also open up additional areas of exploration.That can help you find fresh loot and useful items for upgrades, and while it feels great to find new gear, I found ingredients for improving existing ones were hard to come by at times. Avowed will be a game that I'd imagine many players will experience differently, but finding those materials came at a slow pace for me.Ever fallen in love with a fish man? You mightAlso, a quick shout out for Kai's voice actor. Brandon Keener's velvety voice is basically pulled straight from his portrayal of Garrus Vakarian in Mass Effect, and you won't get a single complaint from me.Article continues belowAvowed is one of Obsidian's best games in a library swimming in excellence. It's a fun RPG that doesn't stray too far from a well-worn formula, instead choosing to refine it and adding in some absolutely fantastic first-person combat.Reviewed on Xbox Series X. Review code provided by the publisher.