Despite its first-person combat, Avowed doesn't want you to get stabbed in the back: 'You have to make sure you're giving players full awareness of the area around them'

Avowed's combat design emphasizes player awareness by using companion warnings, directional indicators, and controlled enemy AI, preventing overwhelming swarms and encouraging strategic engagement.

Combat in Avowed may not be too difficult, thanks to the enemy AI being prevented from swarming you.

You know that scene in The Matrix Reloaded where all the Agent Smith clones rush in and pile onto Neo? Well, don't expect the same thing to happen in Avowed. In an interview with Obsidian game director Carrie Patel, she tells Edge magazine about the way combat has been designed to make best use of the first-person camera without overwhelming you.

"You have to make sure you're giving players full awareness of the area around them," she says. There are some clever solutions to help you know exactly what's going on at all times despite the first-person perspective. Your companions will aid you in battle by shouting out warnings, and you'll see directional indicators to show where enemies are coming from – think of the ones in Call of Duty when someone starts shooting you or a grenade lands nearby. 

"It helps the player feel the pressure without feeling like they're being hit from all directions by things they can't see," Patel explains. Additionally, the enemy AI is programmed not to swarm you and attack from all sides at once. This shouldn't mean you'll never get flanked or snuck up on, as the systems mentioned above will ensure you always know what's going on around you. Just don't expect a room full of enemies to surround you and charge in while you swing your sword wildly.

If you've ever wondered why it seems like enemies come at you one at a time and each line up for their honourable duel instead of just rushing you, now you know.

We were originally going to get our hands on Avowed in November, but a delay pushed it back to February 18, 2025 due to the large number of new games in 2024 that may demand your attention instead.

In the meantime, here are the 25 best RPGs you can (and should) play right now.