Can we stop comparing Avowed to Skyrim/Oblivion already?

[Hellleon]

First off, the whole prop-moving thing. You know how in Skyrim or Oblivion you can throw a spoon across the room or stack random junk for no reason? That’s the Creation Engine flexing—super cool in its own way. But Avowed? It’s Unreal Engine. It’s not built for that. It’s more about looking gorgeous and running smooth than letting me toss buckets around. Trying to judge it for something it’s not even trying to do is just unfair.

Then there’s archery. People are like “oh, how’s the bow gonna stack up to Skyrim?” It’s not even the same deal. In Bethesda games, you’re counting arrows and scavenging for more. Avowed doesn’t even use ammo for its bow in a traditional way. It’s a totally different flavor of combat, not a 1:1 competitor.

And don’t get me started on lockpicking. I’ve seen folks say Skyrim and Oblivion had the “real” lockpicking experience, but let’s be real—half the time those minigames were a pain in the ass. I’d rather explore than fidget with a lockpick for five minutes. Obsidian didn’t bother with that in The Outer Worlds either, and nobody cared because the game was still good.

Why expect Avowed to copy a mechanic most people don’t even miss?

Now, I’ll give the comparison folks two fair points. Pickpocketing was a thing in The Outer Worlds. Breaking the law was also legit; you could steal, fight guards, and deal with the fallout. Avowed doesn’t let you do that, though. No pickpocketing, no law-breaking—NPCs just shrug if you grab stuff in front of them, if they react at all. That’s a bummer compared to The Outer Worlds, and I get why some people miss that freedom.

Idk, I just think we should chill and let Avowed be its own thing. It’s not trying to be Skyrim 2.0 Comparing it to Bethesda’s formula feels like missing the point. Anyone else tired of these takes, or am I just yelling into the void here?

[JiveTurkey]

Originally posted by RORSCHACH:

Originally posted by Pixel Junkie:

But the comparison to Skyrim are ridiculous. Apples to Oranges.

How is comparing, for example, the arrows from Avowed to the arrows from Skyrim "apples to oranges"?

That’s what a comparison is. Otherwise, we’d just be comparing Avowed to itself, which is pointless.

You can tell me, are you saying that because Avowed gets completely outclassed in those comparisons?

Do arrows in Monster Hunter Rise compare with Skyrim?

[Hound]

Originally posted by SparX:

Originally posted by AngryPixel:

No, we can't.

Bad story writing.
Empty world.
Dead npc-s.
Low variety of monster
Small world.
Bad combat mechanics.
No rpg elements in rpg.

Have you played it?
I played about 4-5h on gamepass and decided to buy it soon on Steam and play it here.
Most people I spoke to who finished it said that the Story and writing are good and the combat is the highlight of the game.

Small world yes that's the obsidian experience, small compact RPG-lite focused on story telling. They are not open world sandboxes like Beth games.
And some people prefer that in general.
You said it yourself, its more or a Action- Adventure with RPG elements rather than an RPG.
But that's only a bad thing if you expected Skyrim which is your fault.

I agree with the dead NPCs its immersion breaking, and this is most likely due to UE5 limitations, lots of devs working with UE5 complaining about it. Still they should've done better in that department.

The rest of your points are very subjective, if not uninformed.

i did play it, ues

Its a small but extremely empty world.
Its shallow in building ,it has barely any environmental story telling
Most of its environments have no harmony in their design, no interconnectivity, they are just there.

Yes some people like that, all 17k of them, now go check how many play KCD2.

While its marketed as an RPG with action elements its right there on their page, and in their promotional materials, but because the RPG is so weak, those rudimentary action elements come as the forefront.

In Ark survival modders, not devs, MODDERS made living NPCS that have pathing, AI and fight, they also use skills in a more complex system than Avowed, so no its not the engine, its the laziness.

So when he says there is low monster variety he is uninformed?
While the devs themselves admitted they most probably overused bears as substitutes?

How about the combat mechanics, which i saw in a VR game, but much better, and which lose out to even Dark Messiah.

[Hound]

Originally posted by JiveTurkey:

Originally posted by RORSCHACH:

How is comparing, for example, the arrows from Avowed to the arrows from Skyrim "apples to oranges"?

That’s what a comparison is. Otherwise, we’d just be comparing Avowed to itself, which is pointless.

You can tell me, are you saying that because Avowed gets completely outclassed in those comparisons?

Do arrows in Monster Hunter Rise compare with Skyrim?

Is MHR an RPG?

[JiveTurkey]

Originally posted by Hound:

Originally posted by JiveTurkey:

Do arrows in Monster Hunter Rise compare with Skyrim?

Is MHR an RPG?

Sure. You have stats that you increase. A role you play.

[Sponticore]

No

[Ele]

Originally posted by JiveTurkey:

Do arrows in Monster Hunter Rise compare with Skyrim?

Sure, you can shoot them against a wall and observe how they react, check the physics, the charged attacks, their range, their curvature, their combos, their fire rate.

I can even compare a rock to a balloon, for example. The rock weighs more.

That’s what a comparison is, you compare two or more things with each other and find their differences and similarities. And surprise, Avowed falls short when we compare aspects like physics, even though it had a bigger budget and more years to improve.

[Hound]

Originally posted by JiveTurkey:

Originally posted by Hound:

Is MHR an RPG?

Sure. You have stats that you increase. A role you play.

So it isnt and youre coping, dully noted.

[mrp25]

Youtubers are really milking outrage these days. It's a complete industry. Their audience aren't even aware they're the victims of their grift.

[MartyrSaint]

Originally posted by JiveTurkey:

Originally posted by Jinzo:

You know its funny before release the shills were so obsessed with calling Avowed the “Skyrim Killer” too.

Who was calling it that?

literally nobody

[Large Tomatoes]

No

[Wiseman Bro]

nope

where is my free speech?

[zaratan4o]

Besides having no idea how an engine works.

The most hilarious thing is saying that UE5 is made for games to "run smooth" lmao

(especially when talking about Avowed and its "amazing" performance, and graphics)

[sdfg zoooooooob]

🍿

[Where'sMySupersuit!!]

Originally posted by Necessity:

Comparing 'The Outer World' with 'Avowed' is like comparing lama dung with that of an alpaca. Both ♥♥♥♥ in the end.

TOW might not be great but at least its good enough that they could of 100% build off of it and drastically improve the failure points that it had with TOW2.

This somehow being worse makes it seem impossible for a sequel to improve anything outside of super basic stuff.

[Drako110]

Originally posted by Fraktal:

We should compare Awoked to Morrowind. Would be more fair.

Morrowind had deeper RP mechanics than Oblivion, you had factions, you had reputation system.
Avowed will fall flat on it's ugly DIE/DEI/ESG infested face again.

Not to mention community loved it and there is project to port it to Skyrim.
Damn even Daggerfall was ported to unity.
Awoked will just be forgoten in about 2 months. If the controversy will die out to that point.