Mastering Perspective Shifts: Transitioning Between First and Third-Person Views in Avowed

If you were to watch any trailers or marketing material for Obsidian’s role-playing hit Avowed, it would be perfectly reasonable to assume the game is strictly a first-person affair. With this focus on first-person melee combat in every video around, you may be shocked to hear that it actually provides a third-person option as well. Here’s how to switch to third-person in Avowed, and whether it gains you any advantages.

How to switch to third-person in Avowed

Switching to third-person in Avowed is as simple as you’d hope. To make the swap, simply hold down R3 on your controller for a couple of seconds (or press U if you’re using a keyboard). If you’d like to switch back to first-person at any point, just do the same thing again. You can switch back and forth at any time during gameplay, so feel free to experiment as much as you’d like.

First-Person vs. Third-Person: Which is better?

As with anything else in a role-playing game filled with endless choices, the camera mode you choose to use while tackling your adventure is largely up to you and your preferences. And you should feel equally comfortable choosing Avowed’s first-person or third-person camera modes, as neither is by nature better or worse than the other. It’s a simple matter of preference!

That being said, the main thing to keep in mind is that first-person mode can be more immersive, giving you the feeling that you are your character. Aiming in this mode feels a bit more realistic, too. But third-person mode undoubtedly gives you a bit more visibility, allowing for better awareness of your surroundings so that you can adjust your tactics accordingly. It also lets you see your character, which may be a boon if you really enjoy customizing your look.

It’s also worth noting that playing in third-person does also make it a bit more obvious where you can glitch the climbing to take shortcuts, although that’s very naughty.

Thankfully, the ability to switch between the two modes so seamlessly means that you can change this setting on the fly based on the scenario, so just go with whatever feels right to you at the time.

Whether you’re opting for first-person or third-person, you can dive into the game right away. Avowed is available now on Xbox Series X and PC.