Avowed on PS5 is a strong choice for players who want first-person fantasy combat, flexible character builds and substantial exploration, but it is not a showcase reason to buy a PS5 Pro. The February 17, 2026 release includes the anniversary update from day one, adding New Game Plus, Photo Mode, quarterstaffs, custom difficulty and three playable species. Reviews praise the combat, environments and meaningful choices while pointing to uneven dialogue and predictable story beats as persistent weaknesses.
This assessment combines the official PlayStation Store and Obsidian descriptions with Matt Cabral’s TechRadar review and Push Square’s 8/10 review. Performance impressions and review scores below are attributed to those reviewers, not presented as independent laboratory measurements.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Playstack The Last Faith - PS5 | $39.01 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration - PS5 | $59.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Maximum Entertainment 34 Sports Games - World Edition (PS5) | $26.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
MADDEN NFL 24 Standard PS5 | VideoGame | English | $15.00 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What Avowed is on PS5
Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG set in Eora, the world introduced by the Pillars of Eternity series. You play an envoy sent to investigate a mysterious plague in the Living Lands. The official PlayStation Store description says your decisions can affect inhabitants, creatures, companions and the envoy, so the role is not simply a linear march from one fight to the next.
Recommended Free Tools
The PS5 edition launched on February 17, 2026. Obsidian announced that date on January 8, 2026, alongside launch prices of $49.99 for the Standard Edition and $59.99 for the Premium Edition. Those were historical launch prices, not a statement of what the game costs now; check the current PlayStation Store listing before buying.
#1 Best Overall
- The wicked and the blessed will be judged the same - let nothing stand in your way.
- Often brutal, always empowering, The Last Faith is an unholy alliance of metroidvania and soulslike.
- The Last Faith thrives on merciless and precise combat, with a huge range of custom executions to perform.
- Discover a formidable arsenal of melee weapons, arcane spells, and long-range firearms, allowing you to carve a path your own way.
- Journey along snow-dusted mountains and castles bathed in moonlight. Discover and upgrade a formidable range of tools for destruction.
At its core, Avowed combines real-time first-person combat with party-based RPG progression. You can mix swords, spells, guns and shields, then develop abilities through Fighter, Ranger, Wizard and Godlike skill trees. Companions contribute their own abilities and create synergies with your build. The result is closer to a build-driven action RPG than to a purely dialogue-led role-playing game.
What arrived with the anniversary edition
The PS5 release includes the anniversary additions announced for February 17 rather than asking console players to wait for a later patch. The official update and store listing identify the following additions:
| Feature | What it adds | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| New Game Plus | A replay mode for completed campaigns | Lets you return with a finished-game save and approach the story with a developed character. |
| Photo Mode | Tools for composing and capturing scenes | Useful in a game built around distinct regions, creatures and environmental detail. |
| Quarterstaffs | A new weapon type | Expands the close-combat options beyond the launch weapon selection. |
| Appearance changes | Additional ways to alter your character | Improves flexibility when your original look no longer fits the role you are playing. |
| Character-creation presets | New starting presets | Speeds up creation while offering more visual variety. |
| Three playable species | Dwarf, Aumaua and Orlan | Gives new and returning players more identity choices at the start of a campaign. |
| Customizable difficulty | Separate controls for many gameplay systems | Allows a campaign to be tuned around combat challenge, resource pressure and convenience. |
These additions make the PS5 package more than a basic platform conversion. They are especially relevant if you are starting your first campaign now, because the character-creation options, quarterstaff and custom settings are available from the outset.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesNew Game Plus has a specific save requirement
Players who finished Avowed before New Game Plus was added cannot simply load any old completion file and expect the mode to appear. Obsidian says you need a completion save created by finishing the game from a point-of-no-return save or a later save after the update.
- Load a save at the point of no return or any later point in the campaign.
- Complete the game again from that save.
- Allow the game to create the proper completion save.
