Avowed Dev Confirms Flexible Quest Design for Maximum Player Freedom
Obsidian Entertainment’s Avowed promises to offer players unparalleled flexibility in how they approach quests. According to Berto Ritger, the game’s Environment Region Designer, most, if not all, quests can be started in multiple ways, offering a level of freedom that encourages exploration and discovery.
In an interview with GamesRadar, Ritger elaborated on the design philosophy:
"I think almost every, if not every, quest in the game has more than one way to start it. You can do things out of order and pick up items and give them to people that want them, or kill a character or whatever... We want you to be able to do that just based on however you naturally progress through the world. We want to foster that sense of exploration, wanderlust, and just getting pleasantly lost."
This design ensures that Avowed caters to both completionists and casual players, creating a dynamic experience where players' actions shape their progression organically.
A World of Exploration, Not Fully Open
While the flexible quest system sounds exciting, players should keep expectations in check regarding the scope of Avowed's world. Unlike sprawling open-world titles like The Witcher 3 or Skyrim, Avowed appears to have a semi-open structure, with areas offering some exploration while maintaining a guided experience.
Obsidian has emphasized the importance of missable content, which is central to roleplaying games, rewarding players who thoroughly explore the world. However, in my own hands-on preview, the limited number of quests available didn’t fully showcase the breadth of these systems, though it’s likely they’ll be more apparent in the final game.
Avowed is set to launch on February 18, 2025, for PC and Xbox Series S|X. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer recently explained the slight delay from its original release window, stating it was primarily to avoid the crowded holiday season, as the game itself is largely complete.
With its focus on exploration and flexible gameplay, Avowed is shaping up to be a worthy addition to Obsidian’s RPG legacy.
