Avowed director Carrie Patel has stated that developer Obsidian is working hard on getting the upcoming RPG into the best place it can be for Xbox players. This is especially true for perhaps the biggest gripe players have had with gameplay footage so far – its combat.
Speaking on the Dropped Frames podcast, Patel reflects on the initial response to the Avowed footage showcased during January’s Xbox Developer Direct. “One of the heartening things has been seeing fans call out some of the things that we are actively working on,” Patel says, “like the sense of hitting and impact as you’re attacking enemies.”
The first impression we had of Avowed’s combat during the showcase was underwhelming. Between the floaty choreography and lackluster strike feedback, there was a notable lack of oomph in what we hope will be one of the year’s best RPG games. Fortunately, the footage shown was already outdated by several weeks, and Patel notes that the Obsidian team had already been working on further improvements. “Trust us,” she says while acknowledging that things are moving in the right direction.
Outside of its less-than-optimal first impression, we’ve generally been quite pleased with how Avowed’s combat had shaped up by the time we got to the Direct. For example, Rory praised its loadout system, stating that it solves one of Skyrim’s biggest flaws – more on that here. With Patel’s latest comments, it certainly doesn’t look like you’re going to need Xbox’s upcoming Sebile controller to get the best out of it – a massive win for your wallet.
If Obsidian can make good on its attempts to synthesize elements of Fallout New Vegas with The Outer Worlds, then we’re in for a very special game indeed. Though it’s never going to escape the Skyrim comparisons, we hope that Avowed will do enough to establish itself by the time one of the year’s biggest Xbox exclusives hits the shelves.
For more of the latest Xbox news, check out these three Xbox exclusives that could be making the jump to PS5, as well as why Call of Duty might not be coming to Game Pass after all.