Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 80 | 177 |
| Creator reviews (3 tracked) | – | 79 | 5 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 77% | 72 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 70 | 663 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 76% | 71 | 1186 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Mar 25, 2026) · 300 reviews sampled · 1186 total reviews in window · weighted 211.2 up / 54.8 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (230)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 90
“Avowed is so much more than Obsidian’s take on Skyrim. This game sets the standard for what future Western RPGs should strive for. Nearly every option in combat is worth exploring, the companions are fully fleshed out with backstories that beg to be uncovered, and the anti-imperialist message at the center of the larger narrative is full of thoughtful nuance and intrigue. Obsidian has created a wonderful adventure that I can’t wait to start playing again.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Avowed ought to have been a more linear action game. Combat is good enough that a streamlined and direct experience could serve it well, but as an RPG there’s simply not enough of anything. It feels like vast chunks are missing, with an initial promise of adventure that rapidly shaves off expectations until you’re left with a toothless story and a frustrating dearth of material...It’s fun to create a snowstorm and jab lizard men with spears, but the shallow trudgery between fights is consistently disappointing. I don’t think it’s unfair to have expected far more from Obsidian. Thanks to Avowed, I know I can expect far less. ”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Avowed is a pretty good RPG that is limited in places by its technical state. Nevertheless, it was a very enjoyable adventure from a standpoint of gameplay and storyline alone. Obsidian definitely knows how to make games that players want to play, but they still need to work on the technical elements, because in this case it could have been polished more.”
read full review ↗ - 80
- 90
“AVOWED is not just an ordinary experience, but rather a journey that combined the splendor of the story, the depth of its choices and paths, and the richness of the gameplay, all the way to the wonderful exploration that has no equal, with a rare technical experience in modern Role-Playing Games (RPG). With a breathtaking artistic direction, mixed into one mold, the wonderful studio Obsidian Entertainment presents AVOWED with all love and pleasure, to be a love letter to the RPG audience before the release of its upcoming game, The Outer Worlds 2, promising and reassuring regarding the level and future of the team and its games.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“It’s such a shame then that Avowed misfires on so many different levels. I wanted to love this game but every time I tried, Avowed showed off another aspect of its shallow game design that held it back from being a better game. The loot and progression systems are poor, while the game is so heavily focused on its magic-based combat, that everything else around it fails to impress. Much like its emotionless NPCs that stand around and do nothing, this is flat and devoid of life across the board. At its best, Avowed is aggressively average. At its worst, this is a shockingly shallow RPG with very little to offer players. Wait for a deep sale before you invest in this one.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Despite expectations, Avowed is not able to compete with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Baldur's Gate 3. It is a very average work in terms of the quality of execution.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Avowed offers excellent gameplay, an engaging story with well-designed sidequests, memorable companions, and an original fantasy world. It improves on Outer Worlds' flaws, delivers spectacular combat (especially magic), a semi-open beautiful world with parkour, and flexible character progression. While the music is less distinctive and some animations and side character designs can be repetitive, these are minor issues that don't detract from an otherwise outstanding experience.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Avowed is full of good ideas, but half of them feels half-baked. Still, it offers the best first-person combat experience among fantasy RPG's in years.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Avowed is Obsidian's highly anticipated RPG, a fun and immersive title that offers freedom in combat and exploration without neglecting the narrative aspect. Thanks to its captivating story, which unfolds through well-written dialogue and a narrative that always keeps you engaged, it stands out as a great example of the genre. It's a highly recommended experience and proof that Obsidian is still living up to its legacy.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It’s easy to imagine another game in this same vein that sharpens things up slightly, maybe with a more urgent main story or a more engrossing setting. But as is, these minor shortcomings can’t dull the fundamental RPG hooks that make Avowed sing as well as it does.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“With my journey complete, I can admit that I expected a little more from Avowed. While it offers truly fun combat, a deep story, and great maps to explore, some issues may put players off, such as its complex dialogues and simplified RPG mechanics. Furthermore, the upgrade system can become a real problem if not used correctly. Avowed certainly entertained me, but I expected bigger surprises.”
read full review ↗
Gamepressure
The Jimquisition
ZdobywcyGier.eu
Stryftek
Eternal Games
TheReviewGeek
GameMAG
INDIANTVCZ
3DNews
La Orden del Pixel
Slant Magazine
GameFM…and 218 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Patch 2.1 is Live!Mar 25, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Avowed Anniversary UpdateFeb 17, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 2.0 is LiveFeb 17, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Steam Deck Verified - Patch 1.5 NotesJul 15, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.3.1 is LiveMar 27, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- 1.3 Patch NotesMar 13, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- 1.2.4 Patch NotesFeb 27, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- 1.2.3 Patch NotesFeb 21, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.2.2 NotesFeb 18, 2025significant · resets scoring window