As many fans may know, Avowed will be taking place in the same world as Pillars of Eternity universe. This means that many concepts will likely reappear, such as monsters, characters, and magic systems from the previous series. However, there is a single feature that Obsidian Entertainment should keep in mind when working on the game.
Weapon selection plays a large part in open world RPG games, and Pillars of Eternity understood that. That's why it has a plethora of weapons for players to choose from, allowing players to fit into the archetype of their choice. Avowed should look to recreate that experience to the best of its ability.
Weapons That Could Be Seen in Avowed
When it came to its selection of weapons, Pillars of Eternity spared no expense and provided players with just about everything Obsidian Entertainment could think of. Rapiers, crossbows, flails, spears, clubs, and much more were on the table. Avowed will likely have guns too, because they could be found in Pillars of Eternity. If anything, players were not found wanting for choices, but rather possibly overwhelmed by them. This perfectly fit into how the game functions as well, as certain classes could utilize some of these weapons better than others. In that sense, Pillars of Eternity's weapons were all useful depending on the situation.
This was good for Pillars of Eternity's class identity, and would likely be good for Avowed's class system if it is at all similar. For example, Pillars of Eternity's weapons all had a damage attribute type that greatly affected the way players would approach combat. For example, a sword was considered a slashing/piercing weapon, so if an enemy had a slashing/piercing resistance, the player would have to change their approach on how they attack that enemy. Perhaps it would mean switching out weapons, or having a companion who uses a different weapon type focus on that enemy.
Avowed's weapons should mimic this idea, both in depth and width. A large selection of weapons would allow players a great amount of diversity in choice, while also allowing the developer to implement immersive features. It would also allow a level of immersion in terms of how the player sees their character. For example, a player focused on creating a hunter archetype could use a spear and bow. How the player pursues the personal narrative of an Avowed character may greatly change their experience with the game, as roleplaying is naturally one of the defining aspects of open world RPGs.
It would also do well at setting it apart from other open world RPGs that take place in similar settings. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, though one of the best-selling and most immersive games of its kind, somewhat lacked in the weapons department compared to its predecessors. Avowed could learn from this and diversify its portfolio, making it a vastly different experience and implementing interesting features at the same time. A re-imagining of Pillars of Eternity features to this extent could have an overall positive effect on Avowed that both serves as a callback to its predecessor as well as a look towards the future of the franchise.
Though all players have seen is the classic sword and hand spells through the trailer, Avowed will likely have many more options for players to choose from on its release. How hard the game will lean into this aspect is entirely dependent on Obsidian Entertainment's vision for the game. But if anything is for sure, it's that Avowed could learn from previous games -- especially Obsidian's previous work.
Avowed is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.