Avowedby no means makes thePillars of Eternitygames not worth playing, butplaying thePillarsfranchise after it will highlight some harsh realities. These harsh realities go both ways: Some make it harder to get intoPillarsafter starting withAvowed, while others may make players retroactively disappointed about some aspects ofAvowed. None of these are deal-breakers, and it’s still worth playing all three games, but it’s probably best to be prepared for some of these realities.
As an action RPG, combat andexploration inAvowedare vastly different from how they work in thePillars of Eternitygames. While thePillarsgames are narrative prequels toAvowed, they are a different genre of game (CRPGs). One of the best comparisons would be the jump fromFallout 1and2toFallout 3, thoughAvoweddoes a better job preserving the appeal of the originalPillarsgames. Still,Avoweddoes create a bit of friction for players trying out the previous titles in the franchisefor the first time.
10Avowed Spoils Some Plot Details From Pillars Of Eternity 2
Avowed Mentions Eothas’ Actions In Deadfire
Although players may not realize it during their firstAvowedplaythrough, they will be getting somespoilers about plot details inPillars of Eternity 2. Several NPCs will mention events that recently took place in the Deadfire archipelago, the location forPillars 2, and the actions taken by the god Eothas. It is possible players might forget these details, as they aren’t necessarily essential to the main plot ofAvowed, but anyone paying extra attention to all the dialogue and lore explainers will realize they know what happens when they boot upPillars 2.
Avowed: Robe of the Arcane Cheater Treasure Map Location & Rewards
The Robe of the Arcane Cheater is one of several treasure maps you can get in Avowed, leading you to hidden loot and other rewards on your map.
This type of spoiler represents a tough decision for designers when creating a game likeAvowed. Not mentioning the events of thePillarsgames might make them feel inconsequential to the larger world of Eora, which would be a bummer for fans of the original games. On the flip side, mentioning them does require giving away some plot details, so players can see their effect on the rest of the world.
Many Of Eora’s Godlike Have Disappeared In Avowed
Multiple NPCs inAvowedremark about how rare it is to see a Godlike when they meet the Envoy. This is because, by the time ofAvowed, a large percentage of the Godlike have disappeared from the world. This might not mean much to players who are jumping into the series withAvowed, and it may even make them feel a little special since they are a rare type of person in the world of Eora. However, jumping into thePillarsgames, they will realize that this likely bodes ill for some of their new companions.
Pillars of Eternitycompanions Pallegina mes Rèi, Tekēhu, and Vatnir are all Godlike. As players get to know these characters, they will have to accept the reality thatthey are likely not all alive by the timeAvowedtakes place. While death is not exactly absent from thePillarsgames, it is still a bit sad to realize some likable characters may have been killed off-screen.
8Fights In Pillars Of Eternity May Be Harder Than In Avowed
Avowed Allows Skill To Play A Larger Role In Fights
Combat in a CRPG likePillars of Eternityis a lot different from combat in an action RPG likeAvowed. While both genres are a blend of stats and skills, action RPGs allow a player’s skill to have a bigger impact on a fight than a CRPG which is a bit more reliant on the numbers. This means players who are used to punching up at tough enemies inAvowedmay be in for a rude awakening if they try the same thing in thePillarsgames.
Managing combat inPillars of Eternityalso requires players to split their attention between their different party members. Players also don’t have to worry about their party members permanently dying inAvowedlike they do inPillarsgames.Rangers and Wizards inAvowedwho are used to using Kai as a meat shield will therefore have to learn to ensure all their companions survive an encounter, or else risk losing them forever.
7The Pillars Games Highlight Avowed’s Lack Of Enemy Variety
Avowed’s Enemy Variety Issues Aren’t As Noticeable Until Compared To The Pillars Games
Avowed’s enemy variety isn’t terrible, but it also isn’t the best for a fantasy RPG. While it isn’t an immediate problem, once Envoys reach Shatterscarp they might start to wonder why there are bears in every biome of the Living Lands, and whether they should feel guilty about killing Xaurips, since they seem to have settlements all over the island and have more of a right to be there than Aedyrans do. It’s also clear thata lot of enemy types like beetles and spiders just get reskinnedand some power upgrades in later parts of the game.
10 Best Items To Get Early In Avowed
The best items that you can get early in Avowed, and that, with Avowed’s crafting system, can be used throughout the entirety of a playthrough.
These issues with enemy variety are only highlighted when players jump into thePillars of Eternityfranchise. Players will face just about everything they do inAvowed, plus many other types of enemies and creatures betweenPillars 1and2.Avowed’s boss fights in particular will feel disappointing after facing the Mega Bosses inPillars of Eternity 2.
6The World Of Pillars 1 Feels Drab After Avowed
Avowed’s Colorful And Unique Landscapes Stand Out More Than Pillars 1’s
After exploring the vibrant wilds of the Living Lands inAvowed, players may be in for a bit of a shock when they boot upPillars of Eternityfor the first time. It’s not that the parts of Eora inPillars of Eternityaren’t interesting, butthey lack the same exotic flair as the Living Lands. While the Deadfire archipelago inPillars 2will offer some more exciting environments,Pillars 1feels a bit more like a generic fantasy world, especially when contrasted withAvowed.
This issue will be compounded by the knowledge of Eora that players bring intoPillars of Eternityafter playingAvowed. While the environments in the firstPillarsgame might feel generic, the world of Eora has a lot of unique mechanics and lore that make the game stand out. However, players who already know a lot about Eora from their time inAvowedwon’t have the sense of discovery as first-timePillarsplayers, which may make them focus more on the physical environment than how unique Eora is in general.
5Avowed’s Character Creator Doesn’t Offer As Much Freedom
Pillars Of Eternity Has More Character And Class Options
Probably the first thing players will realize when booting upPillars of Eternityis thatthe character creator is a lot more extensive than it is inAvowed. Instead of having the option of just two races, there are five. Players can also choose to be one of four types of Godlike, which in turn can be any of the five races.Pillars of Eternityalso has 11 different classesto choose from, instead ofAvowed’s three main skill trees.
Avowed: All Dawnshore Treasure Map Locations & Rewards
The three treasure map locations and rewards in Avowed’s first area, Dawnshore, include the Intimidating Feline Codpiece and Woedica’s Inheritance.
Although this will make some players wish thatAvowedoffers a bit more freedom in creating their character, it’s worth mentioning thatAvowedhas made some nice changes. This includes not conflating body type with gender, allowing players to decide their class on the fly instead of before they start playing, and more extensive options for appearance. Still, players may start to realize how narrow a scope the Envoy has to choose from when compared to the Watcher.
4Exploration In Avowed Is Much More Immersive
Exploring In First Person Puts Players More In The World
One major advantage a first-person action RPG likeAvowedhas over CRPGs is their sense of immersion. Afirst-person perspective makes theAvowedexperiencefeel a lot more personal than hovering over game characters from a safe distance.Players jumping intoPillars of Eternitymay find themselves wishing they could explore the game’s environments from a more immersive perspectivethan is offered to them.
First-person exploration can also create more exciting gameplay moments. Accidentally triggering a trap inAvowedcan be an exciting moment, forcing players to think on their feet to avoid the incoming danger. InPillars of Eternity, falling for a trap is a lot less common, since scouting mode will just highlight them. Even if players accidentally trigger one, they can just pause time, and order the rest of their party not to make the same mistake. This can avoid some frustrating deaths but still feels a lot more cold and calculating than exciting.
3Pillars Of Eternity Makes Finding Loot More Difficult
Avowed’s Highlighting Of Lootable Objects Makes Things Quicker And Easier
One of the nicest aspects ofAvowedis that the game doesn’t force players to waste time opening drawers and checking every corner of a room for loot.The game’s default settings highlight chests, lock boxes, and other lootable containers. This means less time wasted scouring every inch of a room in the hopes of finding something good and more time actually playing the game. While not as bad as in some action RPGs,Pillars of Eternitystill doesn’t have as nice of a system for highlighting loot.
Players will need to scroll over objects like chests and boxes to see if they can interact with them inPillars of Eternity. While the game does offer a handy Area Loot feature, players still need to know when something is lootable to decide to use it. On its own,Pillars of Eternity’s loot system isn’t any worse than any other CRPG, and it’s better than some. Still, it can feel slightly more tedious after how streamlinedAvowedhas made looking for loot.
2Companions In Pillars Of Eternity Are More Customizable
Players Can’t Equip Their Companions With Gear In Avowed
Companions inPillars of Eternitycan be mechanically interacted with in many more ways thanAvowed. Not only can players fully control them during combat, but companion gear can be changed. In contrast,Avowed’s companions can’t have their loadouts changed and, while they can be given some orders in combat, they are largely autonomous during fights.
10 Coolest Spells In Avowed That Every Godlike Should Learn
There are a number of cool spells to choose from in Avowed, but finding the best and which ones will make you feel amazing is a little harder.
This can be a different type of harsh reality, depending on player preferences.Some will find it frustrating thatAvowedsimplified companionsand doesn’t allow them to be kitted with the best gear. This can be especially frustrating when watching Kai slash an enemy for nine damage while averaging about 600 more than that.
There will likely be some growing pains when switching between the two styles of handling companions.
Alternatively,some players will find managing companions inPillars of Eternityto be somewhat tedious. Having to ensure they have good gear also means having to spread loot more thinly than inAvowed. Whichever way is preferred, there will likely be some growing pains when switching between the two styles of handling companions.
1Avowed Feels Short Compared To The Pillars Games
Avowed Is Significantly Shorter Than The Pillars Games
Although it might seem silly to call a 25+ hour game “short,”Avoweddoes feel like a short game compared to thePillars of Eternitygames. Looking at just the main stories, thePillarsgames clock in around 10-20 hours longer thanAvowed. While part of this is because exploration inPillars of Eternityis less fluid than inAvowed, it probably doesn’t account for the entire jump in run time.
The difference in length between the series gets even more apparent when considering all the side content. Fully completing eitherPillars of Eternitygame will take over 100 hours, withPillars 2being slightly closer to 200. In contrast,Avowedreportedly takes closer to 40-50 hours to fully complete. After getting into thePillars of Eternitygames, players might find themselves wishing there was more content inAvowed.
