Summary
- Avowed has the potential to stand out in the crowded fantasy RPG genre by reviving and improving on the spellcrafting mechanic from Oblivion.
- The game already looks promising with its fully-rendered 3D world, diverse combat options, and the inclusion of firearms alongside traditional weapons.
- The variety of spells showcased in the gameplay trailer suggests that Avowed could offer even more spell combinations and possibilities than Skyrim, making spellcrafting a valuable possible feature.
One amazing potential feature for Avowed could be found in the form of a mechanic that left The Elder Scrolls after Oblivion. The genre of fantasy RPGs is a crowded one, and Avowed is going to need something special in order to truly stand out from the pack. While it could include new ideas, it could also revive great concepts from the past and improve them. As it turns out, Oblivion had a phenomenal idea that Avowed can pick up and modernize.
Avowed is one of the latest fantasy RPGs slated for the Xbox, and it could be a major addition to its library. The game is a spiritual successor to previous Obsidian title Pillars of Eternity, and gives players another look at that series' universe. However, while Pillars of Eternity had a top-down perspective for its dungeon crawls, Avowed will see players traversing a fully-rendered 3D version of Eora from their character's point of view. Early gameplay footage reveals the ability to fight with weapons as well as magic, implying many options for the player. Avowed already looks to have a lot of potential, even though its release is far off.
Avowed Would be Phenomenal with Oblivion's Spell Crafting Mechanic
It's quite possible that Avowed could surpass Skyrim in terms of quality, especially given how much time has passed since Skyrim's release. It already has at least one unique twist in the form of letting players use firearms in-game alongside the expected bows and arrows as a ranged combat option, adding further flavor to the setting of Eora. In addition, the gameplay footage shows off a good variety of weapons and magic that the player will have at their disposal during their adventure. From the looks of the game so far, one of Oblivion's coolest mechanics could fit perfectly into Avowed's gameplay.
Spellcrafting was easily one of the best features from Oblivion, and one of the best ideas that The Elder Scrolls has featured in general. With spellcrafting, players could combine multiple spell effects into their own custom spell that they can use as a part of their arsenal. Players could create powerful attacking spells, self-buffing spells, or even some tactical spells to give themselves an advantage on and off the battlefield. While strong spells would undoubtedly have high costs, letting players make whatever spells they needed was a strong selling point. Avowed could benefit heavily from a similar system for similar reasons.
The potential benefits of spellcrafting are only strengthened by the combat in Avowed's gameplay trailer. Avowed looks to have a lot of spells that surpass the variety that was shown off in Skyrim, with plenty of potential for combinations. For example, the gravity spell shown in the trailer could potentially be combined with a fire spell to create a flaming vortex that burns enemies while drawing them in. A shockwave spell could combine with an ice spell to freeze nearby enemies. There is a lot that could be done, and Avowed's full spell list will only provide more possibilities.
There is a lot that will need to be revealed before Avowed is released in 2024, but only positives could come from incorporating Oblivion-style spellcrafting into the game. After the mechanic ended up not returning for Skyrim, Avowed could pick it back up and make it even better with its own selection of spells and effects. With how impressive the game's combat looked from the trailer, offering players the ability to use their own created spells could add an extra entertaining twist. Oblivion did a lot with the idea, and Avowed can take player-made spells to the next level.
Avowed will release in 2024 for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
