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[DownLikeBCPowder]

I was off work the last few days so had lots of time. lol

Spoiler

Damn....I didn't realize you could get points instead of the godlike powers. Oh well. I would have rather done that, frankly as the "godlike" powers ain't all that godlike to me.

Spoiler

I wasn't sure either, but while I thought the first power was good (can resurrect both party members) the second one I didn't really like and was curious as to what could happen if I declined it.. And to my surprise, skill point(s)! Can't remember if it was just one or two, but I had 3 to distribute and doubt I had more than 1 banked.

 

[Bartski]

you also get player stats from getting "trained" by your teammates, I only managed to find it once as that requires you to work through their endless dialog trees in the camp, I prefer playing underleveled.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Did a longer session today. Some 20 hrs in, starting to enjoy it and did some quests. Still in first area, decided to explore surrounding ocean today.

About gameplay, I was thinking its simple, arcady …. evade, then attack attack … repeat.

But its really not like that. Making a strategy, positioning myself, get enemies in chokepoints for using abilities, it all helps. And if strategy fails, my party dies, especially against higher level enemies.

Very cool.

 

[Topher]

you also get player stats from getting "trained" by your teammates, I only managed to find it once as that requires you to work through their endless dialog trees in the camp, I prefer playing underleveled.

I went through all the dialogues and being "trained" only came up with Kai that one time.

 

[adamsapple]

I went through all the dialogues and being "trained" only came up with Kai that one time.

I was able to get training from all 4 party members, I guess you need to keep exhausting their dialogues, or talk to them after their respective side quests, the last one for me was Marius since his personal quest is the last one that triggers.

-

The end-game is longer than I expected.

Some more pics.

 

[cormack12]

Any good AoE stuff?

I use Kais taunt, fire and marius root.

I'm using sword and board, and gun/grimoire alternated with a zweihander

Generally chuck a shock grenade lol

 

[Mister Wolf]

Any good AoE stuff?

I use Kais taunt, fire and marius root.

I'm using sword and board, and gun/grimoire alternated with a zweihander

Generally chuck a shock grenade lol

There is a spinning attack you can get in the fighter tree down the line.

 

[Topher]

I was able to get training from all 4 party members, I guess you need to keep exhausting their dialogues, or talk to them after their respective side quests, the last one for me was Marius since his personal quest is the last one that triggers.

I don't get why this never came up for me then. I did all the quests and all the dialogue. I must have missed it.

 

[Bartski]

I went through all the dialogues and being "trained" only came up with Kai that one time.

yeah I think there is an achievement by getting trained by all 4. No idea how tho

I onestly sold only the gems and dismantled everything else and just found the money during exploration.

I always have between 10.000 and 30.000 dollars, not enough to buy legendary equip in the last zone but enough for almost everything else.

by 4th area there are so many fine and superb class weapons to be picked up everywhere so late game it was all about selling for me, constantly over 100k and managed to buy both legedary armor.s The one from the special dwarf maxed out is close to god mode.

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

Any good AoE stuff?

I use Kais taunt, fire and marius root.

I'm using sword and board, and gun/grimoire alternated with a zweihander

Generally chuck a shock grenade lol

I make heavy use of the blizzard style spell, not sure what it's called, but large AOE ice second tier spell.

 

[Bartski]

What petty cool is there is tons of fun to be found in all three playstyles. I only played on normal, where hitting the recommended area levels means you're so overpowered it's ridiculous. Hardly ever touched guns. There is a unique greatsword in area 2 called Horsecutter I upgraded twice and upon entering area 3 had no issues destroying minibosses with 2 skulls health bar (as in way tougher than recommended). But then I respecced back to Ranger and spent almost a whole chapter playing only with Storm Sworm which I guess is the best bow in the game, tons of fun with the enchantment that spreads charge on surrounding enemies with a headshot + a nice bonus being you're sorted for all the zap box puzzles. Wizard was also pretty cool but felt squishy throughout chapter 4, so I ended the game with maxed Ondra's offense and then the final stretch with maxed Unmaker that does like 1700 dmg a hit.

