RPGs are known for their sprawling worlds and treasure troves of details that are all too easy to overlook, but for one developer at Avowed, this is precisely what makes the genre tick.
These days, there’s a growing trend towards achieving 100% completion in video games, spurred on by the lure of trophies and achievements. Players often pour hours into exploring every nook and cranny a game offers. Yet, think back to when players frequently missed out on chunks of a game, and it seems that was part of the magic for RPG lovers. Berto Ritger, Obsidian Entertainment’s director and senior area designer, recently voiced to GamesRadar that he sees “missable content” as a core charm of RPGs. It’s this kind of content, he says, that makes the gameplay feel uniquely personal.
Ritger considers the plethora of options in RPGs as a catalyst for engaging conversations, since no two players will experience the game identically. He illustrated this point by saying, “You might tell a friend, ‘Hey, I discovered something neat under the docks on the eastern side—there’s a secret there. And you can also climb up for more finds.’ Maybe you’ve explored this, while your friend has stumbled across something entirely different.” This dynamic, according to Ritger, sparks fascinating dialogues about the game.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Obsidian isn’t spotlighting certain must-see features. Ritger explained, “We aim to pique your interest in specific elements we hope you’ll explore. Take the towering lighthouse, for example; it’s hard to miss and naturally invites players to climb its heights. We want to encourage that sense of exploration, so yes, you can climb up there and even take a daring leap into the ocean.”
I can’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia for those days of mystery when every game was a treasure hunt full of undiscovered secrets. Discussing different discoveries with friends added another layer of excitement. So, when diving into Avowed, why not venture off the beaten path? You might just stumble across something thrilling.
