Xbox recently showcased gameplay footage of its upcoming RPG, Avowed, developed by Obsidian, during Thursday’s Developer Direct. The presentation has sparked polarizing reactions, with some expressing amazement while others, including senior Forbes contributor Paul Tassi, have raised concerns about the game.

Tassi notes that despite positive feedback from many Xbox fans, he found the gameplay footage off-putting. He likened the visuals to those of a VR game, describing the combat as stiff and the field of view as narrow, constraining the effective combat area. According to Tassi, first-person spellcasting and melee combat are challenging to execute effectively, and he felt that Avowed fell short in this aspect, even more so than the 13-year-old Skyrim.

In addition to the combat mechanics, Tassi highlighted issues with the RPG storytelling, citing stiff animations and mismatched dialogue delivery. While some have criticized his perspective as demanding AAA hyper-budgeted perfection, Tassi asserts that he appreciates enjoyable AA or indie games, implying that his concerns stem from specific shortcomings in Avowed’s presentation.

It is evident that the gameplay footage of Avowed has elicited diverse opinions, with Tassi’s critical assessment contributing to the ongoing discourse surrounding the highly anticipated RPG.