Earlier in the year, Xbox Game Studios developer Obsidian Entertainment confirmed that it would be revisiting Pillars of Eternity, a role-playing game (RPG) the studio first released all the way back in 2015.

To celebrate the game's 10th anniversary, the team confirmed that a turn-based mode was in development for Pillars of Eternity, letting players enjoy it in the same way as the turn-based mode for its sequel and other RPGs, but with some extra tweaks.

On Monday, Obsidian announced that the turn-based mode for Pillars of Eternity will launch first as a beta for players on Steam and Xbox on PC. This is meant to allow the studio to gather feedback as players report any bugs before the mode rolls out for everyone.

Additionally, Obsidian design director and Pentiment game director Josh Sawyer shared some insights into how the mode has been developed and what the team is trying to accomplish, which you can check out in the video below:

"This turn-based mode is something that we wanted to do because turn-based mode was received so well in Deadfire," Saywer says. "That being said, there were a number of very reasonable criticisms of how turn-based mode was implemented in Deadfire."

Here are the major changes this turn-based mode brings to Pillars of Eternity, according to Obsidian:

• Unbound Turns: All turns are now influenced by a character’s overall speed, improving the value of Real-Time with Pause attributes and mechanics.
• Smarter Free Actions: Actions like swapping weapons, drinking potions, or enabling modals are now free actions. Each free action is limited to one per turn per type for balance.
• Faster Pacing: Combat lethality has been significantly increased for both enemies and players to keep battles tense and impactful.
• Mode Flexibility: You can choose Turn-Based Mode alongside difficulty when starting a new game — or swap freely between Real-Time with Pause and Turn-Based Mode in the game options. We’re also investigating a direct HUD toggle for even more convenience.

Personally, this is quite cool to see, and I'm happy to see Obsidian still updating one of its games a decade on in a major way. I'm definitely going to check this mode out at some point soon, especially since I've really become interested in the world of Eora since playing Avowed, one of multiple games released by Obsidian Entertainment earlier this year.

At the time I'm writing this, it's possible to grab a Steam copy of Pillars of Eternity Definitive Edition for under $5 from Loaded (formerly CDKeys), making it the perfect way to get in and start checking out the turn-based beta if you don't already own the game on Steam.

You can also check out the beta through the Xbox on PC version, which is included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

FAQ

Obsidian Entertainment has made a couple of huge announcements for the original Pillars of Eternity. The first one is that a new patch has just gone live for the game which includes general bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements for combat, presentation, quests, dialogue, UI, and more. The full patch notes can be viewed on the game's official website forums.

The second, and biggest announcement is that Obsidian will be introducing a new turn-based combat mode for Pillars of Eternity later this year. There's currently no specific date on when turn-based combat will be added but Obsidian Entertainment says it will release more details at a later date.

In the meantime, Obsidian Entertainment has released a small gameplay video on its social media accounts giving players a sneak peek at what turn-based combat will look like once it's fully finished development (which you can see below).

For those unaware, Pillars of Eternity normally uses a 'real-time strategy with pause' combat system where you command your heroes in real-time while occasionally pausing the game to give them direct commands and to give yourself time to plan your next move.

This new turn-based combat system is planning to implement makes the game play more akin to Baldur's Gate 3 or Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader where each character be it party members or enemies, takes turns based on their place in the initiative order to move into position and smite each other.

We are living a renaissance of turn-based combat in RPGs and I love it!

Over the past couple of years, we have been seeing turn-based CRPGs becoming popular again thanks to titles like Baldur's Gate 3 and Wasteland 3, enabling the rise of modern hits like Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader and promising upcoming PC titles like Shadow of the Road.

Obsidian Entertainment didn't need to go back and include a new turn-based mode for the original Pillars of Eternity, especially since it's currently busy developing The Outer Worlds 2 and making updates for the recently released, Avowed but I'm so glad it did.

I always preferred turn-based combat in my RPGs but now that Pillars of Eternity is getting a turn-based combat mode, it may finally convince me to try out the game for myself.

Who knows? Perhaps this turn-based mode could be an experiment Obsidian Entertainment is conducting to see if it could lead to the idea of a Pillars tactics game becoming a reality. Either way, I can't wait to finally experience one of the best PC games Obsidian Entertainment has ever made, when the turn-based combat mode drops for Pillars of Eternity later this year.

Obsidian Entertainment is one of my most adored developers under the Xbox Game Studios banner, so it's no wonder my excitement was sky-high for Avowed.

My excitement wasn't met with disappointment, either. Returning to the world of Eora from an all-new perspective has provided dozens of hours of joy, and my path through The Living Lands has been paved with endless exploration, colorful combat, delightful discussions, and tantalizing tales. Avowed is just fun, and it's one of the most memorable first-party Xbox games I've played in the last year, alongside Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

You can absolutely find the limits of Avowed's scope compared to the biggest and most ambitious RPGs (role-playing games), and even with a few additional months of development there are still some performance concerns and minor bugs. Despite that, though, Avowed has wholeheartedly captured my full attention on every front, from the world's presentation to the simple-yet-diverse combat. As Obsidian will tell you, this isn't the studio's take on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but Avowed does capture that same magic that makes the possibilities around every corner exciting.

This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Xbox Game Studios. Obsidian Entertainment and Xbox Game Studios had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.

Avowed review: What is it?

• Avowed is a first/third-person fantasy RPG from Xbox Game Studios.
• It's set in Eora, the fictional universe from the Pillars of Eternity games.

Avowed is a brand-new franchise set in the existing Pillars of Eternity universe, taking place after the events of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire. The game brings players to The Living Lands for the first time, and is designed to welcome brand-new players and existing fans of the acclaimed CRPG (computer role-playing game) series that came before. The world of Eora is seen in a new light, including its pantheon of fickle gods, its abundance of unique cultures and peoples, and the never-ending importance and influence of the soul.

Developed by Obsidian Entertainment (Grounded, Pentiment, The Outer Worlds, and more) and published by Xbox Game Studios, Avowed is a focused, semi-open-world fantasy RPG that can be played in both third and first-person perspectives. It's also a class-less role-playing game, meaning players can mix and match weapons, abilities, and skills however they choose.

Story-wise, Avowed follows the exploits of the Aedyran Envoy, an official emissary of their emperor tasked with traveling to The Living Lands to investigate the Dreamscourge. This mysterious plague is afflicting the land, plants, animals, and now even people of The Living Lands, rotting their souls and turning them into mindless creatures of violence. As the envoy, it's your job to discover the source of the Dreamscourge alongside the companions you meet on the way — and possibly discover your roots as a mysterious godlike, as well.

Avowed releases on Feb. 18, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and Xbox Game Pass through Ultimate, PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming tiers. Premium Edition and Premium Upgrade owners can play up to five days early on Feb. 13, 2025. You can buy Avowed now from $69.99 at Best Buy.

• Back to the top ⤴

Avowed review: Performance and presentation

• Avowed adapts a stylized art design with vibrant, saturated environments.
• The game looks amazing, with truly stunning world design.
• Performance is also solid, but there are framerate drops and other concerns.

Avowed doesn't mirror the darker mood of its initial reveal trailer, nor does it pursue the photorealistic visuals of many AAA RPGs and action-adventure games. Instead, Obsidian Entertainment brought The Living Lands to life by filling this world with life. There are four main areas in Avowed, separated by story progression and loading times, and each one is immediately and wholly visually distinct.

Dawnshore combines beautiful, golden beaches and lush plains with rocky crags and perilous mountains. Emerald Stair is saturated with lush foliage, dense trees, and a vast array of colorful fungi. Scattersharp is characterized by its ancient seabed, iron-rich desert, and sweeping cliffs. Galawain's Tusks isolates itself with a violent volcano and burning lava flows. Each region is spotted with signs of civilization both old and new, with settlements and ancient ruins alike drawing you in. I haven't even mentioned the plethora of entirely unique features each region boasts.

Obsidian did an incredible job designing a vibrant, vertical world; textures and colors are wonderful, and each environment looks natural and realistic without sacrificing the interactions and destructibility that ties into the gameplay. The Living Lands' people reflect their home, with a myriad of clothing and architecture styles that differentiate each place you visit, while the creatures and enemies you'll discover also possess distinct personalities. Avowed's art design and style both are top-notch, and help the game stand out amid a horde of other fantasy RPGs.

Audio design is excellent, too, with crisp ambient audio, immensely satisfying sound effects, clean and emotional voice acting, and a beautiful soundtrack that — while not the most memorable — still embodies The Living Lands. From both visual and acoustic standpoints, Obsidian Entertainment did a standout job.