- Use that completion save when starting New Game Plus.
If you completed the original release and no longer have a suitable late-game save, this condition is the practical issue to check before deleting old files. New players do not need a special workaround: finish the updated campaign and the resulting completion save is the one intended for New Game Plus.
Combat is the PS5 version’s clearest strength
Avowed’s combat is built around combinations rather than a single preferred weapon. A sword and shield can support a defensive approach, while spells, guns and other weapons let you change range and damage type. The first-person perspective makes every parry, projectile and spell cast feel immediate, and companions add another layer of timing because their abilities can complement your chosen tools.
Flexible loadouts
The game’s weapon-and-magic mix means you can switch your approach as encounters change. A player who begins with conventional melee can add ranged attacks or spells without abandoning the character. The quarterstaff added in the anniversary update gives close-range players another moveset to consider, rather than merely another cosmetic variant.
Rank #2
- 100+ classic games lovingly presented with best-in-class emulation and modern quality-of-life enhancements – and the ability to play classic games that have not been available for ages
- Discover the brand that launched the modern video game industry and the creative individuals behind it through interviews, archival images, special source material and behind-the-scenes content within an interactive timeline
- Emulation of games created for seven hardware platforms: Arcade, Atari 800, Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, Atari Jaguar, Atari Lynx
- Over 60 minutes of exclusive interviews with key players in the games industry – from early Atari designers and engineers and other luminaries of the gaming world -- as they discuss Atari’s enduring impact on the video entertainment landscape
- A retrospective on gaming history that is a must-own for collectors and fans of video games
Four core skill directions
Fighter, Ranger, Wizard and Godlike trees provide recognizable starting points for character planning. They do not force you into four isolated classes; the attraction is the freedom to combine elements. A fighter-oriented character can still use magic, and a spell-focused build can carry practical weapons for situations where resources or distance make casting less attractive.
Companions and synergies
Companions are active contributors, not only conversation partners. Their abilities can create synergies with your own attacks and influence how you approach encounters. That party layer gives exploration and combat a different rhythm from a solo action game: you are considering which abilities work together as well as which weapon you personally prefer.
Push Square’s review identifies combat and build variety among Avowed’s strongest qualities. The same review also notes that custom difficulty can reduce the friction associated with equipment upgrades, which is useful if you want to experiment with several builds without making every upgrade feel like a resource crisis.
Exploration and choice give the world its shape
The Living Lands are divided into varied environments with different factions, creatures and mysteries. Exploration is not presented as one uniform map filled with interchangeable encounters. Distinct regions give the journey visual and mechanical changes, while side paths and environmental questions reward players who investigate instead of following only the main objective.
Push Square praises the environments and meaningful player choice. The official store description likewise emphasizes consequences for inhabitants, creatures, companions and the envoy. In practical terms, that makes conversations and local decisions part of your route through the world, not just pauses between fights.
The choice system should not be mistaken for an endlessly branching story in which every decision creates a completely separate campaign. The review evidence supports meaningful variation and consequences, but it also identifies predictable story beats. Avowed can let you influence situations while still using familiar fantasy-RPG structures.
Story, dialogue and presentation are uneven
The central premise—a plague investigation carried out by an envoy in a politically and ecologically varied region—gives the campaign a clear reason to move between communities and factions. It also provides room for companions to react to your actions and for local mysteries to connect to the broader crisis.
Rank #3
- Enter the stadium and take part of one of the biggest competitions across 34 sports: from swimming, soccer, extreme bike, weightlifting, trampoline and much more!
- Defend your own country and visit the World: United States, Australia, Japan, France…
- Train yourself alone or compete with your friends!
- An enhanced version of “30 Sport Games in 1”, with revamped design, new games and more customisation!
