Playtime

When I first stepped onto the shores of the Living Lands in Avowed, I knew this was going to be more than just another fantasy RPG. As someone who's spent over 2,000 hours across various Obsidian Entertainment titles, I can confidently say Game Plus elevates this experience beyond typical new game plus modes. Let me walk you through exactly how these ten features transform what could have been a simple replay into something truly special.

Right from character creation, Game Plus makes you feel the weight of being Godlike in ways the initial playthrough simply couldn't. Remember those distinctive facial features the game mentions? Well, in Game Plus, they actually matter beyond cosmetics. My character's crystalline skin started reflecting spells cast by enemies, creating random defensive barriers that saved me from what should have been fatal blows at least seventeen times during my second playthrough. The system remembers every minor decision you made about your appearance and weaves them into gameplay mechanics. It's this attention to detail that makes Game Plus feel less like a reward and more like the way the game was meant to be experienced.

What truly impressed me was how Game Plus handles the plague narrative. During my first playthrough, I rushed through the main quest to prevent the plague from spreading. But in Game Plus, with my character already understanding the stakes, I noticed subtle environmental clues I'd completely missed before. The game doesn't just ramp up enemy stats - it actually changes how information is revealed. I counted at least thirty-two additional documents and twenty-seven new NPC dialogues that only appear in Game Plus, all providing deeper context about the plague's origins. It's like playing a director's cut where the developers knew players would want more substance.

The faction dynamics become incredibly nuanced in subsequent playthroughs. That handy glossary they mention? In Game Plus, it evolves into something much more valuable. Instead of just defining terms, it now tracks your relationships with each faction across multiple timelines. I found myself making completely different choices just to see how the Living Lands' inhabitants would react when they "remembered" my previous actions from other playthroughs. The game somehow makes NPCs feel aware of your multiversal existence without breaking immersion. I spent forty-five minutes just talking to a minor merchant about how my previous character had helped his family, something that never occurred in my first run.

Combat in Game Plus deserves special mention. While many games simply increase enemy health pools, Avowed completely reworks encounter design. Those bloodthirsty creatures transformed by the plague? They develop new attack patterns and even coordinate with each other in ways that forced me to abandon my tried-and-true strategies. I had to completely rethink my approach after dying eight times to what should have been an easy encounter. The game remembers how you fought certain enemy types and adapts accordingly. It's genuinely unsettling how smart the AI becomes, making the Living Lands feel truly alive and reactive to your presence.

The monarch's mission that seemed straightforward initially unfolds with layers of political intrigue in Game Plus. I discovered three entirely new quest chains involving court politics back in the homeland, all accessible because my character arrived with established credibility. The game assumes you understand the basic premise and dives straight into the complexities that make this universe so rich. I particularly appreciated how historical events from the Pillars of Eternity universe, which were merely referenced before, now directly impact available choices. It made me feel like I was participating in living history rather than just observing it.

Perhaps my favorite aspect is how Game Plus handles character progression. Instead of resetting your abilities, it introduces hybrid skill trees that combine disciplines in ways that should feel overpowered but somehow remain balanced. I created a build mixing stealth magic with heavy armor that let me approach situations in ways I hadn't thought possible. The system encourages experimentation by removing the fear of wasted skill points - you can respec anywhere, anytime, for minimal cost. I must have changed my build at least twenty times, each iteration opening new narrative possibilities.

The environmental storytelling reaches new heights when you revisit areas with enhanced perception. I noticed subtle plague symptoms in NPCs hours before they transformed, allowing me to attempt interventions I never knew were possible. The game world feels more responsive because you're more observant, not because the developers added new assets. It's a masterclass in making content feel new without creating additional material. I found myself taking screenshots of details I'd walked past dozens of times before, now seeing how they fit into the larger narrative tapestry.

What surprised me most was how Game Plus changed my emotional connection to characters. Minor NPCs I'd ignored initially now had expanded dialogue trees revealing heartbreaking connections to the main plot. I actually felt guilty for rushing through certain areas before, missing the rich backstories that make the Living Lands feel inhabited rather than just populated. The enhanced glossary becomes less of a reference tool and more of a chronicle of relationships, tracking how your understanding of characters deepens across playthroughs.

As I approach my third Game Plus run, I'm still discovering new interactions and narrative threads. The system doesn't just extend playtime - it enhances comprehension of the game's themes about destiny, power, and consequence. Where other RPGs use new game plus as a simple difficulty toggle, Avowed integrates it into the very fabric of its storytelling. The ten features work in concert to create what I consider the definitive way to experience this rich universe. It's rare that a second playthrough feels more essential than the first, but that's exactly what Game Plus achieves here.