The Besties Podcast Summary: "Is Avowed Too Good for Our Brains to Comprehend?"
Episode Overview: In this engaging episode of The Besties, hosts Chris Plant, Griffin McElroy, Justin McElroy, and Russ Rushik delve deep into the highly anticipated open-world RPG, Avowed, developed by Obsidian. Released on February 14, 2025, the episode explores whether Avowed surpasses traditional RPGs in complexity and immersion, potentially setting a new standard for the genre.
**1. Setting the Stage: Avowed’s Introduction
Justin McElroy kicks off the discussion by expressing his enthusiasm for Avowed, highlighting his initial misconceptions and subsequent admiration for the game’s quality.
“I was certain that Avowed was ashen... but then I booted this one up and I was wowed by Avowed.” [05:19]
Chris Plant introduces Avowed as Obsidian’s latest open-world RPG, drawing parallels to renowned titles like Fallout: New Vegas and the Outer Worlds series, while distinguishing it from contemporaries such as Elden Ring.
**2. Gameplay Mechanics and World Design
The hosts dissect the expansive and meticulously crafted world of Avowed. Chris Plant praises the game’s map size and density, noting its five to six interconnected open worlds that each stand on their own.
“What’s most impressive though is it doesn’t feel like a whole bunch of monster closets, like stuck together. It actually does feel like a dense living space.” [06:34]
Russ Rushik appreciates the game’s balance between scale and intent, comparing it favorably to Skyrim by emphasizing Avowed’s curated and handcrafted environments.
“The big difference here is the intentionality of basically this whole thing.” [07:08]
**3. Narrative Depth and Character Interaction
A significant portion of the discussion centers on Avowed’s narrative structure and character dynamics. Justin McElroy highlights the game’s focus on personal stories over broad factional conflicts, enhancing player immersion.
“Your enjoyment of the story is less about how well you can keep all these different factions and stuff in your... and more about how well you can just like be in the world.” [10:15]
Russ Rushik commends the intelligent character creation system, which encourages players to craft unique avatars that the game’s NPCs acknowledge and react to appropriately.
“I can’t think of a game that has ever specifically woven in the fact that you can make like a truly bizarre character...” [08:38]
**4. Combat and Gameplay Innovation
The hosts explore Avowed’s combat system, contrasting it with typical Bethesda RPGs. Justin McElroy appreciates the game’s tactical encounters that offer uncertainty and variability, avoiding the predictability common in other open-world games.
“There is a place of uncertainty in there that I feel like doesn’t exist with all these open world games...” [13:29]
Christopher Plant adds that Avowed integrates combat mechanics seamlessly with the narrative, ensuring that each battle feels meaningful and contextually relevant.
“Your group, like your nation, has partnered with like an extremist religious cult of soldiers...” [12:14]
**5. Technical Excellence and Engine Performance
Technical aspects of Avowed receive commendation, particularly its use of the Unreal Engine, which contrasts with Bethesda’s aging engine. Russ Rushik points out the seamless loading times and enhanced performance metrics.
“There are parts of the city that do have load times, but most doors that you walk into don’t have a load time.” [47:23]
Justin McElroy humorously laments Bethesda’s outdated engine, underscoring Avowed’s superior technical execution.
“The engine of Starfield and the engine of Skyrim has been, you know, since Morrowind.” [46:53]
**6. Comparisons with Bethesda and Future Implications
A heated comparison arises between Obsidian and Bethesda, especially considering their shared ownership under Microsoft. Justin McElroy asserts that Avowed might not achieve the same sales figures as Bethesda’s titles but offers a more compelling and focused experience.
“Avowed is not going to sell Elder Scrolls or Fallout numbers... but for me personally, like I find this game ten times more interesting than Starfield.” [39:03]
Chris Plant reflects on how Avowed could influence future RPGs, emphasizing the importance of responsive world-building and meaningful player interactions.
“The magic of games is how they respond to your impact on the world.” [49:16]
**7. Player Experience and Frontiers for RPGs
The conversation shifts to the future of RPGs, with each host expressing their aspirations for upcoming titles. Russ Rushik envisions a world where players can interact more deeply with the environment, such as building boats or crafting unique solutions.
“What if you can directly interact with all the physical objects in this world to make fucking boats and hot air balloons and planes...” [47:49]
Justin McElroy desires a more impactful narrative where player relationships and actions have enduring significance within the game world.
“The frontier for me is I walk into a village, people know who I am. They’ve known a lot of the things I’ve done.” [48:26]
**8. Final Thoughts and Concluding Insights
In wrapping up, the hosts acknowledge Avowed’s strengths while also noting areas for improvement, such as immersive storytelling and reducing mechanical railroading. Christopher Plant expresses a desire for future games to push the boundaries of interactive storytelling.
“We’re going to respond back to you in ways you’ve never seen before.” [49:38]
Justin McElroy praises Obsidian for avoiding microtransactions, enhancing the immersive experience by keeping gameplay elements authentic and uninterrupted.
“I feel like they have done a real admirable job of making you feel like once you’re in the world, you’re just in it.” [31:35]
Notable Quotes
- “Avowed is not ashen.” — Justin McElroy [05:19]
- “What’s most impressive though is it doesn’t feel like a whole bunch of monster closets, like stuck together.” — Chris Plant [06:34]
- “There is a place of uncertainty in there that I feel like doesn’t exist with all these open world games...” — Justin McElroy [13:29]
- “The magic of games is how they respond to your impact on the world.” — Chris Plant [49:16]
Conclusion
The Besties deliver a comprehensive and insightful analysis of Avowed, celebrating its innovations and thoughtful design while critically assessing its limitations. The episode underscores Avowed’s potential to redefine open-world RPGs through its intentional world-building, engaging narratives, and robust combat systems. As Obsidian continues to evolve under Microsoft’s umbrella, the hosts eagerly anticipate how Avowed will influence the future landscape of interactive entertainment.