A storyline sequel to PoE: Deadfire, Avowed goes in a completely different direction. While as that (and its prequel) are third-person party-based tactical RPGs this is closer to Dragon Age Inquisition in gameplay style.
What it shares with the previous Pillars games are the setting details, plot developments, and emphasis on quest-based progression; you’ll get far more experience from completing quests than killing things. Many quests also have multiple ways to resolve them, offering a decent amount of roleplaying opportunity. You have far less choice where companions are concerned though and are forced to both recruit all of them and take at least two with you at all times (once you’ve progressed far enough in the main quest). Which is annoying.
Also annoying is the equipment system, which can screw you over if you don’t understand how the unique item scaling works. See, every unique weapon or chestpiece you find will match its quality tier to the highest tiered relevant item you currently have in your inventory (assuming its minimum tier isn’t higher). If you upgrade some leather armor to the Exquisite tier for example, all unique armor you find afterward will also be at least Exquisite tier. So, to get the most out of your materials, you’ll want to only upgrade one weapon and chestpiece at a time and save up enough to go straight from +0 to the next tier level (skipping +1 through +3) in case you find a better unique than the one you’re currently using.
Switching gears, ranged combat is what you’d expect from an open-world FPS: Basically you want to line-up headshots while dodging away from anything that tries to rush you (there are no cover mechanics). Melee seems a bit more dynamic with its blocking and parrying system, but I’ve been focused on first pistols and now rifles so can’t really comment on it at this time. Enemy behavior is pretty simplistic though and does not appear to change much if at all over the course of the game… which will probably get boring if you don’t switch up your weapon selection.
Honestly at this point, at level 15 with Superb equipment and having just entered the third area, I feel little incentive to keep playing. There’s the railroading going on in the main storyline regarding the companions, combat as mentioned is pretty same-y, and exploration lacks a certain something where the loot is concerned. Maybe being able to equip your companions would help? As it is it feels like a waste to find nothing but items destined to be vendor trash since they don’t fit my build.
Long story short, mostly what playing this game has accomplished is make me nostalgic for Greedfall. May just end up re-installing that instead of going further with this.
