Summary
Obsidian Entertainment’s forthcoming dark fantasy RPG,Avowed, has been eagerly anticipated since its reveal in 2020. Over the course of its development, the studio has divulged more about its approach to direction and design for it. One major component ofAvowedis that it will be based on the world of Obsidian’s CRPG franchise,Pillars of Eternity.Avowedwill bring fans to a new region ofPoE’s Eora, one which has been mentioned previously but never fully explored or explained.
Recently, during this year’s Gamescom, developers showed off another extended look atAvowed’s gameplay that focused on an early quest. While highlighting its various other elements, one interesting inclusion was seen. Although Obsidian has previously noted that fansdo not necessarily need to be familiar withPillars of Eternitygoing intoAvowed,it will still by nature contain many links to its parent IP. To address this,Avowedwill have a “lore tooltip” option as an accommodating quality of life feature, which promises to be a great boon for players both well-versed and unfamiliar with the established setting.
Originally planned for a Fall 2024 window,Avowed’s new release dateis now set forFebruary 18, 2025.
How Avowed’s Lore Tooltips Could Benefit Both New and Returning Fans
Avowed is Built Upon an Intricate Web of Lore
Manyfantasy gamestend to be especially lore-intense. This can certainly serve to create worlds and stories that feel believable and intriguing, inviting fans to learn more about them through exploration and other in-game material. However, the other side of this coin often means that some titles can struggle with the need to insert large doses of distracting or overwhelming exposition to introduce players to the workings of their settings.Avowed’s world of Eora has already been well-realized throughout the course of two games, and although it is stated to be welcoming to all, there are still some base elements that will, by default, be necessary to explain, at least in broad strokes.
Avowed’s Tooltips Are a Natural Way to Ease the Burden of Storytelling
Avowedlooks to alleviate the above issue by containing a convenient and intuitive option for players to become more familiar with Eora’s various aspects via its lore tooltips. Based onAvowed’s latest gameplay, these seem to act as a handy in-game encyclopedic resource. During dialogue and other interactions, fans can hone in on terms or names mentioned, and expand on them for more in-depth information. The tooltips serve to flesh out relevant points by providing a brief overview of important elements and other details without the conversations themselves devolving into glorified exposition sessions.
Avowedwill thus potentially avoid a pitfall commonly seen in other games, where scenes and situations can sometimes feel forced or unnatural, with many NPCs spouting reams of backstory, coming off as artificial, and threatening to erode immersion. Some other recent examples of well-handled similar approaches areWarhammer 40K: Rogue Trader’s codex andFinal Fantasy 16’s Active Time Lore. Both offered fans a way to quickly learn more and keep up with events, clarifying items and providing useful context that could assist in digesting their epic tales.
Though it may seem minor in the grand scheme,Avowed’s tooltips add a thoughtful touch that could elevate its other narrative measures. By being able to access additional details at a glance, without characters having to spell things out,Avowedcan ensure the flow of the larger story isn’t disrupted too much. The tooltips can help when taking everything in, while offering good refreshers forfans who have experiencedPillars of Eternitybut may also need a few reminders on some of the salient elements.Avowedcatering to all types of fans in this way could create a smoother experience for all, and perhaps other titles will take note of how it incorporates the feature.
