Kinda Funny Gamescast: "Does Avowed 3.0 Change EVERYTHING? - Gamescast Plays"

Date: February 18, 2026
Hosts: Greg Miller, SnowBike Mike (Mike), Andy Cortez
Theme: Deep dive into the Avowed Anniversary Update (3.0), hands-on gameplay, and candid discussion about the game's evolution, appeal, and shortcomings. Plus tangents into RPG design, community reactions, and upcoming gaming releases.

Episode Overview

Main Theme:
This episode focuses on the Avowed 3.0 Anniversary Update, exploring whether the new changes are enough to overhaul the game’s reputation and player experience. The hosts provide live reactions, discuss technical and narrative improvements, and debate whether returning or new players should invest their time in Avowed. The episode also features broad commentary on the state of modern RPGs and upcoming games.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What is Gamescast Plays?

• Format Explanation:
  • The "Gamescast Plays" format is described as more than a simple playthrough—it's a space for editorial deep dives, showing and discussing games mid-review or after major updates.
  • "You come into something you've been reviewing, you show it to someone, you go, 'Hey, look at this thing I've been playing.'" (Greg, 02:21)
• Why Avowed?
  • Greg revisits Avowed after a year due to the new 3.0 Anniversary Update.
  • He had previously played it extensively (over a day’s worth of play time), but didn't love the original release.

2. First Impressions of the Anniversary Update (3.0)

• What's New?
  • Three new playable species: Dwarves, Orlans, and Auamaua, each with unique bonuses.
  • Introduction of New Game Plus (NG+), quality-of-life improvements, custom difficulty modifiers, and a brand new Photo Mode.
    • “New Game Plus, which on paper excited me… The mode is designed to reward mastery [and] experimentation in making the all-powerful build… But…I want to reroll the character and do all the stuff.” (Greg, 04:20)
• No New Story Content
  • Hosts are downbeat that there’s no new missions or narrative to accompany the update.
    • “No. Huge bummer…there's no new story or anything. And I was like, oh…that, like…immediately knocks me out.” (Greg, 18:12)

3. Deep Dive: Character Creation & Roleplay

• Trying the New Races

  • Hands-on with the new Dwarf and Orlan species. Character is humorously named after colleague Nick Scarpino.
  • Discussion of visual customization: hosts joke about the hideous godlike features, with Greg and Andy being repulsed and amused in equal measure.
    • “I can't tell you. Like, it's like nails on a chalkboard looking at these hideous freaks.” (Greg, 08:38)
  • Companions & class background selection revisited, but Greg points out backgrounds are unchanged from earlier versions.

• Roleplaying & Personal Preferences

  • Greg likes to dive deep into character creation but skips it for time, while Andy and Mike prefer randomization.
    • “I am [the character creator], but, you know, we're not gonna…waste life.” (Greg, 08:18)

4. Positives and Negatives of Avowed (Old and New)

• Strengths:

  • Combat: Praised as “amazing,” “so good and colorful.” (Greg, 03:24, 15:28)
  • Visuals & Art Style: “This game is stunning. The visuals and the movement and the combat…with ray tracing on…looks great.” (Andy, 26:25)
  • Quality of Life: Custom difficulty, NG+, and photo mode appreciated.

• Weaknesses:

  • Narrative & Companion Bonds: Hosts didn’t care for the story nor connect with the companions or their main character.
    • “I didn’t connect with the companions. I didn’t connect with the character I made…didn’t get the whole bite of the apple here.” (Greg, 03:10)
  • Limited NG+ Appeal: Frustrations about not being able to make entirely new builds from scratch in NG+.
    • “I want to reroll the character and do all the stuff...I don't want to be that character anymore.” (Greg, 04:36)
  • Performance: Noted some bugs and rendering problems still exist post-patch. (13:09)
  • No New Content: The lack of new quests or narrative means little incentive for a return visit.

5. Who is Avowed 3.0 For? The ‘Should You Play It?’ Debate

• Returning Players:
  • New species and NG+ are “not enough” if you already bounced off before.
    • “If you haven’t played Avowed, it’s a game we enjoy. Then you should do it. Thank you. We’ve done our due diligence.” (Greg, 47:36)
    • “It's about. It's just this wasn't a patch that did much, but Avowed is a fun game. I enjoy Avowed…I’m just not gonna play about again, if that makes sense.” (Greg, 74:39)
• New Players (especially on PS5):
  • “So this is gonna be a whole new crop of people jumping in and playing. Conversation will be reignited.” (Mike, 09:31)
• Bottom Line:
  • Hosts agree: Avowed is a “good game” (a "strong 7 out of 10"), but the 3.0 update is not transformative for those seeking wholly new experiences.
    • “Avowed. It's a strong seven.” (Greg, 66:33)
    • “Yeah, it's a good game. A seven is a good game.” (Andy, 66:36)

6. Broader RPG & Industry Talk

• Obsidian’s Trajectory:

  • Mike: Loved Obsidian’s smaller projects (e.g., Pentiment, Grounded) but fell off big open-world RPGs like Avowed and Outer Worlds.
  • Andy: Found modern Obsidian RPGs more approachable than classics like New Vegas, but still struggles with some of their choices.

• Comparisons to Other RPGs:

  • Frequent references to The Witcher 3 as a gold standard for story and character work.
    • “Would make it harder for you to get back into [Obsidian RPGs]... Witcher 3 is awesome.” (Andy, 23:16)
  • Discussion of weaknesses in Fallout: New Vegas and the personal desire for more visually modern and narratively gripping RPGs.

• Upcoming and Currently Played Games:

  • Excitement for Crimson Desert, Monster Hunter Stories 3, Resident Evil, Pocopia, Darwin’s Paradox, Homura Hime, Peace Walker (“I want to do a marathon stream for a Peace Walker!” - Greg, 51:39).
  • Commentary on how sprawling backlogs and a flood of game releases make it hard to revisit older or updated RPGs.
  • Andy and Greg lament the need to wait for general sentiment before returning to a game.

7. Fun Tangents & Memorable Bits

• The “Sex Gremlin” Character
  • Running joke about the Orlan species—“sex gremlins”—and who among the crew they’d cast as which fantasy race.
  • "Little sex Gremlins in this game?" (Greg, 07:30)
• Nick Scarpino Dwarf Build:
  • Ongoing visual jokes about trying to make Nick Scarpino as a dwarf, encountering technical and aesthetic hurdles.
  • “Why is he like 4 foot 5?” “He’s a dwarf!” (Andy & Greg, 13:36)
• Wakanda Forever & Would You Rather Bit
  • Would you rather, upon leaving any group, have to say "Wakanda Forever" or mutter “Your face has changed” under your breath?
    • “I just go...‘Until next time. Wakanda Forever.’” (Greg, 34:43)
• Secret Snickers & ADHD Object Permanence
  • Irreverent stories about hidden candy at conventions—a frequent inside joke about Greg’s hidden snacks and forgetfulness.
  • “If it’s not in front of you...you have no object permanence, you know…” (Andy, 20:47)
• Lighthearted Industry Banter:
  • Poking fun at friends (Stassi, Nick, the Giant Bomb crew), and the industry tendency toward “rounded corners” in design.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Anniv. Update’s Real Impact
  • “They gave bits and…three new character classes. Fuck yeah. New Game Plus. Fuck, yeah…But there's no new story or anything...well, then that…immediately knocks me out.” (Greg, 18:16)
• On Character Creation Revulsion
  • "It's like nails on a chalkboard looking at these hideous freaks." (Greg, 08:38)
• On NG+ and Build Frustration
  • “New Game Plus is now available after completing the main story. The mode is designed to reward mastery…But no, I want to reroll the character…all unlocked abilities come over…well, I don’t want to be that character anymore.” (Greg, 04:20)
• On Game Recommends
  • "If you haven’t played Avowed, it’s a game we enjoy…If you have, maybe not worth coming back for." (Greg, 47:36)
• On RPG Fatigue and Industry Flood
  • "It's one of those where I am so filled to the brim with gaming experiences that I'll have to wait on public sentiment." (Andy, 11:48)
• On Lack of Story-Driven Motivation
  • “I paid you to tell me a story.” (Greg, 23:59)
• On The Witcher 3’s Pull
  • “Streaming with Mike and we’re clowning around talking most of the time, but it was a good time. It was still really cool and visually stunning…” (Andy, 24:49)
• On Avowed’s Place in the RPG Pantheon
  • “Avowed is a strong seven.” (Greg, 66:33)
  • “Yeah, it's a good game. A seven is a good game.” (Andy, 66:36)

Important Segment Timestamps

• Intro & Purpose of Gamescast Plays: 02:15–02:31
• Greg's Recap of Old Avowed Experience: 03:10–03:36
• Anniversary Update Breakdown: 03:46–04:36
• Frustrations with NG+: 04:36–04:49
• Character Creation Jokes / “Sex Gremlins” Bit: 07:23–08:38
• Discussion: Who is Avowed For Now?: 09:08–09:39
• Photo Mode & Buggy Rendering: 13:04–13:46
• Companion/Story Shortcomings: 14:22–15:28
• No New Missions Announcement: 18:12–18:48
• Core Verdict—Should You Play It?: 47:36–47:52, 66:33–66:41
• Outro & Reflecting on Time Well Spent: 74:21–74:57

Conclusion: The Gamescast Avowed 3.0 Verdict

• Veterans: If you bounced off Avowed before, the 3.0 update will likely not rekindle your interest. The lack of new narrative content is the biggest let-down.
• Newcomers (esp. on PS5): Avowed is worth a look if you appreciate strong combat systems and atmospheric worlds, and haven’t been saturated by recent RPGs.
• Accolades: Appreciated for its improved visuals, fun combat, and customization options.
• Major Letdowns: Unchanged narrative flaws, superficial companions, some lingering technical bugs, and minimal replayability enhancements.
• Final Score: “Strong 7/10”—a good, not great, modern RPG that remains in the shadow of narrative giants like Witcher 3.

The Kinda Funny Style: Candid, irreverent, and always community-focused

• Hosts joke, reminisce, and riff about the games industry, candy stashes, inside crew dynamics, and more. The conversational, unfiltered style brings both critical perspective and humor.

Wakanda Forever. (Greg, 34:43, episode sign-off)