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An official screenshot from Avowed
Obsidian Entertainment, Xbox Game Studios
There's something about Avowed that just really clicks for me.
It's got a great story, choices and responses are meaningful, it's stunning, performs well on the whole and gameplay is addictive both in combat and exploration, all critical components for a successful role-playing game.
Admittedly, Avowed doesn't do anything massively groundbreaking that we haven't seen other games do really well before.
But there's just something about its charm and character as a package that I can't get enough of and that's been elevated with the PS5 release and anniversary update.
Avowed gameplay is addictive / Obsidian Entertainment, Xbox Game Studios
When I reviewed Avowed in February 2025, I said it was a brilliant and addictive game and playing it again, I completely stand by that today.
This time around, I started as an Aumaua, one of three new playable races which are huge characters usually found near the water and are around 10 feet tall.
The other playable races are Dwarves and Orlans. Previously, only Humans and Elves were playable so these additions give a lot more customisation options straight away.
Alternatively, if you want to dive straight in and don't really care too much about this, there are new preset options too, meaning character creation is both more streamlined for players who want that and more detailed for those who want more options available to them.
And if you don't like how your character looks while playing, there's a new Magic Mirror in camp which means you can change how you look at any point.
The world of Avowed is incredibly immersive / Obsidian Entertainment, Xbox Game Studios
There are new custom difficulty options which let you tweak how difficult certain aspects of gameplay are and, once again, this is a key component in being able to create the exact experience you want.
After creating my character, having played through Avowed on Xbox Series S previously, it quickly becomes apparent that on a base PS5 this game looks amazing.
Lighting has been improved throughout and this is clear to see, on top of the jump you'd expect from a Series S to a PS5.
I quickly started using the game's new photo mode, included as part of the anniversary update. It's not usually a feature I spend too much time using but here, I found myself using it quite a lot.
Conversations have been improved, Sapadal dream sequences can now be skipped and certain enemy encounters now respawn.
There's also a Quarterstaff weapon for those who love to play as a mage. Gear can now be upgraded at workbenches and there are more stun finishers for most weapons. There are new godlike features and variants too.
And when you're finished, if you want to dive in and play again, there's now a New Game+ mode which is welcome for encouraging replays.
Avowed is a good looking game, especially on a PS5 / Obsidian Entertainment, Xbox Game Studios
If you haven't yet played Avowed, now is the perfect time to jump in with the anniversary update bringing a number of key quality of life features and customisation options to the table.
And if you have already but are on the fence about jumping back in, do it. Its charm and character make Avowed such a fun fantasy RPG.
Elsewhere from indy100:
- Avowed review: Is it Obsidian's best role-playing game yet?
- New Xbox console release window revealed by renowned insider
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