A glowing Avowed review leaks ahead of tomorrow's embargo date

Microsoft is counting on Avowed to entice more players to try its popular Game Pass service. For now, the action RPG is exclusive to PCs and Xbox consoles, but a future PS5 release can't be ruled out. Gamers have had concerns that Avowed gameplay won't recapture the magic of Obsidian Entertainment's 2015 Pillars of Eternity. If the first leaked review is any indication, the game may at least be a critical success.

Gamers thought they would have to wait until February 13th for any journalist insights. The review embargo date is believed to coincide with the title's early access launch. The first Avowed review at the But Why Tho? site was quickly taken down after it appeared on the OpenCritic aggregator. However, some observant Redditors captured the article's synopsis and score.

The reviewer awarded Avowed a 9.5/10 score and commended its vibrant environments, thrilling combat, and replayability. That comes as welcome news to non-Game Pass subscribers who question its $70 price, with the Premium Edition costing even more. Avowed is a partial open-world RPG where players can engage in first-person and third-person exploration and combat. If gamers were forced to follow the same path, the game's vast Eora environments would seem more confining.

Leading up to the Avowed release date on February 18th, there has also been consternation about performance. Obsidian recently confirmed a 60 fps mode with lower graphical fidelity on the Xbox Series X to address these concerns. The But Why Tho? writer didn't touch on the subject in the review summary but did comment on another hotly debated issue. Character creation appears more limited than Pillars of Eternity, with only a choice between humans and elves. The review hints that customization is actually strong as the game progresses, whether it refers to cosmetic upgrades or weapon choices.

Of course, one review is often not indicative of how a game will be received by other critics and players. Buyers interested in Avowed shouldn't have to wait long for more reviews and user impressions to come flooding in.