Obsidian fans should get excited about the state of the studio. It's determined to push out a lot of new projects, and experimental ones like that. The Outer Worlds ' incredible claim that no NPC has to live for players to beat the game proves that Obsidian wants to try bold new things. Obsidian's future isn't just packed with new games; it's packed with new ideas that'll help Obsidian grow as a stu

Avowed is set in the same world as Obsidian's isometric RPG series Pillars of Eternity . That world is named Eora, and in Pillars of Eternity Eora resembles the early modern era in many ways. Although there are Dwarves, Elves, the diminutive Orlans, and the giant coastal Aumaua, much of the technology, architecture, and fashion seems like its taken from the 16th through to the 18th centur

The Endless Paths of Od Nua is an Adra pillar, an underground tower built into the vein of a magical mineral by an ancient civilization known as the Engwithans. Adra pillars are known to extend under the surface of the setting's entire world. Although Avowed cheats will take place in the Living Lands , far away from the Endless Paths of Od Nua, it seems likely that players will get to explore expansive Engwithan ruins in the g

One of the biggest missed opportunities in Skyrim is the lack of developed dragon lairs. While some dragons can be found sitting on top of Word Walls , there is never a sense that dragons have much of a relationship to their environment. There are no opportunities to discover dragons that have hoarded huge piles of treasure, have grown to great sizes, or have come to reflect their environment in any physical way. Mostly, Skyrim 's dragons serve as random encounters to allow players to unlock more shouts, while reminding the player that they are in fact the Dragonb

A lot of talk around Grounded involves what it means for future games. It seems to be a good testing ground for things like enemy AI, as Obsidian creates intelligent enemies in the game's wide range of bugs and other animals. Obsidian isn't generally known for survival games like Grounded, either, so the positive feedback it's received on the game bodes well for further Obsidian experiments. Grounded is teaching Obsidian a lot that it can potentially use. While current Grounded updates are focused on polishing the game, odds seem good that even when the game officially launches, Obsidian will have more large-scale updates and additions to offer its player b

Obsidian could just as easily come up with something even more surprising. A recent job listing from Obsidian revealed that it's starting work on an unannounced project supposedly set in an open world, which could mean The Outer Worlds 2 , or it could mean something completely different. In fact, since Obsidian has been establishing quite a few new IPs in the form of Grounded and The Outer Worlds lately, it seems pretty likely that the studio has another big idea that it wants to expl

Avowed is set in the same world as Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity CRPGs . In Pillars of Eternity , some dungeons are not designed to be completed in a single run through. In the first game, for example, players come across the 15 story "mega-dungeon" the Endless Paths of Od Nua, which gets progressively more difficult the further the player descends, requiring them to return throughout the story. Avowed could find success combining elements of Skyrim 's and Pillars of Eternity 's dungeon des

While returning to the same mega-dungeon could risk feeling repetitive, it also creates a far greater sense of accomplishment. The Endless Paths of Od Nua feels like a nearly insurmountable challenge to conquer, a dungeon that is genuinely intimidating and keeps the player in suspense, wondering what mysteries the next level might ent

Though it sometimes leads to silly outcomes, Bethesda's physics engine allows for the kind of small details that make its open worlds feel extra immersive. BioWare RPGs draw players in with a strong central narrative, but not games like The Elder Scrolls . Many open-world RPGs rely on the player immersing themselves in the world by making their own character, creating their own backstory, and setting their own goals. This reliance on the player to immerse themselves in the game makes these kinds of details hugely impactful, and for all its merits, The Outer Worlds proved comparatively poorer without t

Woedica appears in both Pillars of Eternity games, but there are reasons to think that the focus on her in the trailer may also indicate the time period in which Avowed is set. Woedica was once the queen of the gods of Eora , but she was eventually overthrown by the other deities in the pantheon. As such she is also known as the Exiled Queen or the Burned Queen, having been burned by Magran, the goddess of fire and

Skyrim 's dungeons are not poorly designed by any means, but it isn't long into the game before they begin to get somewhat predictable. A large Nord tomb will almost always begin with winding underground crypts leading to a larger cave system, which in turn leads to a "puzzle" door which can only be opened with a Dragon Claw . Beyond the door is a final fight, a world wall, and a conveniently placed secret door which leads right back to the entra