 

[ungalo]

Finished the game in 36 hours.

It's really not a bad game, but it lacks something. It's just too average in every way. There are some impactful choices, and it's not badly written. I think people were expecting the game to have shitty combats and exploration so now that it's not really the case they're trying to paint that picture that the game is a bad RPG with terrible writing but great combats and meaningful exploration. But it's really not the case, combats are pretty fun in the beginning, they worked on the feeling a bit but it's still pretty shallow and become quickly repetitive. Same for exploration, level-design is cool but i think the very best is the first part of the first map, it has the most verticality and density i think, and the best atmosphere. On the contrary some other segments are pretty much designed like The Outer Worlds, and the cities become less and less interesting in each area. The overall structure of the game is too predictable despite those big choices.

It has some potential for replayability despite not being the deepest RPG they've created, i would like to see what happens if i play a completely different character so that's a good thing.

 

[adamsapple]

Finished.

Nearly 50~ hours.

I sensed where the couple of key branching points are near the end and made copious manual saves, so will revisit them later and see how drastically I can fuck things up.

Alright, for the game itself. A very solid game, 8.5 to 9 easy. Good presentation, surprisingly engaging combat and a world that feels nice to explore, owing to it not being a giant slab of land and having a lot of verticality to it.

I really enjoyed the game and am definitely looking forward to see if the team makes DLC episodes for it. There is room enough on the world map that they can add one or two more regions of the Living Land that you don't need to explore during the main quest, but can dub as their own enclosed areas.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

I’m at 30 hours and just entered area four. Man there have been so many cool decision making moments so far. Pumped for a melee second play through. I was exploring and found some cave system with notes from flaming skull lady ordering the Fios stuff. Seems like maybe you can even stop it from happening? Crazy.

Quickly in area four I found a huge ogre or something that kidnapped a merchant. I killed him, hope that doesn’t bite me.

 

[Seraphym]

I’m at 30 hours and just entered area four. Man there have been so many cool decision making moments so far. Pumped for a melee second play through. I was exploring and found some cave system with notes from flaming skull lady ordering the Fios stuff. Seems like maybe you can even stop it from happening? Crazy.

I replayed an earlier save for hopefully that resolution...
Only 17 hours in and still 2nd area.
I think the 2nd playthrough will be pro Steel Garrote to make life "easier" and fighter build.
Really enjoying it.

 

[Madserb2023]

I thing the combat is great. The exploration is also superb with some cool dungeon design. I even quite like the denser open zones format. However the towns are pretty bad. They feel like they were made by a different team. Nobody moved and if they do, it's like they are moving at half the frame rate. I am not bothered about having the level of interaction as a Bethesda game. I don't need to stack bread, but I would even argue that it's less interactive than even Morrowind. It's more like the castle town in Ocarina of time. I think even the guard shouts at you for breaking the pots. I can understand the criticism even if I have been enjoying it.

 

[GymWolf]

Finished.

Nearly 50~ hours.

I sensed where the couple of key branching points are near the end and made copious manual saves, so will revisit them later and see how drastically I can fuck things up.

Alright, for the game itself. A very solid game, 8.5 to 9 easy. Good presentation, surprisingly engaging combat and a world that feels nice to explore, owing to it not being a giant slab of land and having a lot of verticality to it.

I really enjoyed the game and am definitely looking forward to see if the team makes DLC episodes for it. There is room enough on the world map that they can add one or two more regions of the Living Land that you don't need to explore during the main quest, but can dub as their own enclosed areas.

Jesus dude if you give this a 9 how do you score stuff like rdr2 or bg3? A 15.000\10??

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Jesus dude if you give this a 9 how do you score stuff like rdr2 or bg3? A 15.000\10??

RDR 2 is unfinishable for me. Will leave unscored else will offend others.

BG3 is good. 9/10.

