Obsidian Entertainment has long been revered as a studio capable of weaving intricate tales and deep role-playing systems, from their cult classic Fallout: New Vegas to the more recent Pillars of Eternity series. Now, with the release of Avowed in 2026, Obsidian steps boldly into the first-person RPG arena, promising a sprawling fantasy world, nuanced player choice, and a modernized approach to classic CRPG sensibilities. As the first major release in the genre since the RPG renaissance of 2024 and 2025, Avowed arrives with the weight of high expectations and the hopes of fans craving another deep, immersive adventure.

Set in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity, Avowed is Obsidian’s most ambitious project yet—a testament to how far the studio has come in storytelling, world-building, and technical prowess. In a market crowded with open-world games and live service distractions, Avowed stands out for its dedication to single-player immersion and narrative agency. The question on everyone’s mind is whether Obsidian has managed to strike the delicate balance between honoring its CRPG roots and embracing the demands of modern action RPGs.

From the opening moments on the war-torn shores of the Living Lands, it’s clear that Avowed is determined to make an impression. The game thrusts players into a world brimming with political intrigue, mystical secrets, and moral ambiguity—inviting them to chart their own path through the chaos. But does Avowed deliver on its lofty promises, or does it falter under the weight of its ambition? Let’s dive deep into what makes this RPG tick, and whether it earns a place among the genre’s best.

Gameplay: A New Age for Obsidian RPGs

Avowed’s gameplay is a bold evolution for Obsidian, blending the studio’s signature role-playing depth with the immediacy of first-person action. Gone are the isometric perspectives of Pillars of Eternity; in their place is a dynamic, immersive viewpoint that places you in the thick of every sword clash and spell cast. The combat system feels punchy and responsive, taking clear inspiration from genre heavyweights while introducing its own tactical flavor.

Players can fluidly switch between melee, ranged, and magical abilities, creating a combat rhythm that rewards experimentation and quick thinking. The interplay between swordplay and sorcery allows for creative approaches to every encounter—whether it’s freezing a foe in place before finishing them off with a well-placed arrow or using the environment to set up devastating spell combos. What stands out most is how much agency the game affords, both inside and outside of combat, in a way that feels distinctly Obsidian.

While Avowed’s action-oriented battles are sure to attract newcomers to the genre, the underlying systems will feel familiar to RPG veterans. Dialogue choices, skill progression, and faction alliances all feed into the gameplay loop, ensuring that every decision feels meaningful. Unlike some of its contemporaries, Avowed never sacrifices depth in the name of accessibility; instead, it finds a sweet spot that makes every fight and conversation feel like part of a grander whole.

Core Mechanics

At the heart of Avowed lies a robust set of core mechanics that define the player experience. Character creation is both flexible and meaningful, offering a suite of backgrounds, attributes, and starting abilities that influence not only your playstyle but also how the world—and its inhabitants—respond to you. This emphasis on role-playing is more than skin deep, shaping everything from dialogue options to quest outcomes.

The skill system in Avowed is impressively intricate, allowing for hybrid builds and specialized roles. Whether you prefer to master the arcane, focus on martial prowess, or blend the two, the game’s progression tree accommodates a vast array of playstyles. Abilities can be further customized with modifiers found throughout the world, encouraging exploration and adaptation as new challenges arise.

Inventory management and crafting also play significant roles, but never feel cumbersome. The interface is clean and intuitive, a marked improvement over some of Obsidian’s earlier titles. Resources are plentiful but not overwhelming, and the crafting system encourages players to experiment with weapon upgrades, potion brewing, and magical enhancements. Every mechanic feels purposefully designed to serve the larger narrative and gameplay goals, creating a satisfying loop of discovery and empowerment.

New Additions and Features

Obsidian has not rested on its laurels when it comes to innovation. Avowed introduces several new features that set it apart from both its predecessors and its contemporaries in the RPG space. Chief among these is the dynamic reputation system, which tracks your standing with multiple factions and individuals. Actions have consequences that ripple throughout the game, sometimes in unexpected ways, ensuring that each playthrough feels uniquely personal.