It's in animations where you begin to see Avowed's more limited scope. Movements, facial animations during dialogue, and character actions are all fine but are frequently subject to bizarrely low framerates, latency, or minor visual glitches. From mice that seem to move at about five frames per second to characters speaking in ultra-slow motion, Avowed's animations lack the polish of their environments and visual presentation.

I can also say the same about performance. Avowed boasts 30 and 40 FPS gameplay modes on Xbox Series X and Series S, and an additional 60 FPS mode on Xbox Series X, and largely plays great. Framerates are smooth, visuals are sharp and consistent, and even large fights with plenty of flashy particle effects, explosions, and spells don't drag the game down to its knees. Some areas, though, are plagued with sporadic framerate drops, especially in the latter half of the game and even on the most performant 60 FPS mode.

Avowed can also struggle on lower-end hardware like the best gaming handhelds, and the Windows Central team has struggled to get the game to work at all on the Steam Deck. If you believe Avowed's visuals suggest it'll run perfectly on your low-end or non-gaming laptop, be sure to double-check Avowed's PC requirements first.

Obsidian's decision to delay Avowed likely had a major impact on the game's performance and stability, but there's clearly still some work to be done. I've encountered a variety of mild visual glitches, but there have been a handful of more concerning bugs and issues.

My colleague, Rebecca Spear, fell through the world after a door to an inaccessible building failed to render, and I have two quests that I simply cannot complete — one because the enemies I defeated never dropped any of the loot I needed to complete the bounty, and the other because two of the three people I needed to speak to refused to (possibly because I had spoken to them before starting the related quest).

Overall, though, Avowed is more than playable and plays decently smooth. It's also worth mentioning that Obsidian Entertainment shared the details of Avowed's day one patch with us, which we never saw during our review period; that patch is chunky, with dozens of fixes that mean you may never see most of the bugs the Windows Central team encountered. I'll update this section again if it seems Avowed is considerably more stable and polished after its official launch.

• Back to the top ⤴

Avowed review: Gameplay experience

• Avowed's gameplay centers around exploration and combat elements.
• Combat is class-less and diverse, allowing you to build two loadouts.
• Exploration also feels great, with fun traversal and plenty of secrets.

At first glance, it seems like Avowed plays like a smoother, more fluid Skyrim, but Obsidian's fantasy RPG has enough of its own character to stand out. This isn't an action RPG with high-speed, ultra-responsive combat. Instead, it builds an eclectic suite of abilities and weapons atop a consistent, tactile movement system. You can crouch, jump, dodge, clamber, and parkour your way across The Living Lands, wielding different gear in each hand and utilizing an array of unique spells and abilities.

Being able to independently choose what you use in each hand and then instantly change between two loadouts offers a lot of variety. You can rock a grimoire with four different spells and a spear, then instantly switch to a pair of powerful pistols, the whole time free to access all your standalone abilities, mastered spells, throwables, consumables, and companion abilities from the radial menu. What you choose to use will change your ability to block and parry, how efficiently and quickly you're able to attack or dodge, your range and impact, and more.

A class-less system means you're free to mix and match fighter, ranger, and wizard abilities however you want, and it's easy to respec all your abilities and even attribute points at any time. I redid my setup twice as I found new gear that I desperately wanted to use, including abandoning magic in favor of a powerful bow that deals arcing lightning damage with its arrows. There are a ton of different ways to approach combat, and combat itself is hectic and satisfying.

I had a lot of fun annihilating foes with a massive, perpetually bleeding greatsword, or firing an array of spells while swinging my sword, or shifting into a parallel dimension to unleash a devastating surprise attack on an unsuspecting foe, or... You get it. Combat in Avowed feels good, and being able to take advantage of the environment, like electrocuting puddles, setting fire to oil spills, and freezing your foes before shattering them, makes each battle feel more dynamic.

Combat is slower-paced, but I don't mind that. What I do mind is how slow character progression can feel at times. You level up slowly, and each ability and attribute point you earn won't always have a noticeable impact on your character. I either wish jumps per level were a little greater or you gained levels a little faster, just to make those milestones more memorable. Unique gear will make the largest difference on your playstyles, but the stat boosts and effects from a lot of that gear also feels surprisingly minimal, and only weapons allow any form of customization for the enchantments.

At least exploring for that unique gear and the materials to upgrade your equipment feels worthwhile. The world of Avowed is so consistently interesting, and the verticality and diversity of the environments means you'll never know where you'll find the next secrets. Ruins and cities are obvious locations, but there are plenty of underwater caches, buried caves only accessible via tiny openings hidden in crevices, clifftop camps at the end of arduous climbs, and much more that may provide the inspiration you need to change your build.

I loved exploring The Living Lands in search of hidden boss fights, undiscovered secrets, and unsolved puzzles. Much of what you'll find will be crafting materials and puzzles tend to be simple, but Avowed still somehow captures the magic that makes exploring in legendary titles like Skyrim so endlessly fun. Unique interactions, concealed quests, and interesting looks into the world of Eora and the history of The Living Lands all make exploring worthwhile, especially when you can rarely predict where the next secret will be.

Burn, freeze, shock, poison, bleed, paralyze, and stun your enemies. Unmask The Living Lands' treasure trove. Refine your character's combat, traversal, and conversation abilities. Assist the people you meet along the way. There's a lot to do, and you can spend a lot of time doing it. Avowed is a bit bigger than we were led to believe.

• Back to the top ⤴

Avowed review: Story, world, and characters

• Avowed's story is interesting and well-written, tying into existing lore.
• Characters are also multi-dimensional with fantastic voice acting.
• Decisions have noticeable and long-lasting impacts in quests.

Avowed's story can be summarized as such: The Aedyr Empire has a vested interest in The Living Lands, a lawless frontier for misfits and outcasts, and has sent its armies to establish law and order. However, a dreadful plague that directly attacks the soul itself is changing the landscape, choking farms and transforming people and animals. You are an envoy of Aedyr, sent to investigate and stop the Dreamscourge from destroying The Living Lands.

This story is interesting, combining themes of political disagreements, social and economic strife, nationalism, the pursuit and fear of science, the power of religious fanaticism, and more. You'll travel all over The Living Lands along your journey, learning more about yourself and the people who call this land home. More than that, you'll learn that you were fated to adventure to this place, as your very presence in The Living Lands changes its destiny. To that end, the decisions you make during the story have very real, very lasting impacts.

Obsidian Entertainment did an excellent job letting you, the player, roleplay as the envoy you want to be. The character creator isn't the most in-depth in an RPG, but you're given plenty of control over your appearance, starting stats, and even your backstory (which frequently impacts your choices during conversations). The actions you take and decisions you make during quests matter, and even the order in which you complete quests (and the side quests you choose to do at all) can provide new paths or obstacles later down the road.

Save one woman near the beginning of the game? It may save you from a fight with smugglers later on. Help a business owner protect her livelihood? You may turn a sworn enemy into an unlikely ally. The main story is interesting, with many twists and turns, great writing, and engaging stakes, but the side quests also matter a lot. I do think Avowed's side quests tend to be on the short side, but I'm still very happy that I've chosen to hunt down as many of them as I can during my playthrough.

The characters in Avowed are also well-written and well-acted, especially the companions. Unique, multi-dimensional personalities that are affected by your decisions and actions make these companions more than just friendly NPCs in battle, and it's another opportunity to roleplay. Sorry, no romance, though (I wish there was). The people you'll meet in The Living Lands also tend to be interesting, even those with whom you have limited interaction. Engaging with this world never stops being fun.

I just wish you had more impact on the world outside of quests. Destroying property, stealing everything in sight, or trying to attack random NPCs has no effect apart from the occasional comment; your decisions during quests make a difference, but outside of those guided missions, your touch on the world is limited to killing enemies and looting treasure. Dialogue shouldn't be the only place where the player can influence the world, but it does serve as another reminder that Obsidian never intended for Avowed to be the biggest, most ambitious RPG.

Despite the smaller focus, though, Avowed benefits greatly from being a part of a larger universe. The lore and history of Eora are unfathomably deep, and your exploits in The Living Lands build off the incredible worldbuilding Obsidian Entertainment is known for.

• Back to the top ⤴

Avowed review: Accessibility and approachability

• Avowed provides plenty of options for customizing the HUD and controls.
• It's also designed to be an approachable game with clear interfaces.
• Localization is a little limited, with some languages not available at launch.

Xbox Game Studios invests heavily in its accessibility efforts, so I wasn't too concerned about Avowed. From a foundational perspective, this is an approachable game with an intelligent control scheme, clear and easy-to-read interface, frequent and in-depth tutorials, and a ton of additional details that help you navigate the world and its gameplay systems.

