Avowed

We have always know war.

I like hype. I like the feeling that is generates for the masses that it enraptures, I like the imagination it can stir and the conversations it can spark, I like the communities it can build and the ceilings it can shatter. Hype is fun. But I'm careful with awarding that sort of investment to just anybody, least I end up a hopeless hollow stuck forever ramping up for a game that's long doomed to fail. (Sorry Star Citizen, that's just the truth.) And in fact, even when proven developer rides up on their horse and flashes their teeth about I need a little more than just a studio name to get excited. Unless it's Elder Scrolls 6. I literally cried at that announcement. (Don't you judge me!) So it's with an acceptance to the fact that I'm about to get flamed, with which I announce that I don't get the hype for Avowed. (Do your worst, I've got thick skin.)

Now don't get it twisted, I love Obsidian, we all do. Back in the day when 'Fallout: New Vegas' first launched, I thought it was impossible for my love of Fallout 3 to be topped, only to have that love completely redefined by the infinitely superior sequel. 'The Outer Worlds' managed to sneak in not too long ago and prove a devastatingly successful space RPG despite it's small stature and within the hugely delayed marketing cycle for Starfield. They are also the ones responsible for the sequel to one of the greatest games ever made, and easily the greatest Star Wars game, 'Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic'. (Yeah, the original was better than 2 but I think a lot of people overlooked the intensely smart writhing of the second game.) So I'm more than just someone who actively likes Obsidian, I practically love their brand and am excited when anything comes out of it; but that just doesn't extend to anything that comes out their mouth. Why? Experience, dear readers, that is what has jaded me so. Remember when Blizzard were heroes of the gaming industry? When Valve made games? When Bethesda weren't... whatever the hell they are now? I remember all of that, mostly, so I know things can change on a dime.

That being said, I'm not looking at Avowed like any impending disaster on the scale of Fallout 76 or Diablo Immortal, god no; I'm just not letting my skirt get blown up by what basically amounts to an excessively sparse teaser trailer. Let's go over it, shall we? The camera fades in over rolling mountains covered in flame and ash, obviously indicative of some large scale martial action to let us know that this is a world of war- and maybe some crafting too. Some dialogue is said that isn't really all that interesting or impressive without context, probably not even with context either, but it is what it is. We see parapets lined with archers with incredible aim, as they manage to let loose from their hilltop hidey-holes and rain death upon a battlefield filled with slowly plodding skeletons. The camera pans down, and we get to see the first person view of the player's sword, their cool wavy magic hand and a lumbering beast making it's way through the cave system. That's it; cool trailer, glad I came. Why are people losing their minds over this again?

In terms of what one would expect from a fantasy world, we saw literally nothing deserving of extreme excitement. The world looked pretty standard for what one would expect for an environment based on Earth. (Hills and trees, got it.) The aforementioned dialogue was pretty generic, saving all your good lines for the game I guess, no shade. The only enemies we actually see from the game are literal skeletons. Skeletons! The most dime-a-dozen enemy in fantasy RPGs everywhere, edging it out just above Rats! I would have taken a glimpse of some of the armour, so we can see if this is a world full of ridiculous Warcraft proportions or sleek, sexy, Dark Souls armours, but nope; we get some prototypical, paint in the lines, no assembly required, Skeletons. (Goshdarn!) And the finale of the trailer shows off some placeholder animations which absolutely does not constitute gameplay because I can see that unnatural head-bob, Obsidian, I know that's a mock up! (The magic hand animation did look kind of badass though, so points there.)

Now, if I were just a guy with hardly any knowledge of the latest video game news, (were only it so) then I would look at this and likely instantly forget it tomorrow, which is why this isn't a trailer I can board my hype train off of. It's just generic and bare, what can I say? But the reason why I do understand why some-people are getting themselves all a-flutter, is because of the name that's attached; Obsidian. This year saw the Beta release of 'Grounded', a small scale Obsidian title with none of the sweeping RPG majesty that people love the company for, as is self admitted by Obsidian themselves, but here is the announcement for Avowed to fill that void before it even has a time to fester. The wider gaming world can really learn some things about basic marketing strategies from Obsidian. Whatsmore, whilst there is precious little information about what this Avowed is, there is enough to base significant hype on.

When I was ragging on the world and the fact we were fed skeletons as the primary focus of a reveal trailer (A REVEAL trailer! Talk about putting your best foot forward!) I intentionally omitted the fact that some information has been released on this world. Rather, the fact that this game is poised to be set within the same universe of 'Pillars of Eternity', at which point everything starts to make a lot more sense. POE is Obsidian's answer to Baldur's gate, as an isometric top-down party-based Kickstarter success story, and in it's brief life cycle it managed to scoop up enough love and accolades to mount a sequel. This is a world of beauty, great storytelling and thrilling adventure, so when people became aware of a first person single-player RPG set within that world; they felt justified in their fervour. Once again, smart move on Obsidian's part, way to market your game. But that might also explain why I'm unaffected.

I never played 'Pillars of Eternity.' I know, I know. But it was only because I fell for the lie that the game was another Diablo-clone, (I don't know who told me that but they were a lying ass) so I just wasn't interested at release. I don't have that basis of 2 great games to base my expectations of this world so all I can do is look at what was offered and go, "don't look like much." That being said, now I can acknowledge that this franchise (as I suppose being connected to POE makes this part of that franchise now) is beloved, so there's a little bit of relief on that front, but I'll need more then that to really get going. I mean, at this point we don't even know if this is going to be the 'Skyrim killer' that everyone wants it to be, or just another 'Outer Worlds'. Smaller in scale and not really a replacement for the games already on the market. (Although, in the defence of that argument, Fallout isn't exactly all that comparative to 'Outer Worlds' anyway, aside from in raw gameplay where neither game is exactly a shining beacon for the industry. Although modern Fallout does slightly edge out there, to be honest.)

So that's where we are; Avowed has been announced and now it's in the hands of the Internet to either soak it in or balloon their expectations to unreachable, and unpromised heights. (>Sigh<. They're doing that second one, aren't they?) Look online and you'll find plenty of understandably excited fans buzzing about how this game will be the next big thing, and whilst that's sweet and all, I operate in the realms of reason, and until we've some clearer idea on the scope of the game, I'm going to hold off on the applause and partying. Obsidian certainly have the talent to make a spectacular game, so in my kingdom of hearts I hold some excitement for this title, but I wanna hear it from the horses mouth. "Yes, this will be a simulated world", "Yes, this is a large scale RPG", "Yes, we're bringing our great writing and humour", "Yes, you can kill domesticated chickens and set the entire village on you". Until that day I wait patiently. Congrats on Avowed, Obsidian, I hope it's everything people want it to be.