If you're like me, you probably feel a compulsion to see and do everything on offer in whatever RPG you're playing. For one avowed developer, however, the key to a successful RPG is not the content you make, but the content you miss.
In an interview with Obsidian Entertainment Regional Director and Senior Area Designer Berto Ritger, he is open about how important the concept of missable content is for an RPG like Avowed. “I think the core of RPGs that makes them special is the missable content, to be honest, and it makes the experience feel a lot more personal based on how you play,” he explains. It's something that has been key to the success and replayability of fellow RPG Baldur's Gate 3 in the year since its release.
For Ritger, the fact that different people can play completely different games creates a more personal experience and encourages discussion. “If you talk to someone like, 'Oh, I found this under the docks. There's a little secret down there, on the east side of the docks, that you can find. And you can also go up to the top, and there are things that up there.' But if you find that and your friend doesn't, they'll find something else and that creates a very interesting dialogue about the game.”
With this concept in mind, Avowed has been designed in a way that each player is attracted to different content. “We want to draw your attention to the things we want you to engage with.” Ritger begins. “The lighthouse is very tall, so everyone will see a big, tall thing and want to climb it. And that's why we want to support that too. And you can do it, and you can jump into the ocean, if you like. And that's why we try to call your attention that way.”
While Avowed has drawn plenty of comparisons to Baldur's Gate 3 so far, the team at Obsidian Entertainment hasn't shied away from changing things up, perhaps most notably with the omission of romance, a defining aspect of Larian Studios' RPG feel.
While you wait for the release of Avowed, check out our list of the best role-playing games to pass the time.