Through the settings, you can also heavily customize those controls and the interface, with options for per-control remapping and control toggles, a ton of ways to tweak the camera and how it reacts to gameplay and combat, customizations for the interface and what elements appear and when. There are also options to finetune your combat experience with aim, dodge, and block assists, granular audio sliders, and a surprising number of options for subtitles and dialogue.

There's a field-of-view (FOV) slider and gamma settings, but Avowed doesn't feature any color-blind modes. Avowed generally does an excellent job combining audio and visual cues for combat and exploration, though, which should strike a good balance accommodating those with aural or ocular impairments.

One area where Avowed is on the weak side is with localization, which has long been a weak point for Xbox. All voice over will be available in English only, with subtitles localization available in English, Simplified Chinese, German, Italian, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Mexico), and Russian. French will be available at launch but will be an imperfect translation that will be polished in a post-launch update, while Korean and Japanese support will be missing at launch but will be added in a one-month update after Avowed releases.

I wish Avowed had voice over localization in more languages, and it's still missing subtitles for languages like Arabic, Swedish, Dutch, and many more. Xbox really needs to step up its localization game across the board.

• Back to the top ⤴

Avowed review: Final thoughts

You should play this if ...

✅You're looking for an accessible fantasy RPG with first-class worldbuilding

Obsidian Entertainment is legendary for its worldbuilding, and Avowed is the latest positive mark on its resumé. Avowed is an accessible, approachable, and ridiculously fun fantasy RPG that provides plenty of opportunities to embrace the character you create and make your impact on the world.

✅You're a Pillars of Eternity fan looking to jump back into Eora

Eora is bustling with history and magic, and The Living Lands is the most beautifully chaotic continent of them all. You don't need to have played Pillars of Eternity to fully appreciate Avowed, but those who have will love all the references and nods to existing lore, especially the ones that relate to the decisions they made in the Pillars of Eternity games.

You should not play this if ...

❌You want to play a massive RPG that'll take 100+ hours to complete

If you're the kind of player that loves to immerse themselves in a single world for dozens or even hundreds of hours, and want an RPG that stacks countless systems on top of each other to keep those hours interesting, Avowed isn't quite that. It's larger than we expected, but this is still a more focused, modest RPG versus games like Baldur's Gate 3 or Dragon's Dogma 2.

Avowed isn’t Obsidian’s take on Skyrim, but it does still possess that same hard-to-quantify magic that causes a random boulder in the distance to capture your attention, holding you steadfast until you give into the random urge to wander off the path you’ve chosen to go and investigate it up close. Avowed rewards your efforts to explore, revealing that the obscure rock that only seemed a little odd is a desolate cave filled with corpses and the spiders the created them, or a secret hideaway built by two mysterious lovers who left small treasures of their relationship behind, or decrepit ruins of an ancient civilization so far gone that most don’t even know their name.

We were told that Avowed would be around 15-20 hours for the main story and be similar in scope to The Outer Worlds, which does feel accurate on that metric alone. I spent over 50 hours in The Living Lands, though, and I'm still not entirely confident I saw everything. That comes down to one thing: Avowed makes exploration far more fun than The Outer Worlds did, and its world feels far more complete. A varied combat system, gorgeous visuals, and an interesting story all help make Avowed one of the most fun RPGs I've played in a long while.

Obsidian Entertainment still has a fair number of bugs to iron out, though, and performance isn't always the best. On top of that, you can see where Avowed's scope is more limited compared to the biggest AAA RPGs, and Avowed doesn't exactly cost less than those games. Still, this is an early contender for my game of the year. Avowed is now available from $69.99 at Best Buy for Xbox and PC.

• Back to the top ⤴

The next big Xbox Game Studios role-playing game is on the way, and while players are getting ready to dive into Obsidian Entertainment's Avowed, there's a bit more time to prep. Avowed is set in world of Eora, the same setting as Obsidian's prior Pillars of Eternity games.

While it'd obviously be ideal to come into Avowed having played Pillars of Eternity and its sequel, don't worry, as any newcomers won't be left behind. Obsidian Entertainment is publishing a five-part video series as a primer for everything prospective players need to know about Eora.

The first part of this series is dedicated to the different species (or kith) of Eora, from the bog-standard humans to the fair elves. Fittingly, the episode is narrated by Matthew Mercer, the iconic actor behind truly numerous voices and Dungeon Master for Critical Role.

In addition to humans and elves, Eora is also home to the towering Aumawa, sturdy Dwarves, and the curious Orlans. In Avowed, players are able to choose if they want to play an a Human or an Elf, though they'll naturally be encountering the other three races as possible friends and fierce foes. Eora is also home to the Godlike, individuals blessed by a deity when they were in the womb, resulting in some truly strange appearances and physical features.

I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for the remaining episodes, which should be coming fairly soon, as Avowed is finally on the way in just a few short weeks. I'm always happy to listen to Mercer's smooth tones, and this feels like a great way to catch back up on everything I'll need to know before playing Avowed.

My colleague Zachary Boddy has gotten their hands on the game twice now, and after reading their thoughts, I'm eager to dive into this new fantasy adventure that Obsidian has crafted.

Avowed is just part of the onslaught of Xbox first-party games slated to launch throughout 2025, with other titles like Compulsion Games' South of Midnight, id Software's DOOM: The Dark Ages, and Playground Games' Fable all currently scheduled to launch sometime this year. If you're eager to learn more about some of those games, South of Midnight and DOOM: The Dark Ages will be featured in the upcoming Xbox Developer_Direct, which is being held on Jan. 23, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Avowed is slated to launch on Feb. 18, 2025 across Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC, as well as being day one in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Anyone preordering the deluxe edition of the game can start playing five days early on February 13. You can figure out what version of the game to grab with our Avowed preorder guide.

What you need to know

• YouTuber channel Limit Break Network recently conducted with Josh Sawyer, lead developer from Obsidian Entertainment, who helped create the Pillars of Eternity franchise and worked on other titles such as Fallout: New Vegas and Pentiment.
• During the interview, Josh Sawyer talks about the origin of the Pillars of Eternity franchise, his involvement in the upcoming title Avowed, and the studio considering the idea of making a tactics-strategy game spin-off of Pillars of Eternity.
• Avowed, Obsidian's next big, first-person RPG adventure, is set to launch next year on February 18, 2025 for Xbox Series X|S and PC via Windows and Steam.

On September 26, 2024, the YouTube channel Limit Break Network, interviewed Josh Sawyer, a veteran lead designer at Obsidian Entertainment who helped develop some of the studio's most critically acclaimed titles such as Fallout: New Vegas and Pentiment, and led the creation of the Pillars of Eternity franchise (as sourced by @HazzadorGamin on X).

During this interview, Josh goes on to tell informative stories about the creative process behind Pillars of Eternity's development, how the game's general concepts came to be, how it attempts to modernize the game design of classic CRPGs like the original Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale, his contributions to Obsidian's upcoming RPG, Avowed, and more.

One particularly interesting topic that came up the near end of the interview was Josh Sawyer asked about the idea of making a new Pillars of Eternity game with the budget of Baldur's Gate 3, he said that the developers at Obsidian are considering a tactics-style Pillars of Eternity game.

Josh Sawyer mentions pitching the idea of making a Pillars tactics may be a tough sell due to now niche the genre is and how much developer resources should be allocated. However, he and the developers at Obsidian are fascinated by the idea of Strategy-RPGs and their small but extremely passionate fanbase who will play them to death even if they're not skilled at them.

🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃

• 🕹️Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (3-months) | $31.59 at CDKeys (Save $17!)
• 💻Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge (X Elite) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $450!)
• 🎮Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma (Xbox & PC) | $99.99 at Amazon (Save $50!)
• 🕹️Starfield Premium Upgrade (Xbox & PC) | $27.69 at CDKeys (Save $7!)
• 💻ASUS Vivobook S 15 (X Elite) | $955 at Amazon (Save $345!)
• 🕹️Final Fantasy XVI (PC, Steam) | $43.79 at CDKeys (Save $6!)
• 💻Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon | $1,481.48 at Lenovo (Save $1,368!)
• 🎮 Seagate Xbox Series X|S Card (2TB) | $249.99 at Best Buy (Save $110!)
• 🕹️Hi-Fi RUSH (PC, Steam) | $8.49 at CDKeys (Save $22!)
• 💻HP Victus 15.6 (RTX 4050) | $599 at Walmart (Save $380!)
• 💻Seagate HDD Starfield Edition (2TB) | $79.99 at Best Buy (Save $30!)
• 🖱️Razer Basilisk V3 Wired Mouse | $44.99 at Best Buy (Save $25!)
• 🕹️Days Gone (PC, Steam) | $11.29 at CDKeys (Save $38!)
• 🖥️Lenovo ThinkStation P3 (Core i5 vPro) | $879.00 at Lenovo (Save $880!)

