The Outer Worlds 2 Vs. Avowed: Which Game Is Best?

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In 2025, Obsidian Entertainment had a huge year, launching two major game titles. Though one is a science fiction RPG and the other is a medieval fantasy RPG, they share many common elements. Both games are played from both first- and third-person perspectives and feature extensive choices that impact the story and the destinies of the characters you encounter.

Both Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 offer a style of RPG that’s been missing from the gaming landscape for a while. They both feature engaging combat, impressive graphics, and a return to a more streamlined RPG experience – a welcome change from the sprawling, open-world games we’ve seen lately. We’re going to compare these two excellent titles to determine which one is better.

8. Story

The Outer Worlds 2

Although Avowed has a passable story, it felt too cautious and predictable to me. The world and characters didn’t really grab my attention, which was a problem considering how important that connection is. The idea of hearing voices in your head has been explored in other games more effectively, and everything felt very formulaic. The Outer Worlds 2 doesn’t reinvent RPG storytelling, but it was a much more engaging experience overall.

While the story of getting revenge is solid, the game truly shines through its missions. You’ll be caught up in a mystery, trying to uncover who betrayed you and the reason behind a seemingly hopeless mission at the game’s start. The narrative is compelling, filled with surprising twists, rich backstory, and, most importantly, memorable characters who drive the story. Your decisions have real consequences, significantly affecting the lives of others and even potentially leading to betrayal from your allies if you’re not cautious.

Ultimately, I found The Outer Worlds 2 more captivating and enjoyable, making it the better game overall.

7. Companions

The Outer Worlds 2

Companions are central to the Obsidian experience, and the developers openly acknowledge this. While discussing specifics would spoil things, let’s look at them generally. Unfortunately, the companions in Avowed feel remarkably unoriginal for an RPG. It’s a blunt assessment, but accurate. Marius feels like a cheaper version of Varric from Dragon Age, and Kai is a significantly weaker take on Garrus from Mass Effect. The issue continues with each new character – they all feel like cookie-cutter RPG archetypes. They aren’t bad, but they’re completely forgettable.

Unlike The Outer Worlds 2, which features a diverse group of companions – including modified soldiers, robots, and assassins, all with different backgrounds – Avowed’s companions don’t really showcase conflicting ideals. It’s difficult to create meaningful disagreements or even upset them, despite the game claiming otherwise.

The Outer Worlds 2 immediately lets you make choices that really impact the characters around you – say the wrong thing, and someone might leave your crew for good! This level of reactivity and compelling storytelling extends to all your companions, each with unique personalities and goals, offering a deeper role-playing experience than games like Avowed.

6. Visuals

Avowed

Although The Outer Worlds 2 was released more recently, Avowed is the more visually stunning game. The lighting in Avowed is particularly impressive. While The Outer Worlds 2 looks good, Avowed is much more creative and detailed in its environments, and at times rivals the best-looking games on the market. The animations aren’t quite as polished, but the spell effects, explosions, and other special effects are truly spectacular.

While The Outer Worlds 2 aims for a slightly more realistic feel, its graphics aren’t as over-the-top as some games. It seems more resources were allocated to Avowed, likely because it generated more excitement. The settlements in The Outer Worlds 2 look good, but the real visual highlight is ‘The Garden’ – a stunningly surreal area with incredible environments. It’s a shame the game doesn’t let you explore it for very long.

5. Combat

Avowed

The Outer Worlds 2’s combat is functional, but doesn’t offer anything innovative. It features familiar elements like slow-motion shooting and somewhat clumsy close-quarters fighting, and while the weapons are decent, the overall experience feels dated – like something you might have played in a game from 2014. In contrast, Avowed’s combat is much more engaging. It offers a wide range of character builds and weapon choices, including daggers, swords, wands, and guns, each with its own distinct playstyle. Magic is particularly impressive, both in terms of power and visual effects. It’s fast-paced and the spells become even more powerful and spectacular as you progress.

Avowed’s combat is especially impressive. Powerful attacks send enemies flying, and there are lots of different abilities to suit any playstyle. What’s really great is the freedom to combine styles – warriors can use magic, and archers can wield heavy swords. This makes every fight enjoyable and keeps you coming back for more.

4. Enemy Variety

The Outer Worlds 2

While Avowed’s battles are really well done, the enemies you fight are surprisingly uninspired – some of the worst I’ve seen in a role-playing game. It’s not an exaggeration to say that you encounter the same basic lizard men at both the very beginning and the very end of the game. Even if they were interesting to fight or looked unique, it might be excusable, but they’re just standard, uninspired creatures. The variety doesn’t improve much beyond that, mostly featuring skeletons, zombies, and plant-based enemies. It’s a shame, because the combat itself is enjoyable, but the enemy design feels creatively empty.

Unlike some games, The Outer Worlds 2 avoids repetitive enemy encounters. While many opponents are human, there’s a good variety, and who you choose to ally with impacts which enemies you’ll face – each with their own gear and strategies. The game also features diverse alien species that feel truly alien, enhancing the sense of being in a strange and distant world. The boss battles are particularly engaging, demanding smart use of healing items and your companions’ skills to overcome them.

3. Exploration

The Outer Worlds 2

Avowed encourages exploration with hidden areas and treasure, but the rewards are often disappointing. Most of the time, you’ll only find basic crafting materials, which makes the effort feel pointless. Fortunately, The Outer Worlds 2 addresses this by providing worthwhile rewards for discovering secrets.

Getting a jetpack early in the game makes exploration much more fun. Venturing off the main path lets you discover new enemies, but more importantly, you’ll find awesome armor, weapons, and helpful tools that will give you a real advantage.

The game’s areas feel more expansive than those in Avowed, not necessarily in size, but in the number of interesting places to discover. Venturing off the beaten path is more unsettling, as you’re genuinely unsure of what dangers might be hidden outside the main storyline. Thankfully, exploring these unknown areas is usually worthwhile, and that’s what makes exploration so compelling in any game.

2. RPG Elements

The Outer Worlds 2

While both Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 are marketed as role-playing games, The Outer Worlds 2 delivers on that promise more effectively. Avowed fell short, offering limited and often awkward dialogue options, especially given its connection to the established Pillars universe. The game also lacked meaningful skill checks, meaning your character’s build had little impact on gameplay or story outcomes. Surprisingly, a major player choice was completely overlooked by the writers, making Avowed’s RPG elements feel surprisingly basic and geared towards a more casual gaming experience.

Unlike some games, The Outer Worlds 2 really makes you specialize. You can’t be good at everything, so you’ll need to focus on skills like talking, hacking, or lockpicking to succeed. This focus helps you feel more immersed in your character’s story. For example, if your character has a rebellious past, you’ll have unique conversation choices, and similar options unlock based on the skills you develop.

The Outer Worlds 2 truly feels like a classic role-playing game, something we haven’t seen much of lately. Your choices in character development genuinely impact everything you do – from fighting to conversations. This makes playing the game incredibly satisfying.

1. The Winner

The Outer Worlds 2

Okay, so I’ve been playing both The Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed, and honestly, The Outer Worlds 2 just crushes it. It really feels like they delivered on everything Avowed said it would. I mean, even though it didn’t have the same level of hype, the writing is so much better, and I’m just having way more fun playing it. Avowed’s combat is pretty solid, I’ll give it that, but everything else? The Outer Worlds 2 is just on another level.

If you want a large, immersive role-playing game to play while waiting for Obsidian’s next major titles, The Outer Worlds 2 is the clear choice. It’s a great game, and hopefully, it will lead to even better things down the line.

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2025-11-08 16:41