Avowed Design Inspiration Discussion

Avowed Design Inspiration Discussion

Let’s dive into the exciting world of Avowed’s design! This game, coming from Obsidian Entertainment, is generating a lot of buzz, and for good reason. The way it looks, feels, and plays is carefully crafted, pulling ideas from many different places. It’s not just random; every decision has a purpose. So, let’s explore what might have inspired the creators of Avowed, shall we?

The Eora Setting and its Roots

First off, Avowed is set in the same universe as Pillars of Eternity, called Eora. This means that some of the inspiration is internal, drawing from the established lore and feel of the earlier games. Eora has a unique flavor, combining fantasy tropes with a sense of ancient, sometimes unsettling, magic. Think less of shiny knights and more of grounded heroes facing complex moral choices.

Visual Style from the Pillars Games

The artistic style in Avowed appears to be a continuation of the look found in Pillars of Eternity. We see similar types of architecture, clothing, and environment designs. While Avowed is in first person perspective, unlike the isometric view of Pillars of Eternity, it’s still clear they both belong to the same world. This shared visual language connects the games and helps make fans of Pillars feel right at home.

• Architecture: Expect to see strong stone structures, with elements of both medieval and classical design. There is a grounded feel, no fanciful castles, but impressive buildings nonetheless.
• Character Design: The armor and clothing look practical and functional, with many leather, cloth, and some metal elements. Character faces show age and experience.
• Environments: You’ll see lush forests, rocky mountains, and gloomy dungeons, all rendered with a detailed and slightly painterly style. Think of the illustrations in a fantasy book coming to life.

Story and Lore Influences

Eora has its own specific history, with gods, religions, and political factions that all influence events. The themes often deal with the nature of souls and the impact of the gods on the world. These themes run deep through both the Pillars games and it’s expected that Avowed will continue in this same vein. This means that if you enjoyed the complexity of the story and characters in Pillars, you’ll probably find the same depth in Avowed.

Fantasy Literature as a Guiding Star

Many fantasy games and stories are influenced by classic books. It’s quite likely that the creators at Obsidian have drawn some inspiration from the following sources:

The Works of Tolkien

While not directly copied, the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, especially “The Lord of the Rings”, are foundational to modern fantasy. The idea of a detailed, living world, with its own history, languages, and peoples, definitely reflects in the design of Eora. You might see elements that are reminiscent of Middle-earth in the vast landscapes and the concept of an ancient evil lurking around.

The Grimdark Feel of George R.R. Martin

While Tolkien created a more noble-feeling fantasy, George R.R. Martin, author of “A Song of Ice and Fire” (the books that inspired “Game of Thrones”), brought a darker and more realistic view to the genre. We see less black and white in his stories, instead dealing with moral gray areas. The characters make difficult choices with consequences. This approach has clearly influenced a number of modern role playing games and Avowed seems to be in this vein as well, focusing on complexity and challenging choices that may have significant consequences in the world.

Other Influential Fantasy Authors

Many other fantasy authors have left their mark on the genre. Authors like Ursula K. Le Guin, whose world building is deep and thoughtful and who asks questions of humanity, or Robert Jordan, with his sprawling series “The Wheel of Time” and it’s detailed political systems, offer an example of creating a sense of scale and detail. The level of detail Obsidian is known for, seems inspired by these types of authors. You can expect to find these kinds of layered worlds and stories in Avowed.

Video Games as a Source of Ideas

Of course, video games also inspire other video games! It’s very likely that Obsidian has been looking at what other developers are doing and taking note of some things that work well. Let’s take a look at some possibilities.

First-Person Immersion

Avowed is a first-person game. This alone speaks to games like The Elder Scrolls series, especially titles like Skyrim. The player sees the world through their character’s eyes, creating a more intimate experience. You explore the world yourself, not by looking at your character from above.

• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Bethesda’s open-world classic is a clear benchmark for first-person fantasy RPGs. The freedom to explore a huge world, with many dungeons and characters to meet, is something that Avowed may aim to emulate.
• The Outer Worlds: Obsidian has experience with the first person perspective. The Outer Worlds, is a smaller RPG that has some ideas that will most likely appear in Avowed. The Outer Worlds, for example, used dialogue and the player’s actions to change the game, and Avowed is going to be similar in this respect.

Combat and Gameplay

The gameplay of Avowed is focused on first-person combat. The developers will have studied a variety of games to develop their combat experience:

• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: The Witcher series, particularly the third game, has a great approach to action-RPG combat. In The Witcher, the player combines sword fighting, magic signs, and potions, and they also investigate clues. Avowed seems like it might have a similar blend of combat and exploration.
• Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: This game is an early example of first-person melee combat, something that Avowed will have as a large focus. It had an interesting system that allowed for physics-based fighting that Obsidian could draw from.
• Dishonored Series: Dishonored games offer very creative combat systems where you use a mix of powers and stealth and combat. Avowed might borrow ideas about letting players play in different ways, whether with magic, swords, or sneaking around.

World Design and Exploration

Exploration is going to be a key part of the Avowed experience. It has been established by the developers that the game is not an open world, but an experience with interconnected zones. This method allows the developers to focus on providing very detailed areas, and gives the player less empty space to travel through.

• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: Zelda has a way of making its world feel magical, and it encourages exploration in unique ways. While Avowed probably won’t have the same visual style, it might borrow ideas from how to make exploration fun and rewarding, like secret areas or puzzles hidden in the world.
• Elden Ring: In Elden Ring, the world itself is a major character. The game is well known for its vastness, beauty and its secrets that are waiting for the player to find them. Avowed will most likely use similar ideas, like having visual cues for certain areas, and hidden side quests that are only accessible if the player takes the time to explore.

Philosophical Ideas and Themes

Games often explore deep ideas that make us think. Avowed, coming from Obsidian, a studio known for their narrative depth, will very likely tackle some profound themes.

The Nature of Souls and Identity

Pillars of Eternity was concerned with the soul itself, and how a person’s experiences shaped them. Avowed may explore this further, by asking the player, what makes someone who they are. This could lead to some interesting choices that are far beyond good and evil.

Moral Ambiguity

Obsidian has a history of designing games with choices that aren’t always clear. Instead of being a hero and always making the right choice, you often must choose between several bad outcomes, or chose to side with a group who has done questionable things. This adds a layer of moral complexity that can make the story more memorable. It’s likely that Avowed will also offer these challenging decisions, where there isn’t an obviously correct answer.

The Impact of Gods and Belief

The gods and religions of Eora are powerful forces. Their actions and beliefs influence the world. Avowed may ask, can the gods be trusted? How do we understand the meaning of faith, and what is the impact on the world when we believe in a certain way? This will probably have a large influence on the story and characters of the game, and how you interact with them.

Obsidian games always attempt to ask us important questions and Avowed will most likely be no different.

What We Can Expect from Avowed

Based on everything we’ve discussed, Avowed looks to be a rich and layered experience. Expect a world that feels familiar from the Pillars of Eternity series, but brought to life in a brand new way with the first person perspective. The narrative will likely explore complex moral issues, and challenge your perceptions of good and evil. The game seems like it is building on the best aspects of other fantasy experiences and creating something that is unique and engaging.

In short, Avowed is shaping up to be an exciting entry in the fantasy RPG genre, borrowing from a variety of influences to make something new and engaging. Keep an eye out for more updates, as we learn more about the release!