Could a tactical Pillars of Eternity games actually happen someday?

The idea of making a tactical Pillars of Eternity game is an interesting idea to shake up the formula, as these games often use combat systems akin to real-time strategy times that you can pause to make strategic plays. Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire played around with the idea of turn-based combat when it included a turn-based mode, but it wasn't received well, as the game was designed with real-time strategic combat in mind. 

Related: Playing Avowed for the first time while discussing the delay, Xbox performance, and ray tracing with the developers

I personally never played any Pillars of Eternity game despite being praised as some of Obsidian's best PC games (my colleague Rich Edmonds even gave glowing reviews for Pillars of Eternity 1 and Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire) because I tend to prefer RPGs with turn-based combat like the excellent Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. However, I would be willing to give the series a chance if Obsidian did make a Pillars of Eternity game with turn-based tactical gameplay in mind from the ground up. 

But we will have to wait and see if this idea becomes a reality in the future. In the meantime, Obsidian fans can look forward to playing Avowed, its next big-budget first-person RPG that's scheduled to launch on February 18, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S and PC via Windows and Steam.

One of the most legendary studios in the world for top-notch Western role-playing games is Obsidian Entertainment, the creators behind Fallout: New Vegas, The Outer Worlds, and Pillars of Eternity.

The next major release from Obsidian is a brand-new IP called Avowed, and it's one of the most exciting new video game releases of 2025.

Most of the mysteries surrounding Avowed have been unveiled ahead of its release. Read on for everything you need to know about one of 2025's biggest releases from Obsidian Entertainment and Xbox Game Studios, including when you can expect it, on which platforms it'll release, how it'll play, and even some clues as to whether or not Avowed may become one of the best Xbox games of the year.

Oh, and for two exclusive Windows Central interviews with various members of the Avowed team on gameplay, romance, performance, and more, as well as two hands-on previews that put Avowed at the top of my most anticipated games of the year.

What is Avowed?

Best answer: Avowed is a first-person fantasy role-playing game (RPG) set in the established Pillars of Eternity fictional universe. You'll explore The Living Lands while investigating a mysterious magical plague, and quickly become embroiled in an impending catastrophe that could destroy the world.

Avowed may be a brand-new IP, but it's not building a brand-new universe. Instead, Obsidian Entertainment is tapping into its existing fictional universe brimming with history, lore, unique cultures, and more. You guessed it: Pillars of Eternity. Where both Pillars of Eternity games are third-person isometric RPGs, however, Avowed is a full-blown first-person/third-person, semi open-world adventure. It also takes place in a new part of Eora — The Living Lands.

Players will step into the shoes of an envoy from the Aedyr Empire, sent to The Living Lands on a quest to investigate an enigmatic plague that is apparently ravishing the region. Upon arriving, you'll soon realize that this plague, known as Dreamscourge, is far more serious than you first imagined, and that the fate of the entire world may be at stake. You'll explore The Living Lands, meet a diverse cast of unique characters, embark on countless new adventures, and master multiple forms of combat during your journey to unravel the mystery at the heart of the magical plague afflicting people's souls.

Avowed will obviously draw heavily from the established lore of the Pillars of Eternity franchise, but gameplay-wise the titles could not be further apart. Many have compared Avowed to The Elder Scrolls franchise from Bethesda, in the same way many compare Obsidian's Fallout: New Vegas to Bethesda's Fallout titles. Obsidian itself has stated that, while Avowed was originally pitched as the studio's take on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, a shift in game direction has made Avowed a more focused RPG experience in a similar vein as The Outer Wilds.

• Back to the top ⤴

Windows Central interviews, previews, and more

In a highlight of my career, I had the opportunity to talk about Avowed with Creative Director Carrie Patel and Gameplay Director Gabe Paramo at Obsidian Entertainment. We discussed the obvious combat and gameplay improvements revealed during Xbox Games Showcase 2024, for one. The Avowed team had always intended to revisit and polish those mechanics, but feedback from the community prompted Obsidian to look at every element of combat and improve it sooner.

We talked about how Avowed wants to give players freedom to truly roleplay, including diverse dialogue options with every interaction, multiple ways to deal with any new situation, the ability to mix and match skills from any tree without being restricted to a class, and more. We also went over how player choices will matter in Avowed, and how these decisions, big or small, will lead to real consequences in The Living Lands and for the player and their companions.

Finally, I chatted with Patel and Paramo about companions in Avowed, and how Obsidian is invested in making these characters the most involved, deeply written companions of any Obsidian RPG. Companions in Avowed won't be romanceable, unfortunately, but that was a deliberate decision by the Avowed team, so that more time could be spent fleshing out the companions in other areas.

If you want all the details, you can go read our exclusive interview with the Avowed team on gameplay, companions, choices, and more right now.

My exploits in The Living Lands didn't end there, though. During Gamescom 2024, I had an opportunity to go hands-on with Avowed for the very first time. I even had the exclusive chance to play with a unique build that was only otherwise shown to people, the blood mage. That first preview introduced me to the magic of Avowed, and it has been hard to contain my excitement since.

When I spoke to Production Director Ryan Warden and Art Director Matt Hansen, we discussed performance (especially on consoles), graphics, and why Avowed was delayed. If you're interested, you can read my interview and hands-on preview for all the new details on Avowed.

A few months down the line, and Obsidian Entertainment granted me a remote hands-on preview that gave me hours of unfettered access in Avowed's beginning area. I learned a lot about how Obsidian is preserving its classic RPG DNA while raising its standards on world building, gameplay, and visual fidelity. I was able to explore the character creator, combat, quests, and much more during my first full foray into The Living Lands. It'll be my final preview before I review the full game.

• Back to the top ⤴

When does Avowed release?

Best answer: Avowed officially releases on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC on Feb. 18, 2025. If you preorder the Premium Edition, you can get up to five days of early access on Feb. 13, 2025.

We've known about Avowed since the Xbox Games Showcase 2020, but we had to wait years to finally start seeing more of the game and getting hints as to when we'll actually be able to play it. Finally, Avowed made a big showing during the Xbox Developer_Direct 2024 with a deep dive into Avowed's gameplay and combat, and the official march to launch began.

Avowed's original release window was in late 2024, but the game was delayed to give Obsidian more time for polish and refinement. Now, the wait is almost over. Avowed officially releases on Feb. 18, 2025 across Xbox, Windows PC, and Xbox Game Pass. Those who preorder the Premium Edition or Premium Upgrade Add-on can access the game up to five days early, on Feb. 13.

• Back to the top ⤴

Is Avowed coming to PlayStation or Switch?

Best answer: Avowed is only confirmed to be releasing on Xbox Series X|S consoles and Windows PC via the Microsoft Store and Steam. While it's not impossible for Avowed to come to other platforms either at launch or in the future, it's not confirmed right now.

Avowed is a first-party Xbox game, meaning it's developed in-house by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Game Studios. As such, the game has only been confirmed to be launching on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, as well as Windows PC via the Microsoft Store and Steam. The game does not appear to be launching on the aging Xbox One platform, making it exclusive to current-gen hardware.

As for Avowed's arrival on other platforms, it's unconfirmed at this time. Xbox has begun releasing some of its exclusive titles on competing platforms, so the possibility is there. Pillars of Eternity can also be played beyond Xbox and PC, too. However, even if Avowed does eventually come to PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, it likely won't happen for some time after release.

• Back to the top ⤴

Is Avowed coming to Xbox or PC Game Pass?

Best answer: Avowed is launching day one into Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Cloud Gaming, and should remain on all Game Pass services indefinitely.

This answer probably won't surprise you, but it's worth laying it out in simple terms: Avowed is absolutely coming to Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Cloud Gaming parallel to its general release. As a first-party Xbox game, it's a write-in for all of Microsoft's subscription services, apart from Xbox Game Pass Core (which only offers a curated collection of older exclusives and third-party gems). Avowed will be there from day one, and it'll remain there indefinitely.

This also means Xbox Game Pass subscribers will get a 10-20% discount on buying Avowed to own, with that increased discount being courtesy of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. If Avowed gets post-launch DLC or expansions, Game Pass subscribers will also get discounts on that DLC (although the DLC likely won't launch on Xbox Game Pass itself). Game Pass subscribers can save on the Premium Upgrade Add-on, for example, so they can still get early access without buying the full game.

Avowed's inclusion in Xbox Cloud Gaming means that, even if you don't own an Xbox Series X|S or modern Windows PC, you'll still be able to experience Obsidian's latest masterpiece via streaming on Xbox One, iOS and Android devices, and practically anything else with a browser.

• Back to the top ⤴

Where can I watch Avowed's trailers?