Avowed might rank in the 8-10 range for me as well.

 

[Negotiator101]

Jesus dude if you give this a 9 how do you score stuff like rdr2 or bg3? A 15.000\10??

You can't make IMO a direct comparison between games based off an arbitrary score. Not every game is equal even though the score is the same or close. Avowed in it's own right is a good game IMO and is an enjoyable experience but in comparison to say RDR2 it lacks in every department. Let's say I scored Avowed a 7 on its own merit and obviously RDR2 is a 10 we only have a 3 point difference. If one was to directly compare the difference would be much greater but that would be a flawed comparison IMO.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

You can't make IMO a direct comparison between games based off an arbitrary score. Not every game is equal even though the score is the same or close. Avowed in it's own right is a good game IMO and is an enjoyable experience but in comparison to say RDR2 it lacks in every department. Let's say I scored Avowed a 7 on its own merit and obviously RDR2 is a 10 we only have a 3 point difference. If one was to directly compare the difference would be much greater but that would be a flawed comparison IMO.

I think RDR 2 lacks in every department that counts.

90% of time am riding horse. Extremely simplistic gameplay. Avowed has platforming and level design.

Shooting in RDR 2 feels janky, inconsistent. Avowed combat encounters feel much more engaging in comparison.

And so on.

 

[GymWolf]

You can't make IMO a direct comparison between games based off an arbitrary score. Not every game is equal even though the score is the same or close. Avowed in it's own right is a good game IMO and is an enjoyable experience but in comparison to say RDR2 it lacks in every department. Let's say I scored Avowed a 7 on its own merit and obviously RDR2 is a 10 we only have a 3 point difference. If one was to directly compare the difference would be much greater but that would be a flawed comparison IMO.

If max score is 10, he scored avowed a 9, just one point behind the max, i still think it's ridicolous even without considering other games, but i get it, the beauty is the eye of the beholder...

 

[vaibhavpisal]

If max score is 10, he scored avowed a 9, just one point behind the max, i still think it's ridicolous even without considering other games, but i get it, the beauty is the eye of the beholder...

I gave Prince of Persia 10/10 last year.

It has some of the worst cutscenes, lip syncing etc I have seen.

But, when it kicks, it kicks hard.

 

[GymWolf]

I gave Prince of Persia 10/10 last year.

It has some of the worst cutscenes, lip syncing etc I have seen.

But, when it kicks, it kicks hard.

I heard good things about that one.

I really don't except great digital acting or cutscene from a metroidvania.

 

[RPS37]

What are the odds I pick back up Starfield after this and completely enjoy it??
I played around 8 hours and dropped it.

 

[balls of snow]

Solid 7.5 yeah. Got some bounty quest glitching in the second area and some odd bugs. Also Fior is a downgrade to Paradis. Im guessing the other cities are smaller as well.

 

[Gonzito]

What are the odds I pick back up Starfield after this and completely enjoy it??
I played around 8 hours and dropped it.

If you try to find the word boring in the dictionary, there is a picture of Starfield my man

Dont do this to yourself

 

[teokrazia]

Thank you, Obsidian.
I was waiting for this kind of stuff since Borderlands 2 PhysX

 

[Topher]

Finished.

Nearly 50~ hours.

I sensed where the couple of key branching points are near the end and made copious manual saves, so will revisit them later and see how drastically I can fuck things up.

Alright, for the game itself. A very solid game, 8.5 to 9 easy. Good presentation, surprisingly engaging combat and a world that feels nice to explore, owing to it not being a giant slab of land and having a lot of verticality to it.

I really enjoyed the game and am definitely looking forward to see if the team makes DLC episodes for it. There is room enough on the world map that they can add one or two more regions of the Living Land that you don't need to explore during the main quest, but can dub as their own enclosed areas.

I'd give it an 7.5. Combat was great. Main story was just ok and took too long to get anywhere. Liked the characters. Side missions were really good. Not enough enemy variety. We've talked about how jacked up the economy is. But yeah.....overall, a really good game. Enjoyed it.

