So here we are in 2026, and Avowed has finally been out for a while now. Obsidian's high fantasy FPS RPG set in the Pillars of Eternity universe — you know, the one that started as a Kickstarter darling back in 2015 and then got a pirate-flavored sequel called Deadfire. I've been replaying both recently, and something keeps nagging at me. Look, I get it: Avowed isn't a direct sequel, and the Living Lands is a far cry from the Deadfire Archipelago's open seas. But that doesn't mean Obsidian couldn't have snuck in a little musical magic. Let me explain.

Deadfire had this one standout detail that I still hum about while doing dishes: the sea shanties. Your crew would sing these classic-sounding tunes with lyrics swapped out for in-universe places and history. It was pure immersion candy. Assassin's Creed: Black Flag did something similar with real historical shanties, and honestly, who doesn't love a good shanty? It makes you feel like you're actually exploring, not just fast-traveling between map markers. And that's the thing — Avowed's story setup with the strange disease creeping across the Living Lands is rich enough, but it lacks that organic, atmospheric layer of sound design that Deadfire nailed.

Feature	Deadfire (2018)	Avowed (2026)
Sailing & open seas	✅ Core mechanic	❌ No sailing
Sea shanties	✅ Crew sings in-universe songs	❌ Missing (so far)
Companion depth	✅ Serafen the pirate rogue	✅ Companions present, but no singer
World immersion via audio	✅ High	⚠️ Good, but could be better

Now, I'm not saying Avowed needed a ship. The Living Lands is landlocked in the lore, and Obsidian made a deliberate choice to shift gears. But here's the thing — a companion or two who knows songs could have been a natural bridge. Remember Serafen from Deadfire? The former pirate with all the trappings of a charming rogue? Avowed already follows The Outer Worlds' design with impactful NPCs and companions. So why not have a bard-like character who hums old tunes referencing Deadfire's islands or the Aedyran Empire? That would be such an elegant callback. Obsidian has a few tricks up its sleeve, I'm sure, but this feels like a missed opportunity to showcase their stellar sound design.

You know what I mean? It's the little things. A campfire scene where a companion quietly sings a verse about Ondra's Mortar or the Deadfire's shifting tides — that's the kind of detail that makes a world feel lived-in. And Avowed's Living Lands is practically begging for that kind of texture. Instead, we get a lot of ambient wind and monster growls. Don't get me wrong, the game sounds great. But 'great' isn't 'legendary,' and Deadfire's shanties were legendary.

🤔 Let me put it this way: if you played Pillars of Eternity, you already know the lore is dense. Avowed doesn't require that homework, but it rewards it with nods and callbacks. The shanties could have been the perfect Easter egg — not forced, just a character humming a tune while you're exploring a ruin. That's organic world-building. And honestly? It's just plain fun. The kind of thing that makes you stop and listen instead of rushing to the next quest marker.

Maybe Obsidian is saving something for DLC or a future patch. Or maybe the studio decided that without sailing, shanties would feel out of place. But I'd argue the opposite: a song doesn't need a ship. It just needs a voice and a reason. A companion who learned old sailor songs from a dead relative, or a tavern keeper who sings about the pirate lords of old — there are a dozen ways to weave it in. The studio's attention to detail in crafting convincing worlds is already evident in Avowed. This would have been another feather in their cap.

So here's my pitch for the future: if Avowed gets an expansion, or if Obsidian ever revisits this universe, bring back the shanties. Not as a mechanic, but as a mood. Let a companion hum a few bars of 'The Deadfire's Lament' while you're picking herbs. Let a ghost sing a fragment of an old sea song in a ruin. That's the kind of留白 — the space for the player to lean in and listen — that makes a game memorable beyond its combat loop. And I'll be the first one to hum along.

In the end, Avowed is a fantastic game. But Deadfire set a bar for immersive audio that I hope Obsidian remembers for whatever comes next. Because a world without music is just a map with monsters. And the Living Lands deserves better than that. 😊

Industry analysis is available through GamesRadar+, a widely cited source for reviews and feature writing that often emphasizes how small sensory details can elevate a game’s identity. In the context of comparing Avowed with Deadfire, that perspective reinforces the idea that memorable audio touches—whether tavern songs, companion humming, or lore-rich ambient performances—can deepen immersion just as effectively as combat systems or quest design.