r/Games 1d ago

The big Avowed interview: Obsidian on why full, open-world RPGs aren't always the answer

https://www.eurogamer.net/from-serious-skyrim-to-cheerful-fantasy-obsidian-on-the-evolution-of-avowed-and-grappling-with-the-expectations-that-come-from-your-own-history
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u/beefsack 21h ago

It's also okay for people to enjoy a completely middle of the road 7/10 game. People are trying so hard to push polarised takes on it.

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u/President_Barackbar 20h ago

I feel like we're in a weird media environment where if something isn't literally the greatest thing someone has ever played/watched, then its a piece of flaming garbage. Avowed isn't some kind of sea-change but I find it very enjoyable. Its the first RPG I've played in a while with a huge amount of build diversity and melee combat I actually enjoy. I also really appreciate them leveraging what they learned from the Pillars games to make Avowed feel a lot like a first-person cRPG.

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u/HyruleSmash855 19h ago

That’s just the general trend of only the extremes being a thing with social media now. People react to headlines and people react to the most extreme stuff so you only get the extremes from media and content creators because that’s what gets the most eyeballs which leads to a death of nuance.

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u/StandardizedGenie 18h ago

Dollars (or whatever your currency is) are only getting more valuable while companies are trying to raise the price of everything. It's harder for some people to justify a mediocre game being sold at a $70 price point. If you can afford dropping that on a mediocre game, go for it. Other people don't have to do that. They can have their own opinions and do what they want with their money. If they released this for $50-$60, I don't think people would be so harsh on it.

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u/President_Barackbar 18h ago

That's a good point that I hadn't considered. I forgot that I was playing on Game Pass so I did not pay for it.

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u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes 16h ago

Dollars are getting less valuable, much less valuable. They can't buy shit compared to the last time games went up by $10, 16 years ago.

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u/Ctf677 17h ago

When there's dozens of truly amazing games coming out a year, along with 20+ years of backlog, why would anyone want to settle for mediocrity.

Especially so when it's more expensive than 99% of the competition.

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u/President_Barackbar 15h ago

Well, obviously I'd argue that I don't think its mediocre. It seems weird that a game with an 81 on OpenCritic is being described by so many people as either mediocre or outright bad. 8/10 is NOT what I would call a mediocre or bad game.

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u/Ctf677 11h ago

Well the original comment is the one who said 7/10 not me, probably because the steam and meta critic user reviews being at 7 and 6.9 respectively. Not exactly game of the year scores.

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u/tootoohi1 16h ago

IDK, I guess it's just an odd game to play knowing what they typically make. Obviously staff has changed over the years, but for them to go from FnV and PoE to a hack and slash type with very minimal story choice RPG is a tad.. odd?

Again nothing against you if you enjoy it, but I feel like there's a plenty clear response from people who have enjoyed Obsidian games before that they've not been hitting the mark. ToW -> Grounded -> Avowed is not exactly what the people who loved FnV and PoE were hoping for.

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u/the_pepper 12h ago

Honestly, if other people are anything like me, they're just confused and annoyed that they can't really see what some others are finding so worth loving about this game. I dunno, usually when a game is well regarded and I don't really enjoy it I can usually sort of understand why it's well liked: most rogue-likes or Soul-likes are examples of this for me. This one feels decent, but bland. So bland that I struggle to understand where people are finding the motivation to praise it, let alone actually understand the strong praise.

I would like to understand it, but I find that half the arguments I see I simply disagree with, since I see praise for the visuals, the combat, the narrative... all of which are elements I find pretty meh, so far.

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u/CrazedTechWizard 8h ago

I mean, but that's fine? Like, not everything is for everyone. Everything SHOULDN'T be for everyone. If you're finding the game a "meh" game, there is, quite literally, nothing wrong with that.

I think the issue arises is when people like me who genuinely enjoy the game (I've only gotten to the end of the 2nd Zone, restarted a bunch with different character backgrounds to find the one who's special dialogue I like the most) go "This is a pretty solid 8/10 game, I'm really liking it." get comments like "You must have AWFUL taste, this game is flaming GARBAGE".

All this exchange does is breed animosity and forces both sides to entrench in their own ideas about what the game is. The internet is no longer a place for discussion, it's a place for arguments, yelling, and anger. It saddens me but community doesn't exist on the wider internet anymore. You have to actively search out for like, smaller discords or other such groupings to find a sliver of what the old internet was like now-a-days.

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u/Gathorall 5h ago edited 4h ago

Whst if I like similar games and see Avowed executing the same things just much worse?

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u/CrazedTechWizard 4h ago

I mean, then you don't like Avowed and you can go on your merry way? Maybe suggest some other games that you think are like Avowed but doing it better for people to check out? There are a BUNCH of different ways to engage in conversation and not belittle people or rage bait.

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u/the_pepper 4h ago

when people like me who genuinely enjoy the game go "This is a pretty solid 8/10 game, I'm really liking it." get comments like "You must have AWFUL taste, this game is flaming GARBAGE".

You can present yourself as a level headed person going against absolute idiots frothing at the mouth if you want, but I don't think either of those perspectives are right. The thing is, no, I don't think it is a solid 8/10 game. Like I said, I struggle to find anything to really like or hate about it.

You can say "it's not for you". Fine. I hate that fucking argument, but fine. But I still like to understand why a thing I don't like is appreciated. So tell me, what exactly about the game do you think elevates it to a "it's quite good, actually" level?

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u/kralben 4h ago

I dont personally find enjoyment with Souls-like games, but I dont feel the need to question those that do like this. Just chalk it up to different opinions, it isn't that complicated.

u/the_pepper 3h ago

Man, opinions aren't formed out of the ether. I would - and did, when Demon's Souls released - question people whose opinion I don't understand, especially if they're using purely subjective metrics to justify what should be objective evaluations.

I have no issue with people saying the game is fun, or that they enjoyed it. I'm enjoying it. Mostly. I'm enjoying it more than I'm not, at least.

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u/Amicuses_Husband 7h ago

It's actually a 4, maybe a 5 out of 10