Push Square’s 8/10 review is positive about choice, combat, exploration and environments, but criticizes dialogue and predictable story beats. The criticism matters because Avowed spends substantial time in conversations. If you primarily play for writing and surprise narrative turns, the game’s strongest systems may not fully offset those weaknesses.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Push Square also points to animation issues and an uneven audio mix. These are presentation concerns rather than evidence that the game is technically broken, but they can interrupt otherwise effective scenes. TechRadar’s review similarly treats the game as an experience with notable strengths rather than a flawless technical or narrative package.
PS5 performance modes: which setting should you use?
TechRadar’s Matt Cabral reports four broad presentation choices on PS5: a 30-frames-per-second quality mode, a 60-fps performance mode, a middle setting aimed at 120Hz displays and an unlocked-frame-rate option. The review describes targets and observed behavior from the reviewer’s play time; it is not an instrumented frame-time analysis.
| Mode | Reported target or behavior | Best fit | Display consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | 30 fps | Players who prioritize the quality-mode presentation over motion fluidity | Works with ordinary 60Hz televisions and monitors. |
| Performance | 60 fps | Players who value more responsive camera movement and combat | The straightforward choice for a 60Hz display when fluidity matters most. |
| 120Hz-oriented middle setting | A setting designed around higher-refresh displays | Owners of a 120Hz television or monitor who want a compromise | Requires a display and console setup capable of accepting a 120Hz signal. |
| Unlocked frame rate | Frame rate is not locked to a fixed target | Players who prefer the highest available responsiveness and can tolerate variation | Results depend on the display and scene; do not treat it as a guaranteed frame rate. |
Choose performance mode if you notice camera judder or want combat inputs to feel as immediate as possible. Choose quality mode if a steadier, more presentation-focused image matters more than 60-fps motion. The 120Hz-oriented and unlocked choices make the most sense only when your television or monitor supports the relevant refresh behavior. TechRadar’s report does not provide precise resolution or frame-time measurements, so claims about exact pixel counts or locked consistency would go beyond the available evidence.
DualSense support adds immersion without changing the game
TechRadar praises the PS5 edition’s DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers. Those effects can make weapons, spells and environmental interactions feel more tactile than a conventional controller implementation. The reviewer considers the controller integration one reason the PS5 version feels especially immersive.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
This is an experience benefit, not a separate gameplay system. The official store listing also confirms that vibration and adaptive-trigger effects can be disabled, along with motion and touch controls. If you prefer a traditional, less physical presentation, the game lets you turn those features off rather than forcing them on.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Standard PS5 or PS5 Pro?
TechRadar’s review was conducted primarily on PS5 Pro, with additional time on standard PS5 and Xbox Series X. Cabral reports modest Pro improvements and near-identical visual quality and performance between standard PS5 and PS5 Pro in the comparison. On that evidence, Avowed is not a persuasive reason to upgrade from a working standard PS5.
Rank #4
- American football simulation game brings all the intensity and realism of NFL players, drafts, and strategies to your console - Game modes include Superstar: The League, Superstar: Showdown, Franchise, Madden Ultimate Team, and Cross-play for endless variation.
- Anatomically accurate player skeletons are more responsive, achieving true-to-life player motion during gameplay - Field SENSE animation technology provides greater control, realism, and immersive Ness when performing complex maneuvers.
- AI enhanced movement makes it easier for your team to execute your gameplan with ball carrier pathfinding and QB and DB awareness.
- Skill-based Passing 2.0 has improved accuracy, DB behavior, and catching for more intuitive throwing and defensive actions.
- Hit Everything 2.0 gives your teammates greater situational awareness, allowing them to push the pile and gain ground to attack the football more effectively.
| Question | Standard PS5 | PS5 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Can you play the full PS5 release? | Yes | Yes |
| Does the anniversary content differ? | No content distinction is identified. | No content distinction is identified. |
| Visual and performance advantage | Baseline for the reviewer’s comparison. | TechRadar characterizes improvements as modest and reports near-identical results. |
| Upgrade case | Already provides the complete experience. | Not supported as a major exclusive upgrade by the cited review. |
If you already own a PS5 Pro, you can use its hardware, but the available review evidence does not justify buying the console specifically for Avowed. The more consequential choice is your preferred frame-rate mode and whether DualSense effects suit you.
