Obsidian Entertainment's RPG set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, Avowed, first made its cinematic trailer debut over a year ago. The Microsoft-owned studio is apparently making progress on its Xbox exclusive title, and a new report from Windows Central suggests Avowed is "deep into pre-production," and highlights some of its similarities with Obsidian's other RPG hit, The Outer Worlds.
In the Windows Central exclusive, reporter Jez Corden notes the documentation and content he viewed was in a "pre-alpha state," but confirmed the project was moving along in production as developer Obsidian has withheld any further looks at the game following the reveal last year. Avowed was first announced during 2020's Xbox Games Showcase at E3, and only offered a few details like its first-person camera functionality. The teaser trailer immediately drew Skyrim comparisons, but back in July, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer insisted Avowed and The Elder Scrolls "are very different.”
Like Skyrim, the Windows Central report says Avowed will use a two-handed combat system, sport multiple classes, and use magic and weapon combos you may already be familiar with. Perhaps it's not the most surprising to learn that familiar abilities from Pillars of Eternity seem to be present in the build, but Corden also drew plenty of comparisons with The Outer Worlds.
It sounds like Avowed conjures images of The Outer Worlds as a colorful experience with, "Luminescent cave mushrooms, verdant forests awash with gigantic flora, and hulking sunlit temples". Windows Central also notes that their peek at Avowed was a bit of a departure from the trailer original darker tones, but that was only in a few areas.
Avowed may be a long way off despite its progress, but Obsidian still has other games it's updating and more titles on the way. Earlier this year, the developer announced that The Outer Worlds 2 was in production. Our very own Iss van der Velde also went hands-on with Obsidian's next Grounded update, Hot and Hazey, saying that he was happy to see a "host of new RPG mechanics" coming to the game.