After watching the Xbox Games Showcase on July 23rd, I had mixed emotions. While I was excited that Xbox was actually emphasizing games for once, my enthusiasm was tempered by the fact that most of their first-party announcements probably won’t be releasing until 2022. One of the most surprising announcements was Obsidian Entertainment’s medieval fantasy RPG, Avowed. Last year, Obsidian released their futuristic sci-fi version of Fallout with The Outer Worlds and their 2020 small-budget offering, Grounded, goes into early access at the end of July, so there wasn’t much expectation for a big announcement from the developer. It’s clear that Avowed is Obsidian’s spin on Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls franchise. However, one thing disappointed me in the brief trailer for the upcoming fantasy RPG - it seems to be strictly first-person. This was also a big point of contention for me with The Outer Worlds.
Don’t get me wrong, I like first-person-oriented games. The rebooted Wolfenstein franchise is among my favorite set of games this generation, but the gunplay in The Outer Worlds does not come close to matching that of any of the new Wolfenstein games. Also, since Obsidian specializes in role-playing games, character customization is important for players. I can change the look of my character in The Outer Worlds, but I can’t even see my character unless I am in the inventory screen. So what’s the point of having customization if I can’t see my work? In Wolfenstein, you don’t customize the character’s apparel because there is no point. All players see are the character’s hands and the gun or knife they are holding.
Players love Obsidian Entertainment because they provide the true RPG experiences that Bethesda Game Studios used to. Obsidian gained their reputation as a hired gun who would make a great sequel in a beloved franchise under an insanely tight deadline, a seemingly impossible feat. Obsidian made Knights of the Old Republic II in 16 months, Neverwinter Nights 2 in roughly two years, and Fallout: New Vegas in 18 months. All were critically lauded, but the acclaim never quite reached the heights of their respective predecessors primarily due to minor technical bugs present in the final game, which can easily be attributed to the compressed development schedule. Despite this, fans saw the love and care that went into developing each game. All of those games are seen as worthy entries into their respective franchises and Fallout: New Vegas is frequently touted as the greatest Fallout game ever made.
Obsidian took advantage of their goodwill with gamers by crowdfunding their isometric RPG Pillars of Eternity, which again received vast critical acclaim, spawning an even more successful sequel. The Outer Worlds then continued this streak. All of these games have their limitations due to budget restrictions, but now they have a larger AAA budget for Avowed since they are a subsidiary of Xbox Game Studios.
So, Obsidian, I beg you to add a third-person option to Avowed. If you are going to let me customize my character, I want to see the art I put on a blank canvas. Also, first-person melee is immensely unsatisfying unless you are pistol-whipping somebody a la Henry Hill in Goodfellas. You had third-person in Fallout: New Vegas, why not have it here? It’s clear that Obsidian is looking to supplant Bethesda Game Studios as the premier RPG developer in the gaming industry and that’s a noble cause, especially due to Bethesda’s failure and refusal to listen to their core player base. Obsidian, please add third-person so your player base loves you a little bit more.
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