The companion system is another standout addition. Unlike previous Obsidian games, companions in Avowed are more than just party members; they are fully realized characters with their own goals, secrets, and branching loyalty quests. Your relationships with them can alter the course of the story, unlocking unique abilities and dialogue choices—or, in some cases, leading to dramatic betrayals and departures.

Avowed also features a robust environmental interaction system. Players can manipulate elements in the world to solve puzzles, gain combat advantages, or uncover hidden areas. This interactivity enhances the sense of immersion and makes exploration genuinely rewarding. Additionally, the inclusion of an in-game codex, filled with lore entries and bestiary notes, caters to those who crave deeper context without overwhelming casual players.

Single-Player Campaign

Avowed’s single-player campaign is an epic, multi-layered journey that can easily span over 50 hours for completionists. The main quest is tightly written, offering a compelling blend of high-stakes conflict and personal storytelling. From the outset, you are drawn into a web of political intrigue and ancient prophecies, with each major decision branching the narrative in meaningful ways.

Side quests are where Avowed truly shines, often rivaling the main storyline in complexity and emotional impact. Many of these optional adventures explore the gray areas of morality, challenging players to make difficult choices with lasting ramifications. Whether you’re brokering peace between warring tribes or uncovering the tragic backstory of a haunted village, the writing is consistently engaging and nuanced.

The pacing of the campaign is expertly managed, with periods of intense action balanced by quieter moments of exploration and character development. Obsidian’s mastery of quest design is on full display, offering a satisfying mix of combat, diplomacy, and puzzle-solving. Importantly, the campaign respects the player’s time, avoiding the bloat that has plagued some recent open-world RPGs by ensuring that every quest feels purposeful and rewarding.

Story and Setting

Set in the mysterious Living Lands of Eora, Avowed expands the lore of the Pillars of Eternity universe while making itself accessible to newcomers. The game’s story revolves around a looming existential threat and the delicate balance of power among the region’s diverse factions. True to Obsidian form, the narrative delves into themes of faith, power, and personal responsibility, offering few easy answers.

Avowed’s world is richly detailed, drawing on years of established lore while introducing new cultures, deities, and magical phenomena. The Living Lands are a place of wonder and danger, filled with ancient ruins, enigmatic spirits, and vibrant settlements. The setting is more than just a backdrop; it is a living character in its own right, with history and secrets waiting to be uncovered at every turn.

The story’s branching paths and multiple endings ensure that each player’s journey feels consequential. Obsidian’s trademark moral ambiguity is present throughout, encouraging players to reflect on the impact of their choices. The writing is sharp and evocative, blending grand fantasy with personal stakes in a way that few studios manage to achieve in 2026’s crowded RPG field.

Level Design

Avowed’s level design strikes a careful balance between open-world freedom and curated, handcrafted environments. Rather than overwhelming players with a vast but empty map, each region is densely packed with secrets, side quests, and environmental storytelling. The world is segmented into distinct biomes, each with its own visual identity and gameplay challenges.

Dungeons and ruins are a particular highlight, featuring a variety of puzzles, traps, and enemy encounters that reward careful observation and creative thinking. Verticality plays a significant role, with many levels offering multiple paths and hidden areas accessible through clever use of abilities or environmental manipulation. This design philosophy encourages exploration without leading to aimless wandering.

The use of environmental storytelling is top-notch, with every location telling its own story through architecture, scattered notes, and interactive objects. Whether you’re navigating the haunted catacombs beneath a city or traversing the windswept cliffs of the outer wilds, the world feels cohesive and alive. Fast travel points are thoughtfully placed, striking a balance between convenience and immersion.

