Avowed’s Companions: A Promising Departure from Starfield’s Play Style
Avowed‘s allies are expected to share quite a bit about the various ongoing issues in Eora, yet developer Obsidian Entertainment has ensured that party members do not behave like intrusive observers during the journey.
In a conversation with GamesRadar+ about the forthcoming first-person RPG, Avowed director Carrie Patel stated, “One aspect we aimed for with companions in Avowed is to provide them with increased interactivity and responsiveness depending on the events, dialogues, and quests that you undergo in the game. We wanted them to be more involved in conversations, and we also wished for them to contribute more regarding the adventures you embark on together.”
Having chatty friends is part of the RPG experience, especially in titles like Avowed, but the development team was also aware of the need to strike a proper “balance” to ensure that the game did not “feel like someone is hovering and questioning all your decisions.” I personally enjoyed Starfield more than many, but that game distinctly felt like it restricted my roleplaying capabilities when companions would react negatively if I veered slightly into ‘unfavorable’ territory, so I’m pleased that Avowed’s team seems to be less critical while still confidently challenging me.
“However, it can feel odd for players like myself, who genuinely invest in companions, to contemplate that you’ve been on this journey with me all along, and you’re not mentioning anything about it,” Patel continued. “Therefore, we’ve crafted substantial content for these characters regarding their interactions with each other and with the player. A lot of it is optional, though. So for players who return to party camp, they might hear their companion remark once in a while, but it will ultimately be up to them to engage in that dialogue, to truly explore that viewpoint, and to deepen their relationship with their companion.”
As Avowed rapidly approaches its February launch on Xbox Series X|S and PC, the game