Best answer: Right here! We'll include all of Avowed's biggest trailers below, from gameplay trailers to lore deep dives.

• Back to the top ⤴

Is there character creation in Avowed?

Best answer: Yes, Avowed will let you customize your character and evolve them as you progress through the game, with lots of options for visual, gameplay, and background customization.

Like most other RPGs, Avowed will feature in-depth character customization to ensure that every adventure through The Living Lands is unique. I created an original character during my final hands-on preview, but I wasn't allowed to show the actual character creation. However, I can share my thoughts on it and some of the features we know of.

For one, players will choose background traits that help set up your character to excel in certain areas at the beginning of the game. However, you will not be locked into any classes or categories in Avowed. Players will be free to choose any skills or abilities as they evolve and level up their character, and there will even be easy ways to respec if you decide you want to go a different route. This is in stark comparison to many other RPGs, and aims to give players more freedom in how they play the game.

We also know that Avowed will only feature two selectable races (Human and Elf) when designing your original character, a stark departure from the Pillars of Eternity games and only a small selection from the diverse races that inhabit Eora. Apparently, this decision is twofold. For one, your character originates from the Aedyr Empire, which is predominantly populated by Humans and Elves. Secondly, Obsidian wanted to guarantee a consistency in Avowed's first-person gameplay that would be much more difficult to achieve (and require significantly more development resources) if players could explore The Living Lands as other races in Eora, which differ wildly in size and stature.

Finally, all players in Avowed will also be Godlike, which is a sub-race of humanoids in Eora that are blessed at birth by a patron deity. There are many kinds of Godlikes, but players won't get that choice — because the player's status as a Godlike and who their patron deity is contributes to the main story in some way.

• Back to the top ⤴

What is the gameplay like in Avowed?

Best answer: Avowed will play similarly to other RPGs in the same category, but with Obsidian's new dynamic, dual-wielding combat system. The campaign and missions will also prominently feature dialogue options and branching paths.

We got our first in-depth look at Avowed's gameplay during the Xbox Developer_Direct 2024, and it appeared similar to many other first-person RPGs but with Obsidian Entertainment's iconic spin. This is also a brand-new combat system from Obsidian, which aims to be more flexible, dynamic, and interesting than Obsidian's previous games.

What we know is that Avowed will feature a vast arsenal of different weaponry between magical abilities and spells, melee weapons like swords and axes, and ranged weaponry like bows and even guns. Players will be able to fully customize their character's loadout and switch between multiple weapons and abilities on-the-fly, allowing for rapid adjustment to evolving combat scenarios. You'll also be able to dual-wield weapons and magic in Avowed, leading to unique ways to decimate your foes. Obsidian apparently wants combat in Avowed to feel 'visceral,' with a focus on the impact of spells and weapons.

The campaign will be structured similarly to The Outer Worlds and other RPGs, in that players will take on different quests and missions from a wide variety of sources involving investigative work, combat, exploration, and a whole lot of conversation. Yes, Avowed will prominently feature branching dialogue options, allowing players to change the course of quests and ultimately the game through their responses. This includes developing closer relationships with the companions you'll meet along the way.

It's worth mentioning that Obsidian has stated Avowed is very different from The Outer Worlds in many ways. Either way, we know that Avowed is being given plenty of time at Obsidian for development, testing, and polishing, a benefit of the studio's inclusion under the Xbox Game Studios banner.

• Back to the top ⤴

Is Avowed open world?

Best answer: Avowed isn't truly one open world, and is similar to The Outer Worlds in that players will be able to travel between multiple open areas, with loading screens dividing those areas.

Avowed may be a full-blown fantasy RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, but it's not entirely open world like Skyrim, Dragon's Dogma, or other RPGs. Instead, Obsidian is taking a similar approach to The Outer Worlds, in that The Living Lands in Avowed will be split into several large, very distinct open areas that can individually be freely explored... But are divided by loading screens.

This may disappoint some players, but the Avowed team has stated that making a true open world RPG is an entirely different experience to what Obsidian wants to do with Avowed. This RPG will be more focused, while still giving players plenty of freedom to explore and decide what they want to do next.

This decision also plays into the story of Avowed. As players progress the campaign and are shepherded into new areas, previous areas will become unavailable. That means you need to complete everything you want to do as you go.

• Back to the top ⤴

Will Avowed have multiplayer or co-op?

Best answer: Avowed will not feature any multiplayer or co-op features, although up to two NPC companions can join you on your journey through The Living Lands.

Avowed is a true single-player, first-person fantasy RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, focused entirely on its world building, narrative, and gameplay elements. As such, it'll feature no online multiplayer or co-op features at launch, and it's highly doubtful any will ever come to the game. This is a deliberate decision by Obsidian to focus on what the studio does best.

It was revealed that Avowed was originally planned to feature co-op, possibly to help attract the attention of publishers. Once Obsidian joined the Xbox family, though, that stopped being a consideration. Early on in development, the team behind Avowed realized co-op would take away from the game experience, so it was ultimately cut. Unlike other RPGs like the critically-acclaimed RPG Baldur's Gate 3, Avowed's design just doesn't quite meld with co-op play. We'll see when Avowed launches if Obsidian made the right decision.

• Back to the top ⤴

What you need to know

• After the success of Baldur's Gate 3, many have been wondering if there's a renaissance for "CRPG"-style isometric RPGs on the horizon. 
• One of the greatest modernized CRPGs is Pillars of Eternity, previously crowd-funded by Obsidian with development led by Josh Sawyer. 
• In an interaction on Twitter (also known as X), Sawyer joked that he's waiting for a call from Microsoft to make Pillars of Eternity 3 with a $120 million dollar budget. 
• This is one joke we desperately need to come true. 

Baldur's Gate 3's monumental popularity has somewhat upended the very idea of what types of games can still find success in 2023. In a world where service games rammed with microtransactions are being canceled and wound down left right and center, Baldur's Gate 3 cut through this summer with a hyper-traditional isometric-style RPG, albeit with AAA production values, acting, writing, and visuals. 

It's rare that we see games that follow CRPG traditions of yesteryear with modern flair, but Microsoft and Xbox do have a range of franchises in-house that fit the bill. InXile's Wasteland 3 series follows these conventions to some degree, but it's Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity franchise that perhaps most closely follows Baldur's Gate 3's DNA. 

Pillars of Eternity is a criminally overlooked RPG series that served as a modernized successor to the likes of Baldur's Gate 1 and 2, crowdfunded on Kickstarter previously. The game is a personal favorite and remains one of the best PC games of all time. It's available on Xbox Game Pass, as well as Steam and other platforms. The original from 2015 follows the exploits of the "Watcher," played by yourself. Endowed unexpectedly with powers to peer into the very essence of individuals, living or recently dead. The player winds up in all sorts of intrigue, entangled with cults and political upheaval on the quest to figure out and unravel their condition. The writing is witty, mature, and carries that familiar Obsidian dark humor, wrapped in a deep combat system and modernized, but traditional isometric RPG visuals. 

Pillars of Eternity II notoriously didn't sell well, however, despite being a great game. The traditional CRPG format of the game was blamed for the sales by Obsidian themselves in previous comments and may be why the next game set in the Eora universe is a more modern, first-person RPG that riffs on The Elder Scrolls — Avowed. However, Baldur's Gate 3 may have offered a blueprint by which Pillars of Eternity 3 could find success. 

In an interaction on Twitter (also known as X), Josh Sawyer of Pentiment, Fallout: New Vegas, and Pillars fame replied to comments about Baldur's Gate 3. @felipepepe above mused the possibility that Baldur's Gate 3 could see games like Pillars of Eternity or Pathfinder see boosted budgets, with Baldur's Gate 3 serving as a potential gateway for a new generation of traditional computer RPG fans. Sawyer replied, "Waiting for Xbox to call and tell me they want Pillars 3 with a $120M budget.  Any day now, I’m sure."

While clearly in jest, it's tantalizing as a Pillars fan, and a CRPG fan in general, to imagine what a big-budget Pillars of Eternity game might look like. We are getting Avowed, which looks tremendous, but it won't scratch the itch for those who are seeking Baldur's Gate-like experiences, particularly following the latest game's success. 

It's ultimately on Xbox to decide, since they set the budgets for Obsidian. Although, Xbox lead Phil Spencer and other execs have professed that they like to give their studios a lot of freedom. Would they fund a Baldur's Gate 3 budget-level sequel to games like Wasteland or Pillars of Eternity? I'd surely love to see Microsoft put its money where its mouth is on that one. 

What do you think? Also, if you haven't played Pillars of Eternity, go play it right now. 

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Pillars of Eternity that came out in 2015. The game picks up right where the other left off it seems. Your fortress of Caed Nua has been destroyed by the god Eothas, and hundreds are dead. It's up to you to discover what his plans are and avenge those who have fallen.

