Failure of marketing for this game

[Jesus Tyrone Christ]

Hi, let me ask you: WTF is Avowed even about? Can you, in one sentence, get me excited about the game by not mentioning "it's made by Obsidian"?

You can't. I don't think it's actually physically possible to do so.

All the gameplay I have seen has been pretty boring 1st person Veilguard slop. And I wondered "why"? I managed to pinpoint that it's due to me not understanding a single bit of what the setup of this game is and it missing a hook. And I don't think the creators know either OR they are hiding both for some reason.

Let me dissect the Steam description for this game (A game that's supposed to release in like 3 months:

Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger.

Very generic adjectives and nouns. Why is there no description of what makes this island unique?

Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.

I have not played Pillars so I have no knowledge of what this world is. Based on this game, it looks like a generic PG-13 version of DnD. And... Obsidian's name is carrying again.

You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands - an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder?

This is a TERRIBLE setup for a game. Let's take it apart:

1. "Investigate rumours" is one of the most boring things you can investigate. Let's investigate a murder or a conspiracy or just a natural catastrophy like... THE PLAGUE?!?!
   (Example: Morrowind starts you off as a prison sent to the island of Vvardenfell. This setup is so simple, yet so effective because it immeadiately makes the player interested to "why does Vvardenfell suck so bad you send prisoners there?" That alone already does world-building)
   
2. There's no description what this plague is. All we know it just gives you acne.
   
3. "an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness." is possible the worst word vomit I have read in a long time.
   
4. "Personal connection" should be part of the blurb and it's part of the setup. I really doubt it's such a massive plottwist that you can't have it here.
   
5. "your soul" sounds really odd as there has been nothing relating to such concepts in the previous blurb.

So here, I think you can fix the previous point and point 5. with a simple fix of explaining a little bit how the Living Lands are special due to souls. How? Explain how, because I dunno. The other parts are just boring.

The Living Lands is a place that feels foreign yet somewhat intrinsic to you as it feels the island itself is calling out to you for help. Explore an island home to many different environments and landscapes, each with their own unique ecosystem.

*sigh* Let me guess: The grand twist of your protagonist is that they are some kind of a living collection of parts of the island in humanoid shape. That's why you have the connection to the island, because you're basically a walking plant.
Now, even if this is the twist, THIS IS NOT A TWIST. This whole "connection" idea, no matter what it is, is no twist, it's a setup. It's the hook that gets players interested in trying the game out.

Mix and match swords, spells, guns, and shields to fight your way. Dig into your grimoire for spells to trap, freeze or burn enemies, bash them with your shield, or use range bows to attack from a distance.

No descriptions what makes this combat unique. It's basically "Have many guns. Attack enemies by shooting guns."

Companions from a spread of species will fight alongside you, with their own unique set of abilities. From a former mercenary to an eccentric wizard, they will be part of your journey with your choices shaping them as you help them with their quests.

This is fine until we get to the generic "former mercenary" and "an eccentric wizard". I am sure these companions have better, more unique descriptions about them than these NPC tags. Maybe just add "sad former mercenary" or "revenge-hungry eccentric wizard" to tell more about them.


So overall, these are my simple thoughts of why the marketing for this game sucks. I don't think the customers have any idea what the game is about and have no interest in finding out. There is no hook in any of the descriptions of showcases or trailers of the game to get people interested. That's why the game looks like a fake mobile game. Please Obsidian, tell your marketing department to extract a hook from the game and flesh out the setup. Whatever "plot twist" you are trying to shield is not worth being so vague for.

[Charola]

Sorry for the English, I'm not a native speaker.

Basically all your criticism is due to not knowing the lore of Eora And it really is difficult for game marketing to sell a game where its triumph is the story, dialogue and consequences.

I'm going to summarize a small context of the scenario trying not to give spoilers.

Although Eora is a relatively conventional fantasy setting, it has a number of unique, distinguishing features. Chief among these is The Wheel, a natural phenomenon endlessly recycling souls all over the world and an integral part of the gods' plans. Souls are the greatest source of power in Eora and animancy is very powerful.

The story of the first game is about a crisis that is happening in the world in which new children are being born without souls and you have just accidentally become a Watcher, a person who can see and communicate with the souls of those who have passed away.

In the second game you are the same watcher and you are sent by the Gods to chase a God who rebelled and wants to destroy the wheel.

Avowed takes place shortly after the second game, so the consequences of the second game won't be as big yet. In Avowed we will be a Godlike and will be sent from another kingdom to investigate the mystery that this plague is happening.

Godlike are one of the civilized races that inhabit Eora. They are beings that are thought to be "blessed" by the gods before birth. While far less common than the other races due to their rarity and inability to reproduce, godlikes exist throughout Eora, albeit in low numbers. Depending on the social view of the culture they are born to, godlikes are often either glorified as a physical embodiment of a god, or shunned and outcast as an abomination.

[Jesus Tyrone Christ]

Originally posted by Charola:

Sorry for the English, I'm not a native speaker.

Basically all your criticism is due to not knowing the lore of Eora And it really is difficult for game marketing to sell a game where its triumph is the story, dialogue and consequences.

I'm going to summarize a small context of the scenario trying not to give spoilers.

Although Eora is a relatively conventional fantasy setting, it has a number of unique, distinguishing features. Chief among these is The Wheel, a natural phenomenon endlessly recycling souls all over the world and an integral part of the gods' plans. Souls are the greatest source of power in Eora and animancy is very powerful.

The story of the first game is about a crisis that is happening in the world in which new children are being born without souls and you have just accidentally become a Watcher, a person who can see and communicate with the souls of those who have passed away.

In the second game you are the same watcher and you are sent by the Gods to chase a God who rebelled and wants to destroy the wheel.

Avowed takes place shortly after the second game, so the consequences of the second game won't be as big yet. In Avowed we will be a Godlike and will be sent from another kingdom to investigate the mystery that this plague is happening.

Godlike are one of the civilized races that inhabit Eora. They are beings that are thought to be "blessed" by the gods before birth. While far less common than the other races due to their rarity and inability to reproduce, godlikes exist throughout Eora, albeit in low numbers. Depending on the social view of the culture they are born to, godlikes are often either glorified as a physical embodiment of a god, or shunned and outcast as an abomination.

And there was no way the marketers could write a couple of sentences of this in any of their marketing? People are not going to go to the website or the wiki to learn their fantasy world-building.