When Avowed was first revealed in 2020, it drew immediate parallels with Skyrim from internet commentators due to its apparent likeness. Featuring a first-person viewpoint within a mythical realm, plus the ability to wield spells and swords interchangeably - the superficial comparisons are noticeable. Nevertheless, Avowed's creators insist the game shares more DNA with Obsidian's earlier projects.

Speaking about the persistent Skyrim analogies, Avowed's director Carrie Patel remarked to Game Informer that "the most apt reference would be The Outer Worlds," Obsidian's cheeky, corporate-criticizing interstellar adventure, because it "provides a far more accurate depiction of the game's scale and also its design and organization."

Unlike a vast, seamless domain traversable from one extremity to another, Avowed models itself after its cosmic precursor with "a network of sizable zones that interconnect and become accessible as the narrative unfolds... and certainly, when focusing on the format of quests and the storyline, it aligns more closely with The Outer Worlds," Patel further explained.

Feargus Urquhart, CEO of Obsidian Entertainment, initially addressed these likenesses in the prior year, telling PC Gamer that although Avowed was conceived as Obsidian's version of Bethesda's incredibly popular model, it shifted back to what the team excels at. "As time went on while developing it... Bethesda crafts a magnificent Skyrim. Mojang creates a magnificent Minecraft, and Turn10 crafts magnificent racing experiences," Urquhart conveyed, "What we are adept at is crafting our distinctly magnificent RPGs."

While The Outer Worlds might have inspired Avowed's makeup, the fantastical quest aims for a narrative with a different spirit. Patel elucidates that in terms of tone, Avowed draws inspiration from its forerunner, Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, presenting a "solid and earnest political plot" underpinned by "a rather peculiar and arcane, mystical, and divine narrative... It intertwines moments of profoundness with instances of levity to offer a reprieve, and a lot of these are deeply rooted in character development. Thus, I wouldn't draw tonal parallels to The Outer Worlds."

Anticipated to debut on Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass, and PC sometime in the latter part of the year, Avowed does not necessitate familiarity with its CRPG predecessors, Pillars of Eternity series—although Obsidian suggests that playing these well-acclaimed titles is worthwhile.