 

[Topher]

Interesting article that talks about how you can change the most pivotal event in the game.

Only read if you don't mind spoiling what happens in the second region. This details a quest that is pretty much hidden.

Spoiler

The Avowed Secret Side Quest That Hides a Huge Consequence - IGN

Avowed has a secret side quest that allows you to change the fate of an entire region, provided you follow the clues.

www.ign.com

 

[adamsapple]

Jesus dude if you give this a 9 how do you score stuff like rdr2 or bg3? A 15.000\10??

A 9 and 8 repetitively

 

[Topher]

A 9 and 8 repetitively

You would put Avowed above BG3?

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

Moving along a bit in Act 3, this zone seems really large.. maybe it's just my perception. I like the visuals of this area - seems like there's quite a lot to do. Definitely exploring some of the side content this time around before accidentally barreling forward.

 

[adamsapple]

You would put Avowed above BG3?

I've historically never been the biggest fans of BG3, mainly because of the game's pacing.

Not calling it a bad game or anything but I have some glaring reservations with it.

 

[Bartski]

Interesting article that talks about how you can change the most pivotal event in the game.

Only read if you don't mind spoiling what happens in the second region. This details a quest that is pretty much hidden.

Spoiler

The Avowed Secret Side Quest That Hides a Huge Consequence - IGN

Avowed has a secret side quest that allows you to change the fate of an entire region, provided you follow the clues.

www.ign.com

Yeah I found that one organically and since I was very anti Garotte it had to be done, now I see choosing otherwise means the city gets totally destroyed and becomes inaccessible? Wow. The game is full of those seemingly irrelevant little side quest decisions that make a comeback much later, like in the mission where you find the golden dude resurrecting a golem. If you chose not to destroy the golem after finding out the truth and killing its maker, and at the end and of the game chose to set Sabadal free, the ending speaks about how he possesses the golem and animates it becoming an entity roaming the land among his followers.

 

[adamsapple]

So I guess the "worst" ending cannot be just obtained by the last chapter choices, you have to kind of invest into it in the rest of the game too.

Heavy ending spoilers.

Spoiler

Simply siding with The Steel Garrote in the ending does not get you to side with the inquisitor, when you kneel down in front of her, rather than knighting you, she chops your head off and the game ends right there lol.

To side with the Garrote fully, you need to be fully in support of all of their actions through the game.

 

[Chuck Berry]

Are you totally unable to kill NPCs in this? I wanted to kill the chick in the jail cell right at the beginning but my arrows just went right through her

Did the devs give any reasoning behind this? A bit of a backwards step coming off of Outer Wizzles if true. I'm assuming going full murdering psychopath just doesn't fit this already established universe?

 

[adamsapple]

Are you totally unable to kill NPCs in this? I wanted to kill the chick in the jail cell right at the beginning but my arrows just went right through her

Did the devs give any reasoning behind this? A bit of a backwards step coming off of Outer Wizzles if true. I'm assuming going full murdering psychopath just doesn't fit this already established universe?

Yeah, sadly no killing of NPC's in this one.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Are you totally unable to kill NPCs in this? I wanted to kill the chick in the jail cell right at the beginning but my arrows just went right through her

Did the devs give any reasoning behind this? A bit of a backwards step coming off of Outer Wizzles if true. I'm assuming going full murdering psychopath just doesn't fit this already established universe?

Yeah, so far am unable to kill any npcs unless I make a hostile choice in dialogue.

I think in POE it was possible to attack whoever I wanted. In this game, all reactivity comes from dialogue.

 

[Orbital2060]

The choice and consequence thing has always been a part of Obsidian games.

 

[Chuck Berry]

That's what made doing a Supernova run in OW pretty fun. You could just mow down pretty much everyone you met to get to the end. And it wouldn't take long either if you knew where to put your skill and perk points.

 

[SEGAvangelist]

Interesting article that talks about how you can change the most pivotal event in the game.