Multiplayer and Online Experience

While Avowed is fundamentally a single-player experience, Obsidian has included a handful of online features designed to enhance replayability and foster community interaction. The centerpiece is the asynchronous “Echoes” system, which allows players to leave behind hints or warnings for others in the style of modern soulslike titles. These echoes can be toggled on or off, ensuring they never intrude on immersion for those who prefer a purely solo adventure.

For those seeking a more direct connection, Avowed offers optional co-op challenges—standalone encounters and dungeons that can be tackled with friends. These experiences are kept separate from the main campaign, preserving the integrity of the single-player narrative while offering a compelling diversion for those who enjoy team play. Matchmaking is smooth and the netcode is solid, with minimal lag even at launch, a notable achievement in today’s online landscape.

Leaderboards and seasonal events round out the online offerings, providing additional incentives for replay and mastery. Importantly, Obsidian has avoided the pitfalls of intrusive microtransactions or pay-to-win elements, focusing instead on meaningful content that respects players’ time and investment. In a year where many RPGs have blurred the line between single- and multiplayer, Avowed confidently prioritizes its narrative-driven experience while offering just enough online flair to keep things fresh.

Graphics and Visuals

Visually, Avowed is a stunning achievement. Built on the latest iteration of Obsidian’s proprietary engine, the game boasts lush environments, intricate character models, and a dynamic weather system that brings the Living Lands to life. The color palette is vibrant yet grounded, with each region offering its own distinct atmospheric flair—from the eerie blue glow of ancient ruins to the sun-drenched forests teeming with life.

Character animations are fluid and expressive, lending weight to both combat and conversation. Facial expressions and body language are used to great effect during pivotal story moments, enhancing immersion and emotional impact. The attention to detail extends to armor and weaponry, with each piece rendered in exquisite detail and reflecting the cultural influences of its origin.

Performance is consistently strong across platforms, with minimal load times and impressive optimization even on mid-range hardware. Ray tracing and advanced lighting effects add a cinematic quality to key moments, while accessibility options ensure that players of all abilities can enjoy the game at its best. In a year where graphics are often prioritized over substance, Avowed manages to deliver both in equal measure.

Soundtrack and Audio Design

Audio is another area where Avowed excels. The game’s orchestral score, composed by industry veteran Inon Zur, is both sweeping and intimate, perfectly capturing the epic scale and personal stakes of the narrative. Each region features its own musical motifs, subtly shifting in response to player actions and story developments. The result is a soundtrack that not only enhances mood but also reinforces the game’s themes and setting.

Voice acting is uniformly excellent, with a cast that brings every character—major and minor—to vibrant life. Conversations feel organic, with nuanced performances that elevate even the most routine quest dialogue. The writing is given extra weight by the delivery, ensuring that emotional beats land as intended.

Environmental audio is equally impressive, with ambient sounds that ground you in the world. From the distant roar of a thunderstorm to the subtle rustling of leaves as you pass through a forest, every sound is carefully crafted to enhance immersion. Combat effects are satisfying and impactful, with spells crackling and swords clashing in a way that makes every fight feel thrilling and immediate.

Conclusion: Should You Play It?

Avowed is a landmark release for Obsidian and the RPG genre at large. It successfully marries the studio’s narrative and systemic strengths with the demands of a modern first-person action RPG, delivering an experience that feels both fresh and deeply rooted in role-playing tradition. The world of the Living Lands is one of the most compelling fantasy settings in years, brought to life by exceptional writing, design, and presentation.

While no game is without its flaws—occasional pacing hiccups and some minor bugs at launch—the sheer quality and ambition on display more than compensate. Avowed stands out in 2026’s crowded gaming landscape as a title that prioritizes player choice, meaningful storytelling, and immersive world-building over trend-chasing and empty spectacle.

For fans of deep, choice-driven RPGs, Avowed is nothing short of essential. Even those new to the genre will find much to love in its approachable systems and captivating narrative. Obsidian has once again proven why it remains one of the industry’s premier storytellers, and Avowed is the kind of adventure that will linger in your memory long after the credits roll. In short: this is one journey you won’t want to miss.