Avowed Review (PS5) – Obsidian’s RPG Finally Hits PlayStation

Avowed has had an unusual journey. When it launched on Xbox and PC in February 2025, it received solid but unspectacular reviews, sitting at roughly 75-78 on Metacritic. Critics praised the combat, the world-building, and the companion writing, but noted a lack of ambition compared to Obsidian’s best work. Then something strange happened: the game quietly found its audience. Word of mouth spread, the price dropped from $69.99 to $49.99, and a year’s worth of updates polished the experience considerably. Now, with the PS5 version launching on February 17, 2026, alongside the Anniversary Update, Avowed arrives on PlayStation as what Push Square calls “the most complete version” of an overlooked RPG. Here’s our verdict on whether it’s worth your time and money.

What the Anniversary Update Adds

The PS5 launch coincides with a free Anniversary Update that applies to all platforms, but PlayStation players get the benefit of experiencing it all from the start. The headline additions are three new playable races (expanding character creation significantly), New Game+ with rebalanced encounters, and a full Photo Mode. These aren’t throwaway additions. The new races include unique dialogue options and NPC reactions throughout the game, which means replayability actually means something here. New Game+ scales enemy difficulty and introduces remixed encounters that change the feel of fights you’ve already mastered.

The PS5 version also features full DualSense integration. Adaptive triggers provide resistance when drawing bows and resistance when blocking heavy attacks. Haptic feedback differentiates between spell types, terrain surfaces, and weapon impacts. It’s well-implemented without being gimmicky. If you’ve played Returnal or Astro Bot on PS5 and appreciated their DualSense use, Avowed sits in that tier of thoughtful implementation.

Combat That Rewards Versatility

Avowed’s combat is its strongest pillar. It’s a first-person action RPG that lets you dual-wield any combination of melee weapons, ranged weapons, and spell grimoires. Want a sword in one hand and a fireball grimoire in the other? Done. Two pistols? Sure. Shield and wand? Go for it. The system encourages constant experimentation, and the fact that you can swap loadouts mid-combat means fights have a fluidity that most first-person RPGs lack.

Enemy variety is respectable across the 20-25 hour main story. You’ll fight everything from corrupted wildlife and undead soldiers to massive elemental constructs and rival faction warriors. Boss encounters, while not Souls-caliber spectacles, are well-designed and require you to read attack patterns and exploit elemental weaknesses. Completionists can expect 40-70 hours to clear all side content, companion quests, and exploration objectives. If you enjoy first-person RPG combat, this stands alongside the best the genre currently offers.

The Living Lands Are Worth Exploring

Avowed is set in the Living Lands, a frontier region of the Pillars of Eternity universe. If you’ve played Pillars of Eternity 1 or 2, you’ll recognize factions, lore references, and the soul-based metaphysics that define the setting. If you haven’t, the game does an excellent job of onboarding new players without requiring homework.

The world is structured as a series of interconnected open zones rather than a single open world. Each zone has a distinct biome, faction presence, and set of side quests that tie into the main narrative. This structure works well: zones are dense enough to explore without feeling padded, and fast travel between them keeps pacing tight. The writing quality, particularly in companion quests and faction storylines, is where Obsidian’s pedigree shows most clearly. Companions have strong personalities, meaningful arcs, and react dynamically to your choices in ways that feel consequential rather than cosmetic.

For more context on what to expect from the story and world, check our Avowed PS5 release coverage which breaks down the launch details and upgrade path.

PS5 Performance: The Best Console Experience

The PS5 version offers two graphics modes. Quality Mode targets 4K at 30fps with higher shadow resolution, draw distance, and foliage density. Performance Mode runs at 1080p with a mid-60s framerate that benefits significantly from VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) displays. If you have a VRR-capable TV or monitor, Performance Mode is the clear recommendation: it holds closer to 60fps than the Xbox version does in equivalent settings, giving PS5 a slight but noticeable advantage.

Technical issues are minimal. There are minor dialogue stutters during some cutscenes, where audio and lip-sync briefly desynchronize, but these are infrequent and don’t affect gameplay. Loading times are fast, crashes are rare, and the overall experience is, as Push Square noted, “impressively polished.” Compared to the rougher Xbox/PC launch a year ago, the PS5 version feels like a different product in terms of stability.

The Elephant in the Room: Modest Sales

It’s impossible to discuss Avowed without acknowledging its commercial performance. Despite positive reviews and strong word of mouth, Avowed has been described as “overlooked” by multiple outlets. The price drop from $69.99 to $49.99 within months of launch tells its own story. Whether that’s a reflection of the game’s quality, Xbox’s marketing struggles, or simply bad timing in a crowded release window is debatable.

What matters for you as a buyer is that $49.99 for the PS5 version represents excellent value. You’re getting a polished 20-25 hour RPG (40-70 hours for completionists) with a year’s worth of updates, DualSense features, and Anniversary content baked in from day one. The “overlooked” status works in your favor: this is a better game at a lower price than the people who bought it at launch experienced.

Who Should Play Avowed on PS5?

If you enjoy first-person RPGs and have a PS5, Avowed is an easy recommendation at $49.99. It’s not the next Skyrim, and it won’t redefine the genre, but it delivers satisfying combat, strong writing, and a world worth exploring. The Anniversary Update and DualSense support make the PS5 version the best way to play. Fans of games featured on the upcoming Switch 2 lineup who enjoy RPGs will find a lot to love here.

If you already played Avowed on Xbox or PC and didn’t connect with it, the PS5 version won’t change your mind. The core game is the same. The improvements are meaningful but they enhance an existing experience rather than transform it.