Pillars of Eternity II has been available on PC for a while now, but it's finally on Xbox One as an ultimate edition. While the game features an amazing story, strong gameplay, deep role-playing mechanics, and plenty of choices, the console port isn't as great as it could be.

Pillars of Eternity II accessibility and controls

Pillars of Eternity II is much more accessible than its predecessor. The first game featured a lot of timed events and you were always worried about making your way back to Caed Nua to fend off an invasion. This time around, you're free to explore the countless islands on your ship and on foot. The map is absolutely massive, and it'll take you dozens of hours to complete the game.

Since Pillars of Eternity II is class-based when it comes to character customization, there's a lot of replayability because you can choose different dialogue options depending on the skills you've invested in. This may lead to radically different outcomes to certain conflicts, maybe even ones that don't involve bloodshed. You'll also be able to discover more secrets.

Pillars of Eternity II on Xbox One allows you to directly control your character and party because they move with your left thumbstick. The controls are excellent in my opinion, and the only issue I came across was occasionally selecting the incorrect tab from the radial menu. However, turning down the sensitivity seems to be a great solution to this problem. I didn't miss a keyboard at all.

Pillars of Eternity II performance and visuals

Pillars of Eternity II doesn't feature any Xbox One X enhancements. The resolution appears to be 1080p and the textures are quite blurry at times. The performance is also patchy depending on the area you're in and seems to be locked to 30 frames per second (FPS). It's odd that Obsidian Entertainment – an Xbox Game Studios team – and their partners at Grip Digital, didn't put in more effort to improve it for Microsoft's latest console. Let's hope that just like A Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep, the game receives an Xbox One X patch after launch.

Pillars of Eternity II is a complex game mechanically, but its visuals are definitely not that. It's unclear why this game couldn't hit a consistent 60 FPS on Xbox One X. In my opinion, the issue appears to be a lack of optimization rather than a technical limitation of the console. There are also lengthy loading screens whenever you enter a new area that detract from immersion. I installed Pillars of Eternity II on an external solid-state drive and the loading screens were still unbearable. You run into one even when you're exploring the same building! I can't imagine how slow it is on the base Xbox One's built-in hard drive or an external hard drive.

It's a shame that Pillars of Eternity II isn't a great port. The game itself is amazing, quite possibly one of the best I've ever played, but if you have a powerful gaming PC, just get it on that. For one, the loading times are dramatically shorter, and you can increase the resolution further. In general, it's just a much superior experience.

Pillars of Eternity II final thoughts

Overall, Pillars of Eternity II is a good game on Xbox One, but it could've looked and run better. If you haven't played the title on PC, then be sure to pick it up on console because it's worth it for the story alone in my opinion. Plus, it comes with all the expansions. Who knew taking down a god could be so much fun?

I just wish Pillars of Eternity II was optimized for the Xbox One. The foundations are strong, but it needs a little more polish in the performance and visual department. With that said, it's such an excellent game that I can't help but recommend it despite its flaws. I also can't wait to see where the story takes us next in the inevitable Pillars of Eternity III.

The game was reviewed on Xbox One X with a code provided by the publisher.

What you need to know

• Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a popular old-school role-playing game from Obsidian Entertainment.
• It just launched on Xbox One.
• A Nintendo Switch version is also planned.
• You can purchase it for $60 on Amazon.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a role-playing game played through an isometric perspective. This almost top-down view was incredibly popular in games many decades ago, but now has fallen out of favor due to traditional 3D graphics. Continuing from the end of the first Pillars of Eternity, you're tasked with pursuing a rogue god over land and sea.

One of the major changes is the ability to captain a ship on dangerous voyages across the vast unexplored region of Deadfire. The goal is to bend the world to your will, as you explore the depths of infinite possibilities, including detailed character customization and more meaningful choices at every turn.

The game is now available on Xbox One. The standard edition costs $60 and the collector's edition comes in at $130. We've included links for you to purchase both below.

In Windows Central's review, Rich Edmonds said, "Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is an amazing game. Obsidian has gifted the already cluttered role-playing genre with an excellent title that offers hundreds of hours worth of gameplay. Puzzles, ship combat, side quests, exploration, and other activities keep you occupied along the way."

What you need to know

• Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a popular old-school role-playing game from Obsidian Entertainment.
• It's coming to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on January 28, 2020.
• A Nintendo Switch version is also planned.
• You can preorder it for $60 on Amazon.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a role-playing game played through an isometric perspective. This almost top-down view was incredibly popular in games many decades ago, but now has fallen out of favor due to traditional 3D graphics. Continuing from the end of the first Pillars of Eternity, you're tasked with pursuing a rogue god over land and sea.

One of the major changes is the ability to captain a ship on dangerous voyages across the vast unexplored region of Deadfire. The goal is to bend the world to your will, as you explore the depths of infinite possibilities, including detailed character customization and more meaningful choices at every turn.

Over a year ago, rumors were floating around that Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire was coming to Xbox One sometime in 2019. Well, it turns out it's going to be launching on January 28, 2020. The standard edition will cost $60 and the collector's edition comes in at $130.

In Windows Central's review, Rich Edmonds said, "Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is an amazing game. Obsidian has gifted the already cluttered role-playing genre with an excellent title that offers hundreds of hours worth of gameplay. Puzzles, ship combat, side quests, exploration, and other activities keep you occupied along the way."

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

What you need to know

• Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is an amazing role-playing game from Obsidian Entertainment.
• The title features hundreds of hours of gameplay and tons of choices.
• A collector's edition which comes with a statue appeared online today.
• You can preorder it for $130 on Amazon.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is the sequel to the extremely popular role-playing game that gives players unprecedented choices. While the original is available on Xbox One, it looks like the latest entry should hit the system quite soon. Today, an Amazon listing for Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire Ultimate Collector's Edition appeared online. It costs $130 and comes with a number of amazing items.

The package contains the top-of-the-line edition of Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire because it adds all the expansions. There's also a 10" statue thrown in there, a keychain, 3D sticker, and display box. Be sure to get those preorders in soon because they're probably going to sell out fast.

Amazon says that the package is launching on December 31, 2019. This is clearly a placeholder and the Xbox One port may be delayed to 2020. We don't have a concrete release date yet, but as soon as we do, we'll keep you posted.

In Windows Central's review, Rich Edmonds said, "Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is an amazing game. Obsidian has gifted the already cluttered role-playing genre with an excellent title that offers hundreds of hours worth of gameplay. Puzzles, ship combat, side quests, exploration, and other activities keep you occupied along the way."

Xbox

Main

• What is Xbox Game Pass?
• Best 4K TVs for Xbox Series X and S
• Must-buy Xbox One Headsets
• Our Favorite Xbox One Wireless Headsets
• Best Upcoming Xbox Games for 2021
• Xbox One X vs. Xbox Series S

Two of the industry's most promising RPG crafters are joining Microsoft Studios.

The first is inXile Entertainment, known recently for Torment: Tides of Numenera and Wasteland 2 on Xbox. The second is Obsidian Entertainment, recently renowned for Fallout New Vegas, South Park: The Stick of Truth, and the Pillars of Eternity series. The announcements were made today at X018, adding to Microsoft's growing list of first-party studios.

inXile Entertainment is currently working on Wasteland 3, and recently launched The Bard's Tale IV dungeon crawler on PC. Wasteland is perhaps the big story for Microsoft Studios here, an IP which went on to heavily inspire the Fallout franchise, which InXile founder Brian Fargo helped shape. Obsidian just shipped Pillars of Eternity II on PC, and is currently working on bringing the acclaimed RPG to Xbox One and other platforms.

Wasteland 3 ditches the deserts of the previous games for apocalyptic, wintry climbs.

Microsoft Studios head Matt Booty noted to us in a statement that inXile will retain autonomy to create whatever it chooses, and that the studio will continue to deliver great RPG experiences in the future. The same holds true for Obsidian Entertainment, and despite the common heritage both studios share, they will remain free to choose their own creative destiny.

Microsoft also discussed the intent to acquire Obsidian Entertainment, emphasizing the desire to preserve the studio's culture and to maximize their potential.

Pillars of Eternity is a dark, tactical RPG with classic gameplay.

inXile head Brian Fargo has enjoyed an illustrious career producing quality RPGs that put choice and consequence at the forefront. Torment: Tides of Numenera and Wasteland 2 both feature turn-based, tactical combat, and so too does Wasteland 3, where your dialogue choices can heavily influence the outcome of the story. Obsidian shares a common ancestry with inXile, across studios like Black Isle and Interplay, with heavy RPG leanings. Obsidian's Fallout New Vegas is arguably the best in the series, delivering a memorable branching narrative that far outstripped Bethesda's own sequel, Fallout 4.

