Avowed review: Xbox finally has the exclusive its been crying out for

Avowed has come out of the blocks flying in 2025 to make a real statement of intent for Xbox, shattering my expectations and leaving me addicted to the grind.
Recommended Videos
Xbox exclusives have been a swing and a miss a lot of the time, with even the likes of Starfield splitting fanbases. But Avowed has changed the tune—perhaps benefiting from reduced expectations after those that came before. I admittedly overlooked Avowed on the release calendar, with my eyes firmly set on other upcoming titles. Having dived headfirst into the adventure across the Living Lands, though, it’s safe to say I’ll be sticking around for the foreseeable future.
A world of wonder
Beautiful scenery. Image via Obsidian Entertainment
The Living Lands has been beautifully crafted, offering plenty of points of interest that hide secrets to uncover, side quests that will keep you busy, and characters that expand the story.
I’m a sucker for RPGs and will happily explore every nook and cranny to collect loot, which Avowed has no shortage of. The decision not to make the map fully open-world may have raised eyebrows for some, but it is a fluid experience and reminds me a lot of Baldur’s Gate 3.
There’s no better feeling than climbing up the face of a cliff to find a hidden trinket, and the subtle chime that plays when you’re near uncollected loot immediately sparks you into action, searching high and low for treasure.
The environment gives a true sense of awe, and the views have taken me aback. At one stage during a critical point in the story, where my companions had a real sense of urgency to return to a town, I stood up high, taking in the view—even if that view was pretty despicable and a cause of anguish. The aesthetics are similarly impressive in combat. While it can be tough to get the hang of initially, I soon found myself in a flowing rhythm with my trusty shield and axe, channeling my inner Kratos as I decimated the spiders, skeletons, and annoying little mushroom people who refused to stop throwing poison at my feet.
Looking for the perfect build
The skills and abilities are undoubtedly my favorite part about Avowed, as there’s full freedom to do whatever you choose. Want to be a Wizard who can also be a brute and attack enemies with a huge two-handed axe? Feel free. Want to attack from a distance but also harness spells to heal you and your companions? No problem.
I’ve settled into a Fighter build, but have utilized a few passives from the Ranger tree to boost my critical strike chance and other aspects. But my favorite ability is Built to Destroy, which grants healing for any item you wreck, stacking it on top of your max health if you’re already at capacity.
The stacking of health and resolve generation is a welcome feature, too, letting you pump in plenty of consumables before a big fight to grant yourself gradual healing. Paired with other skills that heal, it makes you a real menace.
I’m also delighted that sprinting has no stamina cost. Sure, it may not be realistic for me to run the entire length of an area without stopping to take a breath, but with so much to explore, it’s nice not to be slowed down by the little things.
It all creates a game that is truly fun to play, with the ability to chop and change things as you like, without the freedom of everything becoming overbearing like it does in some other RPGs.
Minor frustrations
Avowed isn’t without its problems, however, the biggest of which is the difficulty. If your gear isn’t up to the required quality for a fight you’re in, it’s made abundantly clear by comments from your companions and the massive damage you take from any hits. Most of the time, this can be rectified by simply switching it up and doing side quests to obtain resources to improve your gear. But on occasion, you may find yourself trapped in an area you can’t fast travel out of, resulting in a long trek out of the area.
Side quests and general exploration, therefore, have an even greater importance. This is great for someone like me, but it may not have the same appeal for someone looking for a game to enjoy on the side.
Purchasing gear is similarly frustrating, as currency can be tough to come by. I never seem to have enough to buy better items, yet dismantling the gear instead won’t provide all the resources I need to improve my current gear.
There may be a better way of going about this, but I’ve not yet stumbled upon it. I quite like the weapons I have anyway, so my quest for upgrade materials is seemingly endless.
Worth a shot
Shock and awe. Image via Obsidian Games
Avowed has certainly made an impression on me, and I’d love to see the Living Lands expanded further in the future, with Obsidian Games doing a great job of creating what could be a strong franchise for Xbox—although the change in approach from the company means that PlayStation players could also see the title in the future.
I’m not entirely sure what that means for Xbox as a console moving forward, but with Avowed offered as part of a Game Pass subscription, there’s really no reason not to take the title for a spin. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
8.5 Avowed Avowed features a stunning world to explore and fight your way through. Just beware the difficulty spikes and keep leveling up that gear. Pros A beautiful world to delve into
Freedom with character builds is vast without being overbearing
An explorer’s paradise Cons Difficulty curve may be offputting
Advancing the main story can be slow
Some bugs A copy of this game was provided by Xbox for review. Reviewed on Xbox Series X
Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy