Avowed Review by myself

[chenocorp]

Short review: 10/10
I love this game because its gameplay features the most varied combat in a first-person game. Its exploration is amazing, with a level design that is gorgeous. The story and characters are so interesting and well-written that you're constantly questioning your decisions. With the realistic Unreal Engine 5 graphics, it has become my favorite game since Fallout NV and Zelda: BotW.

Short feedback for devs:
You’ve achieved all your goals—congratulations. Two issues:

I hate following the arrow in dungeons. It makes me lose focus on actually looking where to go.

Consider creating the game with only one difficulty setting, maybe also adding a story mode. I played POTD and I think that's the only way this game should be played. Many reviewers took the easy route and rushed through the main quest, missing out on a lot of mechanics and story details.

"You have to suffer by beating enemies outside a town—because why didn’t soldiers kill them earlier if they’re so easy?"

About me: 40 years old, one daughter, Fallout lover, Nintendo fan, Xbox player. Played on the highest difficulty (POTD).

You should play in POTD.

Review:
– Combat: Best experience in life. Running, slashing, dodging, jumping, using guns, sniper rifles, and magic books. Time manipulation to guide your allies. Fire, cold, electricity, poison—parrying is done excellently. Managing weight and difficult enemies. Identifying which enemy to take out first (healers, archers).
– Exploration: Best level design in an open-world game. Each map may seem small, but they’re dense and full of little iconic places that grab your attention. And parkour—better than Mirror’s Edge.
– Quest, Story, and Characters: Each map offers a different atmosphere, a unique problem for its villagers. No town feels the same, and every character is interesting. The quests are never boring. The dev team nailed the meaning behind each mission. Your allies have distinct personalities and different opinions. Interactions with them make you genuinely care about what they think when big decisions arise. Campfires are a brilliant way to interact organically.
– Difficulty: POTD is the way this game should be played. It might be too difficult at the beginning, but it’s totally worth it. Like Elden Ring, players should experience the game at the difficulty it’s meant to be played.
– Tips: Don’t read any guides, not even for achievements. And remember: you have to upgrade a weapon to the next level to actually play the game at normal difficulty.

Conclusion:
Thanks to the devs for this. Be brave and make the next one with high difficulty only.

[Xeirus]

Originally posted by chenocorp:

I hate following the arrow in dungeons. It makes me lose focus on actually looking where to go.

Consider creating the game with only one difficulty setting, maybe also adding a story mode. I played POTD and I think that's the only way this game should be played. Many reviewers took the easy route and rushed through the main quest, missing out on a lot of mechanics and story details.

I’m pretty sure you can turn off the UI stuff, though I never did.

There’s already a story mode added.

I don’t understand the comment about reviews taking the easy way? How does the difficulty influence the “story details”?


I do think the default difficulty should have been slightly higher, but for the most part it was fine.

I don’t find value in forcing everyone into one difficulty. There’s too many people in the world with too many different levels of skill to adhere to one difficulty setting.

[Grimperson]

Devs could still add more difficulties, they did challenge modes in PoE2 that came way after release. Sadly this game got a terrible reception drama so idk if it'll get more content.

[Xeirus]

The troll posts have no bearing on if the game gets DLC.
Hopefully it does.

[Quacksalber]

As long as you can play it on the setting you want, why does it matter to you that others pick something else. Forcing people to play on POTD achieves nothing beyond locking anyone who's not into that out of the game, and most of us are normal people not, YTbers, lol. Also, the only review I watched the guy was moaning the game is too hard some of the time and too easy some of the time. The people trying to rush through the game to churn out their insipid review would most likely come up with even worse reviews if they were forced to actually invest time in it.

[Draxuss]

Just finished the game myself and enjoyed every minute of it on normal mode......

[catch22atplay]

Op, why would you suggest they make a game with POTD mode only? They'd lose a lot of revenue doing that. I don't play games like Elden Ring because they're just too challenging for my Nephropathy and my senior age. Need modes that disabled people can play. Need to think about everyone not what you personally like. But you then suggested maybe adding a Story mode. Yup disabled certainly need that depending on the game. Although i am a senior and disabled i try normal modes if they don't work i try an easier mode then move on to story as needed. Some games i even use a setting above normal. I'm so thankful so many games nowadays have these difficulty options.

[Draxuss]

Originally posted by catch22atplay:

Op, why would you suggest they make a game with POTD mode only? They'd lose a lot of revenue doing that. I don't play games like Elden Ring because they're just too challenging for my Nephropathy and my senior age. Need modes that disabled people can play. Need to think about everyone not what you personally like. But you then suggested maybe adding a Story mode. Yup disabled certainly need that depending on the game. Although i am a senior and disabled i try normal modes if they don't work i try an easier mode then move on to story as needed. Some games i even use a setting above normal. I'm so thankful so many games nowadays have these difficulty options.

Your not the only one...

[Ohma]

XD

[rustdwarf]

I would agree that hard feels like [gimped] normal, and PotD feels a bit toothless for the top difficulty, and probably like the intended difficulty [at least for M+K].
That being said I have nothing against easier difficulties being available.

[bunny de fluff]

Some people just want to see the company go bankrupt. I mean the effort they put into nonsense, it's admirable.

[SirBrutal]

hahaha

[LHGreen]

Added feedback for devs: the orlan's got that Reese Witherspoon chin....

And, like, why is her mouth so far above the rest of her jaw? It's disconcerting....

[Lancenig]

10/10 huh....
So the game is perfect?

[Draxuss]

Originally posted by Lancenig:

10/10 huh....
So the game is perfect?

Depending on the person yes it can be perfect.

[50 Shades of Gandalf the Grey]

Originally posted by Lancenig:

10/10 huh....
So the game is perfect?

Originally posted by Draxuss:

Originally posted by Lancenig:

10/10 huh....
So the game is perfect?

Depending on the person yes it can be perfect.

He did say the combat in this game was the best experience in his life, apparently even more enjoyable than the birth of his child. Which is a totally normal thing to say.