The acquisitions plug a bit of a gap in Microsoft's core lineup, which has lacked strong RPG chops for many years. With Microsoft's tech and financing, inXile and Obsidian should be able to find new heights with their respective games, which have recently been funded primarily via Kickstarter.

The vast unexplored archipelago region of the Deadfire is a dangerous place. I don't need to tell you that as you'll find out when you and your character sets off on an adventure, but I've rounded up some tips that are worth bearing in mind to make your life a little easier when setting sail in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire.

See at GOG

Pause often

This is something that can be a little frustrating for those who enjoy fluid combat that plays out without issue. The thing with Pillars of Eternity (and other classic RPGs with similar combat mechanics) is there is a lot going on at any given time. It's far too much for you to handle unless you're an expert with hundreds of hours under your belt. Even then, controlling up to five characters simultaneously can be a little stressful.

The easiest way to break combat down is to pause the game, issue a few commands, then unpause. Do this a few times in each battle to ensure you're getting the most out of each party member, taking down the enemy and moving them into more effective positions. You don't want your ranged mage to get blasted by a sledgehammer, do you?

Be strategic

Speaking of which, you must think ahead before making moves. Pillars of Eternity is a game you can easily wrap your head around and complete without losing a single party member. However, it's also a gamer that will gladly punish any human error or misjudgment. You don't want to go charging into an unexplored area just because you see a single enemy you know you can kill. If you have a party member out of position, it could end badly.

This becomes even more important as you enter into more complex and hectic fights.

Get mechanical

No, seriously. Get some points down in your mechanical skill branch. This is an invaluable skill that comes into play from the start, but you don't meet a party member that has it locked down until later in the game. Having a few points in mechanics at the start will set you up for disarming traps and picking locks.

I'm lovin' it

Adventuring takes its toll on party members, especially if they get knocked down or are blasted by a trap. Eating food replenishes their health and cures injuries, but some foods and liquids also come with other benefits or debuffs. What's more is you can assign different foods to party members, taking full advantage of buffs that enhance their performance in battle.

Battling at sea

The naval battle system is pretty addictive once you get the hang of it, especially as you take down other vessels and look to pool your resources for a larger ship upgrade. What you should bear in mind is when boarding an enemy vessel instead of attacking it using your cannons, it's your crew and party members themselves taking on the damage rolls. Play it safe at the start and only close in if you absolutely must or desire to get a little practice with the sword.

Pick a pet

Go on, pick up a random animal wondering around and thank me later for supplying your party member with an additional buff.

See our Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire review

See at GOG

Following the success of the first game in the Pillars of Eternity series, Obsidian aimed to raise enough funds to cover the development of a sequel. More than 33,000 backers on Fig put together almost $4.5 million, showcasing just how much demand there is for excellent role-playing games (RPGs).

Three years after Pillars of Eternity launched, I took to the seas with an able party of adventures in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire.

See at GOG

Chasing down a God

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire takes place after the main storyline of the first game, but you don't need to have enjoyed Pillars of Eternity to play the sequel. The game does a good job explaining everything that has occurred already in its intro, letting you choose to import a save file or choose an option that best reflects your playstyle (whether you're the good guy or an evil sod), which is used throughout the story.

If you've played Knights of the Old Republic or similar RPGs, you'll be familiar with this system where you choose what occurred in the past and the game works with the set history. After dealing with all the troubles in the first chapter, your hero is brought close to death after Eothas, the God of Death raises a statue up from underneath the stronghold Caed Nua. It's your task to figure out why Eothas has returned, and stop him with the assistance of other Gods.

There are also a bunch of side quests to complete, but instead of feeling like an afterthought, the writing makes everything you do align with the main quest. The dialogue and narrative really are fantastic and were one of the highlights of the first game — it's good to see Obsidian continuing to nail it with the script. You will need to do a lot of reading, but it's well worth it.

Admiring the crash of waves

Pillars of Eternity was absolutely gorgeous and the second installment looks even better. Obsidian has taken the engine and added a number of new features, including dynamic weather and other visual effects. It's an interesting blend of painted 2D backdrops with 3D objects and effects.

The day and night cycles have been given a little more weight, which includes schedules for non-player characters (NPCs). Didn't you find it strange that a character would stand (or sit) in the same position no matter what time of day it is? This is no longer the case, making quests appear a little more realistic too.

The looks have improved, but the visual design means nothing in a game such as this if the music score isn't up to par. Fortunately, much like the first installment, the tracks and sound effects in Pillars of Eternity II are incredible.

What's said by characters in conversations is voice-acted and all text is narrated during major scenes. Everything is on point, and I never felt as though a voice was incorrectly matched with a character.

Many fans of Pillars of Eternity are RPG veterans who miss the good ol' days of Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment, but it seems as though this title is more open to even those who have little experience with RPGs from the 90s. Obsidian took the Dungeons and Dragons formula, created its own set of rules and built a magical world full of mysteries.

Exploring mysterious wonders

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire shares much of its gameplay mechanics with the first game, though Obsidian has refined the experience, added a few improvements and introduced a new stronghold in the form of a ship. Starting with The Defiant, it's possible to outfit the ship with various items, upgrade it with better equipment, and even swap it out for a larger, more powerful vessel.

You'll need to pay attention to your ship and its crew since you'll spend a fair amount of time at sea and the morale of everyone aboard is incredibly important — or you'll have a mutiny to deal with. Ship-to-ship combat is handled in a turn-based fashion through text, allowing you to choose to move the ship, fire cannons, or even prepare to board the enemy vessel.

When on land, the world map is used to move across landmass, and when entering a location or point of interest you'll be taken to an environment. This is where much of the combat is handled, as well as exploration and quests.

Combat has been reworked, reducing the party size from six to five, which makes it a little easier to keep track of what's going on. There are also new classes that make more sense, resources that differ depending on which you chose, and the AI has been improved to make it less of a chore to micro-manage everything.

Resting has been altered too since food is now required for your crew and to heal party members. When a member of your squad is knocked out in combat (or hit by a trap), they'll incur an injury, which reduces their max health pool. If they have three injuries, they will die, but luckily resting completely cures everything.

Obsidian has managed to develop Pillars of Eternity into a series of titles that is much more than nostalgia shots. A large part of the appeal is creating your own character, providing a silly name, and losing yourself in the immersive world of Deadfire Archipelago.

A well-crafted adventure

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is an amazing game. Obsidian has gifted the already cluttered RPG genre with an excellent title that offers hundreds of hours worth of gameplay. Puzzles, ship combat, side quests, exploration, and other activities keep you occupied along the way.

While it does most things right, those who aren't used to combat mechanics like the ones used in this game may find it to be a little slow at times. But that's really the only drawback I could come up with after 80 hours of playtime.

Pros:

• Beautiful isometric world.
• Tough combat encounters.
• Fantastic writing.

Cons:

• Could feel a little slow at points.

Are you a fan of RPGs? If so, you must buy this game. While playing through Pillars of Eternity I isn't required, it's recommended to introduce you to the world. Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is available right now on PC. It costs about $50. Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Switch versions are expected to be released later in 2018.

See at GOG

This review was conducted using a copy supplied by the developer on a PC with an Intel Core i5-6600K, GTX 1070, and 16GB of RAM.

Obsidian brought the world an excellent, but flawed RPG in 2015 called Pillars of Eternity. What made it so special was the homage paid to classic games like Baldurs Gate. It played well, looked gorgeous, and the story was enticing. There were a number of minor issues, however. Obsidian went back to the drawing board, came up with a sequel to continue the storyline, and further developed the lore.

The result is Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, which launches on May 8.

• See at GOG
• See at Steam
• See at Microsoft Store

What is POE II: Deadfire?

As aforementioned, it's the sequel to the 2015 title that continues the story and introduces a number of improvements. Many gamers wanted to see a sequel, so much so that Obsidian managed to raise more than $4 million on Fig. One major change in the second title is the use of ships for movement and as a stronghold. Instead of being based out of a castle, you'll be able to capture, upgrade and customize ships.

Other changes include the introduction of injuries, unique items have special modifiers, dedicated resources per class, noise levels for spells and abilities, and improved AI. The story picks up where the first game left off as you, a Watcher, attempting to save the world. The God Eothas has inhabited a stone titan buried beneath the stronghold Caed Nua, destroying the castle in the process and sending you into the unknown. It's down to you to wake up and chase Eothas down.

Where can you buy it?

The game will be released on Windows, macOS, and Linux on May 8. The PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch consoles will see a release later this year. Prices vary depending on the outlet, but the recommended retail price is $49.99.

