In a new episode of the Official Xbox Podcast, Obsidian Entertainment’s Carrie Patel (Game Director) and Gabe Paramo (Gameplay Director) have discussed more about upcoming fantasy adventure Avowed, and how it integrates choice and refined combat into a larger narrative.
While the game was a major part of the recent Xbox Developer Direct, the additional showcase provided a chance for Patel and Paramo to dive deeper into the game’s many aspects, and dwell on challenges in innovating within the storied action RPG genre.
“The way we approached choice and consequence and everything else is giving players opportunities to define who they are in this world, how they want to behave, and what fantasy and what challenges they want to undertake,” Patel says in the video.
“With all the content we design, whether it’s quests, companion relationships, or gameplay, we really tried to create this player shaped whole – so that we’re always leaving room for players to step in and drive the story forward, and find who they are in this setting.”
Read: Xbox Developer Direct: Every major game announcement
Elsewhere in the video, Patel and Paramo discuss the importance of players as characters in the story, and how choice will change the narrative and the game’s world. The Obsidian team has reportedly worked on Avowed with the motto “Your World, Your Way” indicating Avowed will preference a true freedom of choice, and one that will change how each player approaches the game.
While Bethesda’s sweeping fantasy adventure Skyrim served as an initial inspiration for the upcoming game, it sounds a lot like Baldur’s Gate 3 may also inform game design choices – and particularly, the approach to freeform worldbuilding and having players directly responsible for their actions.
For example, players may accidentally skip certain segments of gameplay, with treasures hiding only for those who take the time to explore, and make considered choices.
Beyond these details, the Obsidian team has also revealed new tidbits about the game’s action combat, its worldbuilding, and its connection to Pillars of Eternity in this new showcase, painting a very intriguing picture about what’s to come.
You can catch up with these details via the Official Xbox Podcast on YouTube, and look forward to hearing more about Avowed in the coming months.