Only read if you don't mind spoiling what happens in the second region. This details a quest that is pretty much hidden.

Spoiler

The Avowed Secret Side Quest That Hides a Huge Consequence - IGN

Avowed has a secret side quest that allows you to change the fate of an entire region, provided you follow the clues.

www.ign.com

Yup. I was just exploring and did this whole hidden side quest essentially. It was so cool to stumble upon it, and probably one of the highlights of the game for me.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

That's what made doing a Supernova run in OW pretty fun. You could just mow down pretty much everyone you met to get to the end. And it wouldn't take long either if you knew where to put your skill and perk points.

Am finding this game closer to Bioware titles in terms of choices and consequences.

That lady you were going to murder will help you later if you help her here.

But yes, freedom to do something like OW would have been cool.

 

[adamsapple]

Interesting article that talks about how you can change the most pivotal event in the game.

Only read if you don't mind spoiling what happens in the second region. This details a quest that is pretty much hidden.

Spoiler

The Avowed Secret Side Quest That Hides a Huge Consequence - IGN

Avowed has a secret side quest that allows you to change the fate of an entire region, provided you follow the clues.

www.ign.com

Dis dat good Obsidian quest design shit right there.

I missed this in my first run through, but good to keep an eye out for future runs.

I wonder if there's also similar hidden paths in the third zone to:

third zone spoilers:

Spoiler

keep both the ruins intact but not have that grandmage randomly kill X number of people.

 

[Buggy Loop]

Are you totally unable to kill NPCs in this? I wanted to kill the chick in the jail cell right at the beginning but my arrows just went right through her

Did the devs give any reasoning behind this? A bit of a backwards step coming off of Outer Wizzles if true. I'm assuming going full murdering psychopath just doesn't fit this already established universe?

I thought there was a dialogue tree that went into attacking her?

Anyway, if not, most conversations will lead into being an asshole and able to attack story/side quests characters. When they don't allow it, often times its just later down the road.

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

Act 3 spoilers:

Spoiler

I was doing the burnt town quest or whatever and found the Dreamthralls locked in the cage - but hadn't spoken to the people you find in there later yet.. for the hell of it decided to swipe my sword as I am prone to do from time to time and was shocked that they were instantly slain. I was so conditioned to not being able to attack NPCs outside of dialogue induced scenarios that I really didn't expect it. I did end up talking to those people, guessing that part of the argument is whether or not they should be killed if you talk to them first - but the way the level was laid out it seems like you come across the cages first, so .. oh well. lol

Area seems so big.. Thirdborn didn't care for much though in terms of design, hate that you can't go down to the dock area even though it looks like you can.

 

[Mortisfacio]

Been really busy with family and work, but finally getting a bit further in this. The story and overall writing is pretty weak, but the gameplay and exploration has been great.

 

[cormack12]

I think RDR 2 lacks in every department that counts.

90% of time am riding horse. Extremely simplistic gameplay. Avowed has platforming and level design.

Shooting in RDR 2 feels janky, inconsistent. Avowed combat encounters feel much more engaging in comparison.

And so on.

 

[cormack12]

It frustrates me how some of the map has to be left white in little blotches. Still only in the second area, Fior?

I like the revenants, they're quite interesting.

 

[Fess]

You would put Avowed above BG3?

I played BG3 for 25 hours and in short want my time and money back…

So yeah we all like different things.

That said, while I’m not done with Avowed yet I struggle to see it reach a 9. People here try to downplay Bethesda’s interactivity and physics and life simulation but for me it’s those things that makes Avowed tumble down. It’s first person but there is no real immersion imo. It’s severely lacking there, feels ancient even though it’s new.

I still like the combat, traversal, exploration and some quest choices and consequences, enjoying my playthrough much more than I expected.

 

[Topher]

I played BG3 for 25 hours and in short want my time and money back…

So yeah we all like different things.

Absolutely. I just like giving adamsapple shit