Avowed’s inert cities remind me just how good we had it in Skyrim and Oblivion

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After some time, I finally got into the groove of Avowed. However, once I transformed my imperial emissary into a stealth-mage assassin character (commonly known as ‘Dishonored’), my journey through the Living Lands became quite enjoyable. The unique biomes with dungeons and caves connected to them, the numerous side-quest possibilities, and immersing myself in this visually stunning fantasy world from a first-person perspective—with one hand holding a spellbook and the other a sword—all contribute to bringing back some of my most cherished gaming memories roaming around Tamriel across the Elder Scrolls series. Although it may be smaller and simpler, given that 14 years have passed since the last Elder Scrolls game, I’m more than content with this offering to help satisfy my craving on my battle-scarred knee.

As I delve deeper into Avowed, I’m noticing more and more flaws in its portrayal of a vibrant, dynamic universe – fleeting moments of unflattering exposure that reveal its constructed nature. Yet, this might not be entirely negative; it encourages me to view Obsidian’s RPG as a unique world with distinct design elements and regulations, rather than constantly comparing it to Bethesda’s standards. Conversely, it has sparked in me a newfound appreciation for the subtle details that made the Elder Scrolls worlds seem so lively.

1. Unique Weapons: Secure them as soon as possible

2. Totem of Rightful Rulership: Gather all the parts

3. Intimidating Feline Codpiece: Solve the treasure map puzzle

4. Kai Romance: Persevere together in your relationship

5. Avowed Ygwulf: Master strategies for dealing with the assassin

Initially, Avowed doesn’t have any set routines, advanced AI, or natural behaviors for its NPCs. While this is acceptable initially, it eventually gives off a strange vibe similar to the Truman Show, where you feel as though the world is frozen until you interact with it. I didn’t notice it at first, but it became clear in the second region’s capital city, Fior mes Iverno—the NPCs don’t move around; instead, they simply stand still!

In a game, some Non-Player Characters (NPCs) have limited animations, such as continuously brushing a specific area or swaying in one spot like a Weeble Wobble to portray drunkenness. After a while, these repetitive actions make them seem more like mechanical robots than real inhabitants. During my initial quest, I witnessed an NPC stumble out of the pub due to nausea and vomit in the alleyway outside. One would expect him to recover or at least resume his designated standing animation after some time. However, following numerous adventures that took me across new territories and involved battles against invaders from another city, I eventually returned to that same pub only to find the same unfortunate soul still retching in the alley, as if stuck in an eternal loop of vomiting.

In the Living Lands, taking items from merchants without consequences is a significant issue. This is a grave sin for a game when it tries to create a believable world. For instance, you could take meat from an NPC butcher while they’re curing it, and they would continue curing where the meat used to be as if nothing happened. You can’t hurt NPCs in cities, and everyone seems stuck in their roles without any room for interaction or conflict. Robin has already elaborated on this, but I thought it was important to emphasize again.

It was intriguing when I encountered an instance where an NPC scolded me for searching through her bag, which seemed odd given that I could carry on without any repercussions. This event led me to ponder over the possibility that even if Avowed allows you to steal small items due to your role as an empire’s emissary, it would be beneficial to provide some explanation for the world’s indifference. While I don’t propose that every RPG needs a sophisticated AI system like Oblivion or Kingdom Come: Deliverance, a hint of reactivity could have greatly enhanced my sense of immersion in this world and motivated me more to protect it.

It’s important to note that the role-playing games from Obsidian Entertainment often prioritize storytelling over gameplay mechanics, offering more narrative choices compared to those from Bethesda. Unlike larger studios that dedicate all their resources to a single game, Obsidian is a medium-sized studio working on several projects at once. This isn’t groundbreaking information; we’ve seen similar approaches in RPGs since the 90s, such as Baldur’s Gate 2 and Planescape: Torment. These games were heavily story-driven but still featured NPCs who interacted with their environments and reacted to player actions. The Witcher 3, another narrative-focused game, implemented basic NPC routines and consequences for public misdeeds. Even Obsidian’s own titles like Fallout: New Vegas and Pillars of Eternity have allowed players to face repercussions from the locals. In other words, a certain level of responsiveness has been integral to RPG design for quite some time.

Although Avowed offers many appealing aspects, an unexpected consequence of playing it is that I’ve been yearning for the imperfect yet grandiose fantasy sandboxes from Bethesda. Even though people often chuckle at the endless stream of quirks and glitches in games like Skyrim and Oblivion, it’s easy to overlook these flaws when remembering that The Elder Scrolls series excels in creating immersive worlds that are still largely unrivaled. These games recognized and responded to your (often criminal) curiosity with realistic NPC responses, and their versatile structures allowed you to role-play a wide variety of characters, from serial killers to fishermen to thieves, based on your self-crafted headcanons.

During the time frame of 2002 to 2011, my adolescent gaming experiences were significantly influenced by games like Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim, which were released during this period. The interactive RPG worlds were a significant part of my teenage gaming landscape. It’s possible that I will always link the freedom in RPGs with petty crimes and unrestrained violence. With 14 years having passed since the last Elder Scrolls game, I find myself missing them more than ever before.

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2025-02-25 20:17