Obsidian Entertainment’s highly anticipated first-person RPG Avowed is finally out on Xbox Series X/S and PC. Originally announced in 2020, the latest game from the critically acclaimed studio is set in Eora, the same world from Pillars of Eternity. Players take on the role of the Aedyr Empire’s envoy, and are tasked with investigating a plague haunting the Living Lands known as the Dream Scourge. The developer confirmed its game is a more condensed open-world RPG, and can be completed fairly quickly in comparison to similar games like The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim or Fallout 4. This means that true gamers are probably already done with Avowed.
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Since Avowed doesn’t have a New Game Plus mode just yet, you might now be looking for another quality game from Obsidian Entertainment. Well, you’re in luck. The California-based studio has tons of fantastic games to choose from spanning multiple genres. From first-person RPGs to Baldur’s Gate-inspired adventures, there is something for everyone. Here are six of the best games the lauded developer has to offer.
Pillars of Eternity
Was the world and politics of Avowed what intrigued you the most? Well, then you’ll probably want to play Pillars of Eternity. As mentioned above, Obsidian Entertainment’s latest game is set in the world of the 2015 RPG, but way more drawn out than your envoy’s tale. In this game, you quickly find out your created character is a Watcher, a person capable of interacting with the dead. It’s a spiritual successor to classic Baldur’s Gate games, so if you’re into party-based real-time tactical combat, this would be a solid one to check out.
In terms of quality, Pillars of Eternity and Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire are widely considered some of the best modern CRPGs with the first being a great entry into a pretty intimidating genre. Expect a very long, but worthwhile trip to Eora if you decide to begin your journey as a Watcher.
Pillars of Eternity is available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. If you have the option, I highly recommend playing this game on PC as the controls feel more intuitive there. The console ports are good though, and worth checking out if that is youre only option. For Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers, both Pillars of Eternity and Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire are available on the subscription service for PC and console.
Grounded
If you have friends to game with, Grounded might be a very solid pick for you. Clearly inspired by Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, this survival game has up to four players take the role of shrunken children as they explore a backyard filled with dangerous bugs to figure out a way to morph back to normal. It’s quite a challenge, and one that would be very fun with friends. The game was nominated for Innovation in Accessibility award at The Game Awards 2020 and Action Game of the Year at the 26th annual D.I.C.E. Awards. It won Xbox Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards.
Grounded is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5. Like a lot of Obsidian Entertainment games on here, it is available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
South Park: The Stick of Truth
South Park: The Stick of Truth is arguably the best South Park game ever made. It essentially feels like you’re playing a set of episodes from the show thanks to its faithful visual style. It also features a full explorable map of South Park, letting you walk around and visit some of the small town’s iconic locations. It’s also hilariously written, featuring the humor anyone would expect from the show.
There is a bit of a dichotomous relationship between its gameplay and written content. Obviously, South Park: The Stick of Truth is filled with adult humor, with tons of vulgar jokes you would hear on the TV series. However, its gameplay is an approachable take to turn-based combat. In fact, I would call it a “baby’s first RPG” if its humor was more kid-friendly. But this is South Park, so it’s far from that, which is what makes it great as it feels authentic to the show.
South Park: The Stick of Truth is available for PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Fallout: New Vegas
Many developers are tasked with making games set within pre-established worlds. However, not many of them are widely considered the best in the series. That is where Fallout: New Vegas stands out. After Fallout 3, Bethesda reached out to Obsidian Entertainment to create what many consider their favorite entry in the long-running franchise.
Fallout: New Vegas takes the series back out west to the Mojave Desert. You take on the role of a courier who finds themself in a pretty peculiar situation. At the beginning of the game, the courier is shot in the head as they are trying to deliver a package somewhere on the New Vegas strip. This inevitably leads them into a conflict between the region’s factions who are fighting for control of the land.
Much of the love for Fallout: New Vegas is due to its writing. Arguably, it’s the best story the Fallout franchise has to offer and one with multiple endings to enjoy. If you’re familiar with the Bethesda-developed games, you’ll be right at home with Obsidian Entertainment’s take. If this would be your first Fallout, then this is a great way to begin your journey into its post-apocalyptic world.
Fallout: New Vegas is available for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC. For Xbox players, it is backward compatible and can be played on the Xbox Series X/S.
The Outer Worlds
After Fallout: New Vegas and South Park: The Stick of Truth, Obsidian Entertainment strayed away from first-person perspective projects in favor of CRPG experiences, which may have been interesting at the time considering both game’s success. However, this seemed to work in the developer’s favor as they ended up creating something they could truly call their own with the Pillars of Eternity franchise. After its success with the CRPG genre, the studio returned from its nearly 10-year hiatus from first-person RPGs with The Outer Worlds.
In some ways, The Outer Worlds feels like a spiritual successor to Fallout: New Vegas. It’s a first-person sci-fi action RPG that puts an emphasis on player choice, and the influence your decisions have on the people around you. Although it’s a more compact experience compared to many of the games it has made preceding it, The Outer Worlds has become a fan-favorite Obsidian Entertainment game, even garnering a Game of the Year nomination at The Game Awards 2019. If you like Fallout-style games but want something less post-apocalyptic, you cannot go wrong with The Outer Worlds. There is also a sequel set to release later in 2025, so it would prepare you for that as well.
The Outer Worlds is available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. You may have noticed a pattern, but in case you didn’t, Xbox Game Pass subscribers can enjoy the game through their subscription.
Pentiment
Out of all the games on this list, Pentiment is a large deviation from Obsidian Entertainment’s typical work. Released in 2022, this adventure role-playing game follows Andreas Maler, an artist who finds himself in the middle of a murder mystery in the small Bavarian town of Tassing that spans 25 years. Set in the 16th century, gameplay consists of simply talking to townsfolk, and finding proof of who committed the heinous act.
Like many Obsidian Entertainment games, Pentiment gives you the freedom to investigate the murder in your own way. There is a time mechanic that adds a bit more pressure to how you decide to tackle your investigation as you won’t be able to talk to everyone to extract every single detail from the townspeople. It sounds stressful as it feels like you’re always on a ticking clock, but the game never punishes you for the decisions you make. In fact, how the game is structured invites multiple playthroughs.
Pentiment is also wonderfully written. Specficially, the dialogue between Andreas and the townsfolk is done incredibly well. As the story spans 25 years, you really get to know the people of Tassing. There is a bond formed with each character, making the inevitable decision to accuse certain characters very difficult. On a personal level, Pentiment is my favorite from this list and has become one of my favorite video games to release in the past five years. If you have the means, this is an absolute must-play.
Pentiment is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC. For Xbox Game Pass subscribers, players can play it on PC or Xbox consoles through the subscription.
What are your favorite Obsidian Entertainment games? Did it make it on this list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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