Avowed: Is It Better To Play In First Person Or Third Person?

Avowed can be played from a first-person or third-person perspective, and it can help to know which (if either) is the superior way to play. This option is fairly standard for action RPGs like Avowed, and genre-defining franchises like Skyrim and the Fallout series typically allow players to toggle between a first-person and third-person perspective on the fly. Both have their own advantages and drawbacks, but in some games, the choice between the two isn’t too clear. However, in Avowed, one seems to be the clear winner most of the time.

That isn’t to say Avowed should always be played from the optimal perspective, or that both perspectives don’t have their merits. It seems fitting that a game like Avowed that's built around player choice would have the freedom to play from whichever perspective one prefers. However, after some time playing the game and trying out both perspectives with multiple strategies, one perspective option ultimately emerges as the clear victor.

The Advantages Of Playing Avowed In First-Person

First-Person Makes Gameplay Feel More Fluid

There are several advantages to playing Avowed in first-person, both in of gameplay and the overall experience. From a technical perspective, playing in first-person works a lot better for certain styles of combat. It’s easier to tell when a melee weapon will hit an enemy from first-person than third-person because, in third-person, the player character somewhat obscures the view when enemies are up close.

A godlike and a fungus-covered bear in screenshots from Avowed.

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Although it might not seem like it, it’s also easier to tell when an enemy is going to land a hit in first-person. The player’s hitbox feels a little bit bigger than one might expect based on what their character looks like. This could lead to some instances when players think they’ve successfully dodged in third-person but end up taking damage from a hit. First-person does a better job of communicating danger and its range of effectiveness while fighting an enemy that uses melee attacks.

The game does feel slightly less immersive in third-person.

Moving around the world in first-person mode also feels a lot more immersive. This is partially due to the game’s climbing mechanics feeling smoother in first-person. The third-person climbing animation doesn’t look quite as smooth as the action feels in first-person, and the parkour feels a lot less slick when it means staring at the same climbing animation over and over. Moving in first-person therefore helps keep climbing and exploring feeling fun and fluid as opposed to repetitive.

The Living Lands in Avowed also have a lot of tiny details that can sometimes be missed when playing in third-person mode. While players won’t miss out on anything essential to gameplay, as Avowed’s UI does a good job highlighting important items, the game does feel slightly less immersive in third-person. That isn’t to say, however, that third-person doesn’t offer some of its own advantages.

The Advantages Of Playing Avowed In Third-Person

Third-Person Offers A Wider Field Of View

Third-person mode in Avowed has some unique advantages over first-person mode. One of the biggest is the situational awareness that a third-person perspective can offer during combat. There are plenty of situations where players will be fighting multiple enemies, and it can be a lot easier to track where they all are from a more zoomed-out perspective. This can make it easierto avoid getting cornered or taking unexpected damage from an enemy that sneaks up from behind.

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This increased situational awareness can be especially helpful for characters using a ranged weapon like magic or a bow, making it easy to maneuver around the battlefield to ensure they always have an escape route and room to dodge. It can also be a bit easier to keep track of one’s companions this way, so ordering them to do specific moves can be done more effectively. A wider field of view can also come in handy outside of combat.

While exploring in first-person, it can be easy to miss an alternate route or a hidden area where some loot is stashed. Third-person mode helps attempts to survey an entire area and look for secrets. Some secrets in Avowed actually feel like they assume players will be using first-person mode, and they can be surprisingly obvious from the third-person perspective. While this takes away a little from the sense of discovery, it can also help avoid frustration when looking for hidden objects or paths.

Why You Should Play Avowed (Mostly) In First-Person

Avowed Seems More Designed For First-Person Mode

Approaching creepy building with purple lighting while carrying two handed axe in Avowed

For the most part, first-person mode is the optimal way to play Avowed. Both combat and exploration feel more fluid in first-person. Aiming is easier, dodging is easier, and climbing feels more satisfying from this point of view. While there are times players may want to employ third-person, especially if they are lost, for the most part, Avowed works better in first-person mode.

Fighter class in Avowed walking down the docks with sword on back.

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Although Avowed offers both perspectives, it definitely feels like most of the game was built more with first-person in mind. This is even reflected in how the game is marketed, as its description on both the Microsoft Store and Steam defines it as a first-person game. This is similar to how other action RPGs treat third-person mode, so anyone familiar with games like Skyrim or Fallout likely knows what to expect from Avowed.