Summary
Avowedis the upcoming fantasy RPG byThe Outer WorldsandPillars of Eternitydeveloper Obsidian Entertainment set to release sometime this fall. Despite being in a first-person rather than top-down perspective,Avowedis set in the same universe as its spiritual predecessorPillars of Eternityand will include signature Obsidian elements like companions, choice-driven storytelling, and multiple endings. Apart from those expected features,Avowedwill also feature a fully customizable weapon system to accommodate a variety of playstyles.
There are several differentcombat options forAvowed, including spellcasting, sharpshooting, and melee, each of which players can customize to suit their playstyle. Each combat option ultimately comes down to the use of a specific set of weapons, like tomes and wands for spellcasting, guns and bows for sharpshooting, and swords and axes for melee. Despite the variety that each combat option provides, however,Avowed’s melee combat may find itself lacking, particularly when it comes to its shields. As such, it may need to make a move sooner rather than later to ensure its shields don’t end up on players' backburners.
Avowed’s Shields Will Need to Be More Than Just Shields
Shields May Pale in Comparison to Avowed’s Other Options
Avowed’s combatcustomization is already proving itself to be one of the game’s standout features, as players will essentially be allowed to equip anything they want at any given time, never being locked down to a certain playstyle by class choice. Its numerous combat options therefore allow for a wide variety of approaches to combat, like dual-wielding wands or having a gun in one hand and an ax in the other.
This will enable players to strategically cater their loadout to the needs of almost any situation, butAvowed’s healthy list of offensive options may inadvertently give shields the shorter end of the stick.
With so many interesting offensiveweapons and abilities to use inAvowed, it may never feel worth it to have a shield equipped. Wands, bows, guns, and even weaponless spells will likely be more entertaining to use than a mere shield. Especially consideringAvowedwill allow players to customize their loadout in whatever way they wish, to have a shield taking up one equipment slot may feel like a waste if all it can do is provide an occasional defense. In light of that, perhapsAvowed’s shields could function as more than simple defensive tools and instead double as offensive weapons.
Avowed’s Shields Could Be More Offensive Than Defensive
To compensate for what could end up being an underwhelming combat option,Avowed’s shields could feature offensive abilities of some sort that allow them to stand out as a worthwhile choice. It has been confirmed that shields can be used to parry enemy attacks, but if players can decimate foes using the game’s array of offensive weapons and skills, parrying may not even be necessary. Now, if shields could be enchanted to inflict elemental damage upon enemies when parrying, then they might be worth it.
Perhaps a shield could be imbued with fire magic to set enemies ablaze on a successful parry or ice magic to freeze foes on contact.Avowedcould look toDragon’s Dogma’s Mystic Knightfor inspiration, as it is a great example of shields being used offensively.
There are more than enough waysAvowedcould make its shields more appealing. It just needs to be bold enough to take the necessary steps to achieve that. Even ifAvowed’s shields end up being a less-than-stellar combat option,Avowed’s other options already seem to be off to a great start. Time will tell whetherObsidian’s ambitious approach to combat pays off inAvowed, but the hope is still that its shields will receive a little more attention.
