Avowed’s divided reception is largely an expectations mismatch: some players wanted a Skyrim-scale sandbox or deeper Pillars of Eternity-style role-playing, while Obsidian made a more directed fantasy RPG built around authored regions, first-person combat, exploration and companions. Reddit threads show both continued criticism and enthusiastic reassessments, but they are examples of community opinion—not a representative measure of players overall.
Why are Avowed players disappointed?
Many critical posts describe Avowed as rushed, shallow, repetitive or less ambitious than the role-playing games they hoped it would resemble. The complaints tend to focus on the experience’s scope and systems rather than one universally agreed-on flaw.
- World and exploration: Some players find the regions too linear, sparse or lifeless, and feel the setting leaves more potential unused than its premise suggests.
- Combat and enemies: Critics point to limited enemy variety and encounters that can feel repetitive over a campaign.
- Role-playing depth: Some want more room to experiment with builds, more consequential choices, or stronger reactivity from the world and its characters.
- Dialogue and pacing: Lengthy conversations are a turnoff for players who would rather spend more time exploring or fighting.
- Progression and equipment: Upgrade materials, gear options and the cost or availability of equipment drew particular frustration around launch.
These are recurring complaints in Reddit threads, not proof that every player shares them. The same discussion includes people who enjoy the game while acknowledging that its role-playing systems and world are narrower than those of Skyrim, Morrowind or the Pillars games.
Why do other players say Avowed was over-hated?
Positive reassessments often start with the claim that Avowed is not Skyrim—and was never meant to be a 1,000-hour sandbox. Players who enjoy it describe satisfying combat, exploration, art direction and a campaign that feels manageable for someone with limited gaming time. One popular r/avowed post called it a “very solid RPG,” praising its optimization and dynamic mechanics; another player who had avoided it amid Skyrim and Oblivion comparisons said the combat felt engaging, while still disliking the HUD.
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#1 Best Overall
- Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger.
- Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
- Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem
- Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way
- Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities.
Those reactions help explain why “the internet lied to me” and “combat feels amazing” appear alongside complaints about a “stale world” or “too much dialogue.” People are often judging different parts of the game, or measuring it against different expectations. Reddit votes and comments illustrate that disagreement; they do not establish how most Avowed players feel.
Avowed and Skyrim: what is actually different?
GamesRadar’s interview with gameplay director Gabe Paramo acknowledged that a first-person fantasy RPG naturally invites Skyrim comparisons, while explaining that Avowed was intended to have its own identity rather than match Skyrim’s scale. The practical distinction is less “which game is better?” than whether Avowed’s particular mix of structure, combat and role-playing suits you.
Rank #2
- Requires base game, Game Pass Ultimate, or PC Game Pass Membership (Sold Separately)
- Premium Upgrade includes: Premium Skin Packs: 2 sets of bonus skins for your companions, and access to Avowed Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack
- Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
- Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem.
- Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way.
| Aspect | Avowed, as described in the discussion and developer interview | Why the comparison matters |
|---|---|---|
| World structure | Authored open areas rather than a Skyrim-scale sandbox | Players expecting broad, self-directed sandbox play may find its scope restrictive. |
| Combat | First-person combat is a central draw for players who praise its feel | People who enjoy the moment-to-moment fighting may be satisfied even if they find the world or RPG systems limited. |
| Builds and progression | Some players find build experimentation and role-playing depth limited | Players looking for a more elaborate character-building loop may be disappointed. |
| Exploration and campaign | Players praise exploration, but some find regions repetitive or underused; some also value a campaign that fits a limited schedule | A directed, more contained experience can be a benefit or a drawback depending on what you want from an RPG. |
| World and story reactivity | Critics say choices, regions and stories can feel less reactive or ambitious than they hoped | Players seeking the breadth of systemic role-playing in Skyrim, Morrowind or Pillars of Eternity may want more consequence and freedom. |
Did Obsidian address the launch complaints?
Gear upgrades and the economy
Upgrade friction is the launch complaint the developer most clearly acknowledged. In a February 19, 2026 interview with PC Gamer, gameplay director Gabe Paramo said the team was “definitely surprised by how many people consistently bounced off the upgrading experience.” He explained that the intended loop—complete content, upgrade equipment, then tackle harder content—could break down when exploration let players get ahead of the upgrade curve. Paramo said the team had made the experience “much more gradual and less binary.”
The anniversary update also addressed complaints about tight resources, expensive equipment, too few unique gear options and a shortage of upgrade materials. That is meaningful evidence of a response to a documented problem; it does not establish that every player will now find equipment progression satisfying.
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- Premium Edition includes: Avowed base game, Premium Skin Packs: 2 sets of bonus skins for each of your companions, and access to Avowed Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack
- Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.
- Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem.
- Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way.
- Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities.
Anniversary update and Patch 2.1
Obsidian’s February 17, 2026 anniversary announcement said the post-launch roadmap was ending one year after launch. The update added playable Dwarves, Orlans and Aumaua, species and background stat bonuses, the ability to change species and appearance at the Party Camp, and New Game Plus. It also brought Avowed to PlayStation 5.
Patch 2.1, released March 25, 2026, added a setting to disable respawning enemy encounters. It also included fixes for crashes, companion presentation, loadout cooldown behavior, frame-generation issues, photo mode and terrain shaders, as well as several PlayStation 5 problems. The patch notes specifically listed missing background music, controller-setting resets and a fast-travel crash among the PS5 fixes.
Rank #4
- L'édition Premium SteelBook comprend: le jeu de base Avowed, jusqu'à 5 jours d'accès anticipé, le SteelBook Avowed, la carte des Terres Vivantes, deux packs de skins Premium et l'accès à l'Artbook numérique Avowed et à la bande-son originale
- Vous êtes l'envoyé d'Aedyr, une terre lointaine, missionné pour enquêter sur les rumeurs selon lesquelles une épidémie se propagerait dans les Terres Vivantes, une île pleine de mystères et de secrets, de dangers et d'aventures, de choix et de conséconsés. quences, et d'une nature sauvage
- Explorez une île qui abrite de nombreux environnements et paysages différents, chacun avec son propre écosystème unique
- Mélangez et associez des épées, des sorts, des armes et des boucliers pour vous frayer un chemin
- The compagnons d'un large éventail d'espèces se battront à vos côtés, avec leurs propres capacités uniques
Is Avowed 2 cancelled?
A September 2026 r/avowed thread asking whether Avowed 2 had been cancelled shows uncertainty, not confirmation. Users repeat cancellation and layoff claims, while others argue that the sequel is not officially cancelled and that a small team may still be working on it. Without an announcement from Xbox or Obsidian, neither cancellation nor active development should be treated as established fact.
Who is most likely to enjoy Avowed?
Avowed is a better fit if you want a directed fantasy RPG with first-person combat, authored areas, exploration and companions—and you do not require it to reproduce Skyrim’s scale or the deeper systems of Pillars of Eternity. If your priorities are an expansive sandbox, extensive build experimentation, dense systemic reactivity or a world designed for very long-term play, the criticism may match your own expectations more closely.
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That is why “worth it at the sale price” is a personal judgment rather than a verdict established by the Reddit discussion. Consider whether the game’s particular strengths interest you and whether its acknowledged limits are ones you can accept; the anniversary changes and later patch are part of the current game, not a guarantee that it will suit every player.
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