Accessibility and comfort settings
The PlayStation Store listing includes advanced adjustable difficulty, manual saves, pausing during offline play, control and tutorial reminders, and options to play without motion controls, touch controls, controller vibration or adaptive triggers. These settings let you remove physical effects and reduce interruptions without changing the game’s basic identity.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallTechRadar additionally notes camera and subtitle settings, an arachnophobia mode and the new custom difficulty options. The review criticizes the absence of a broad colorblind-options suite, so players who depend on extensive color-vision customization should check the available in-game settings before committing to a long campaign.
How custom difficulty works—and its achievement trade-off
Custom difficulty is more granular than a single easy-to-hard slider. Obsidian says you can adjust player, enemy, companion and general systems, including damage, resource availability, enemy attack speed, carrying capacity, parry-window size, merchant prices, equipment-upgrade costs, fall damage and trap damage.
The options can be changed during play, which means you can respond to a build experiment or a particularly frustrating encounter instead of restarting the campaign. However, Obsidian states that using these custom options invalidates the Path of the Damned achievement. Decide whether flexibility or that achievement matters more before enabling the settings.
- Use custom controls when you want to reduce upgrade costs, enlarge the parry window or adjust resource pressure.
- Leave them untouched if earning Path of the Damned is a priority.
- Remember that changing the settings later does not restore eligibility for that achievement in the affected playthrough.
Who should play Avowed on PS5?
It is a good fit if you want
- First-person fantasy combat that mixes melee weapons, guns, spells and shields.
- A character system that supports hybrid builds instead of locking you into one class.
- Companions whose abilities can combine with your own.
- Exploration across distinct environments with factions, creatures and mysteries.
- A replayable package with New Game Plus, Photo Mode, a quarterstaff and additional character options included in the PS5 release.
- Difficulty controls that can be tuned around combat, resources and convenience.
Think twice if you mainly want
- A consistently surprising narrative or exceptionally polished dialogue.
- Perfectly even animation and audio presentation in every scene.
- A major technical leap over standard PS5 hardware from buying a PS5 Pro.
- A broad set of colorblind accessibility options.
Strengths and weaknesses at a glance
| Strengths | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Flexible first-person combat with multiple weapon and magic combinations | Dialogue is less consistent than the combat and exploration systems |
| Fighter, Ranger, Wizard and Godlike progression supports varied builds | Some story beats are predictable |
| Companions add ability synergies and party decisions | Reviewers identify animation and audio-mix issues |
| Distinct environments, factions, creatures and mysteries | No broad colorblind-options suite is reported by TechRadar |
| Anniversary additions are included on PS5 at release | Custom difficulty disables the Path of the Damned achievement |
| Strong DualSense haptics and adaptive-trigger implementation, according to TechRadar | PS5 Pro gains are characterized as modest |
Verdict: a worthwhile PS5 action RPG, not a Pro showcase
Avowed’s PS5 release is easiest to recommend to players who value combat experimentation and exploration over perfectly controlled storytelling. The anniversary content gives the console version a well-rounded feature set: New Game Plus, Photo Mode, quarterstaffs, expanded character creation, three additional species and custom difficulty are all meaningful additions rather than filler.
The caveats are equally clear. Push Square’s 8/10 assessment identifies dialogue, predictable story beats, animations and audio as the areas that keep the game from matching its best systems. TechRadar’s account adds that the PS5 Pro does not deliver a dramatic exclusive visual or performance advantage over the standard PS5. Buy or play it on the hardware you already own, select the frame-rate mode that suits your display, and treat Avowed as a combat-and-exploration-led fantasy RPG whose narrative polish is more uneven than its systems.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