• See at GOG
• See at Steam
• See at Microsoft Store

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a role-playing game played through an isometric perspective. This almost top-down view was incredibly popular in games many decades ago, but now has fallen out of favor due to traditional 3D graphics. Continuing from the end of the first Pillars of Eternity, you're tasked with pursing a rogue god over land and sea. One of the major changes is the ability to captain a ship on dangerous voyages across the vast unexplored region of Deadfire. The goal is to bend the world to your will, as you explore the depths of infinite possibilities, including detailed character customization and more meaningful choices at every turn.

The game was announced for PC many months ago, but the developer didn't comment on a console release at the time. The first Pillars of Eternity eventually made its way to Xbox One and PlayStation 4, so chances were high that the sequel would as well. Today, Game Informer issued a report in which they claimed that the game is being ported to consoles by developer Red Cerberus.

Red Cerberus is known porting various experiences to different platforms so it seem like the right studio for the job. If this report is true, then we may see the game launch on Xbox One sooner rather than later. Console gamers had to wait for the original Pillars of Eternity for two years, so here's hoping this isn't the case for the sequel.

Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!

Starting off as a Kickstarter project (and dream), Obsidian Entertainment revived the old action RPG genre by developing and releasing Pillars of Eternity on PC. The title is essentially a spiritual successor to the likes of Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale. If you've missed the in-depth and complex RPGs of old, Pillars of Eternity will be right up your street and the game is now available on Xbox One for $49.99.

The company took advantage of the campaign to raise funds so the team wouldn't be shackled down by a publisher. Teaming up with Paradox Interactive (one of our more favourable publishing giants), Pillars of Eternity is making the jump from PC to Xbox One. After spending hours creating a character, you'll be released into the region of Eora.There's a lot of customization options and dialogue choices in Pillars that really bring characters to life. It also helps that the writing is stellar.

Pillars launching on Xbox One makes it one of the best on the platform and is worth checking out.

• Why Xbox fans need to pay attention to Pillars of Eternity

See at Xbox Store

Pillars of Eternity was crafted by Obsidian Entertainment, perhaps best known for the Fallout: New Vegas and South Park: The Stick of Truth.

You might say Obsidian Entertainment is an expert when it comes to RPGs, but the company hasn't always had the most luck with publishers. The studio took to Kickstarter to fund Pillars of Eternity and retain independent control over the project, and it has been nothing short of a huge success. Now, thanks to Paradox Interactive, Pillars of Eternity is making the leap from PC to console.

I've been plunging the depths of Pillars of Eternity's dark dungeons and treacherous plains for a few weeks. You might wonder how a classic, isometric computer RPG with complex inventory systems and stat allocations might work on Xbox One, where a mouse is absent. Well, it works pretty damn well, and even at this early stage in the game, I'm confident in saying Xbox One RPG fans cannot ignore Pillars of Eternity, which is expected to launch for about $50 on August 29, 2017, for Xbox One.

• See at Microsoft Store
• See at Amazon

What do you do in Pillars of Eternity?

Pillars of Eternity is a computer RPG, or cRPG, that shares a history with Fallout's original games and Baldur's Gate. Based on Dungeons and Dragons, Pillars of Eternity allows you to create your own character, its gameplay class, and head into the vast region of Eora.

Early in the game you discover that you're a Watcher, uniquely gifted with the ability to peer into the very essence of people's souls. You can view past lives, previous events, and gain psychic insight into an individual's intentions, but it's not all fun and games.

It appears that gradually, over time, Watchers lose the ability to distinguish between the visions of the souls of others, and reality itself. Not long after discovering their abilities, the player encounters a much older Watcher, haunted and driven mad by the shadowy figures in his mind. Resolving to find out more about their condition, the player Watcher embarks on a quest, meeting all sorts of quirky characters, vicious beasts, and huge, eldritch horrors along the way.

Endless choice and customization

Modern era RPGs, even from huge publishers tend to have forgotten the importance of choice and customization in RPGs. It's easy to understand the financial logic; why create features and narrative branches players might never see or use?

BioWare put out some interesting stats about Mass Effect previously, detailing how various pathways were never uncovered by huge amounts of players. To a publisher, that might be interpreted as wasted cash, rather than reinforcing the importance of your gameplay choices.

Either way, Pillars of Eternity frankly doesn't concern itself with how many of its options are seen, instead, it simply ensures that they're there, and there are lots. This ethos extends to almost every corner of the game, including how you approach quests, how you design your character's playstyle, their looks, and general behavior. You can be a total dick in most quests, or righteous and charitable in others. It's up to you.

You're able to express your reasons for undertaking the game's main quest, tailoring your character's personality. And of course, it's up to you how you develop your character's skills. But beware the consequences.

Pillars of Eternity follows that classic RPG tradition Obsidian is essentially born from. The studio rose from the ashes of Black Isle Studios and Interplay, with staff involved in games like Baldur's Gate and the original Fallout games. That tried and tested Dungeons and Dragons-inspired gameplay is steadily making a comeback on PC, and now it has begun spilling over onto console, with games like Wasteland 2, Divinity Original Sin, and more recently, Torment: Tides of Numenera.

One thing these titles have in common is that your actions should bare consequences. In Pillars of Eternity, I came upon a young boy who offered to tell me the location of some treasure in exchange for some help. Rather than be pushed around by some punk kid, my frost-wielding wizard leveraged his Might stat to threaten the boy and then throw him onto the cold cobbled streets. Sure enough, the kid divulged the information, but several of my party members expressed their anger for how my wizard had treated the poor boy, who was now wailing loudly.

Your companions are by no means essential for completing the story; treat them badly, and they can permanently leave the party, even permanently die, should you ignore their injuries and ailments for long enough. The action and reaction gameplay makes Pillars of Eternity immersive far, far beyond its isometric visuals are capable of, bringing that true Dungeons and Dragons feel to your TV.

Bringing cRPGs to console

I've been playing Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition for a few weeks now, and while I'm certainly not passing any sort of final judgement (there are still a couple of weeks to go before launch, and patches might be on the way), the game already handles really well on Xbox One, despite the complexity of its gameplay and systems.

Obsidian uses radial menus in place of hot bars you might find on PC, allowing you to customize the spells in your Grimoire, select different abilities for use in combat, and access things like conversations and the inventory with relative ease. Obsidian has done a decent job moving the game over to an Xbox controller.

Pillars of Eternity isn't turn-based like Wasteland 2 or Divinity Original Sin. Instead, combat takes place in real time, with casting and attack speeds being affected by your stats. You can, however, pause combat at any time and issue commands to your squad, and watch them play out in real time afterwards. This gives Pillars of Eternity a tactical edge, where the power of your characters can be supplemented by good positioning, use of the environment, and properly setting up pre-emptive attacks.

Honestly, I'm still getting to grips with the game's dizzying array of stats, spells, and status effects. This is not a game for casual players. You will be doing lots of reading, research, and trial and error, as you learn your way through the game's complex systems.

What little I have learned, however, is already making Pillars of Eternity incredibly rewarding. Scout ahead with a stealth class, position your casters in the back, put your armored fighter in the front, and watch as enemies falter under your might (with the occasional explosive gore effect for good measure).

Pillars of Eternity's visual effects might not be up there with the biggest AAA publishers, but they do the job, and they do the job well. Whether you're summoning skeletons, smashing enemies with a big axe, or sneaking around for a cheeky arrow in the back, there are nearly endless ways to approach combat. Particularly if you're creative.

Pillars of promise

Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition should launch on August 29, 2017 for Xbox One for $49.99, and even though I have only just reached the first major city, I'm completely hooked. The characters are extremely well written, the story is mysterious and intriguing, the gameplay systems have unyielding depths, and Pillars of Eternity is as challenging as it is rewarding ... so far.

I'll put together a full review nearer the game's launch to talk about visuals, engine performance, and other things of that nature, but until then, keep Pillars of Eternity on your radar, especially if you're an RPG fan.

• See at Microsoft Store
• See at Amazon

RPG fans are in for a treat later this year, as Pillars of Eternity will make its way to Xbox One and PS4. The previously PC-only game will hit consoles on August 29 as Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition (via Kotaku).

Pillars of Eternity started life as a Kickstarter project from Obsidian Entertainment, and carries a classic look and isometric view reminiscent of games like Baldur's Gate. The console version has been appropriately revamped with TV-friendly menus and a control scheme suitable for console controllers.

As the Complete Edition designation suggests, the console release will also include all of the DLC content that has been released for the PC version already.

If you're a fan of other epic RPG adventures that recently hit consoles, like Divinity: Original Sin, then Pillars of Eternity might be worth looking into. The game won't hit streets until August 29, but you can preorder on the Xbox Store now.

See at the Xbox Store