Avowed, the upcoming fantasy RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, is anticipated to include a comprehensive suite of difficulty settings. These options will likely allow players to tailor the gameplay challenge to their individual skill level and desired experience, a common feature in Obsidian's previous titles.
Potential Difficulty Tiers
Based on industry standards and Obsidian's design philosophy, Avowed might feature several distinct difficulty levels:
- Story Mode: This setting would prioritize narrative and exploration, significantly reducing combat difficulty. Enemies would likely have lower health and damage, making encounters less demanding.
- Normal: Intended as a balanced experience, offering a moderate challenge in combat and resource management suitable for most players.
- Hard: For players seeking a more demanding playthrough. This tier would likely feature more resilient enemies, increased damage output from foes, and possibly more complex enemy behaviors.
- Expert/Path of the Damned Equivalent: A high-stakes difficulty aimed at veteran players. This could involve severe penalties, highly intelligent and powerful enemies, and scarce resources, demanding strategic thinking and precise execution.
How Difficulty Settings Might Impact Gameplay
The chosen difficulty in Avowed is expected to influence various core gameplay mechanics:
- Enemy Statistics: Key attributes such as enemy health, damage output, armor, and resistances will likely scale with difficulty.
- AI and Tactics: Higher difficulties may unlock more sophisticated AI routines for enemies, leading to smarter positioning, ability usage, and group coordination.
- Resource Availability: The scarcity or abundance of consumables, crafting materials, and in-game currency could be adjusted.
- Player Vulnerabilities: The impact of negative status effects, debuffs, or environmental hazards on the player might be amplified on harder settings.
- Unique Modifiers: Some Obsidian titles introduce specific challenges or enemy buffs unique to higher difficulties, a feature that could appear in Avowed.
Ultimately, these settings aim to provide player agency. Whether one prefers to focus on Avowed's story or test their mettle against its toughest challenges, the difficulty options will be crucial for shaping a personalized and engaging experience.
