Published Date: January 7
Movie-based videogames have been in existence as early as the launch of E.T. on the Atari in 1982. Video games that are based on movies haven’t always been the most enjoyable, but they did well because people knew the character and the franchises. In recent times gamers have been blessed by games like Marvel’s Spider-Man and games from the Arkham collection of titles as well as a variety of Star Wars games. In the beginning, when Ubisoft first announced they were developing an Avatar game the response was mixed reactions. There were those who weren’t confident about the possibility of an Avatar game while some weren’t sure of what kind of game Ubisoft could provide. After spending a lot of time on Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora I’m glad to report that I’m quite pleasantly impressed.
Within Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora you play as a child Na’vi who is taken to the RDA and was enrolled in the Ambassador Program (TAP). You’ve become accustomed to the way that humans live, but soon discover that things aren’t the way it seems. Later, you realize the real motives behind the RDA and then escape. You’re on a quest to learn more about the culture of your Na’vi and your own identity while fighting an RDA attack. Frontiers of Pandora takes place on the same timeline like the films, only in a different region of the globe. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is set in 2169, which is the year prior to the events of Avatar: The Way of Water. As you progress through the story, you’ll encounter references to characters and events from the mainline film, which is quite cool.
The first thing you’ll be able to see about the game is how amazing it appears. If you’ve ever seen scenes from the Avatar movies, then you are aware it’s true that Pandora is a planet brimming by lush plants, huge mountainous structures, and a unique creatures. The past has shown that Ubisoft had a great time with their more tropical/jungle-like settings on Far Cry. Far Cry games and it seems like their experience been translated into the new game. They’ve done an excellent job of staying true to the style we’ve experienced during the Avatar films without being too cookie-cutter. Its colors make the different animals and plants pop, and the characters interact with are created very well. If you meet random Na’vi on the map, their appearance alters a bit. A majority of the Na’vi in the non-hub hubs use a similar model of character. It’s not an issue but it’s something you’ll see during your game.
If you are the first to get a chance to discover the realm of Pandora and the Pandoran Sea, you’ll immediately be able to feel how wonderful it is to move through the landscape. The most straightforward way to describe the experience is to describe Mirror’s edge in the forest. As you run through the jungle you are able to swing on vines, jump over plants that propel you up in the sky, as well as scurry through spores, which will enhance your running speed. As you progress and uncover new regions in the game, you’ll develop and improve your movements too. The only issue with movement I encountered was that I got confused in the dense landscape. In the moment I was able to jump into combat I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but it felt good overall. Ubisoft took their knowledge of their Far Cry games and implemented the same techniques here. Both guns and arrows felt good to play with. Combat with large animals as well as robots seems fairly routine, however when you’re fighting people in close fight the situation can get exciting. The differences in size between Na’vi and humans is evident here. This is something I was able to get used to pretty quickly, so it does not affect my experience.
The RDA controls large portions of the map used for gameplay and is consuming resources from the surroundings. Similar to Far Cry and Ghost Recon games, one of the primary goals outside of the story mission is to clear outposts. Although this is an element that many feel a bit tired of but it’s still fun to look around an outpost and devise a strategy of attack. Random RDA encounters keep the game from settling down for too long, and actions like releasing animals from captivity keeps the games interesting. Another aspect of the game I haven’t put in a lot of time to is the craft system.
For those who are avid of survival games The harvesting and food crafting features could be an advantage, but for those who are not, it could be a source of irritation. Collecting objects in the surroundings transforms into a mini-game kind. It is possible to compare it to the mini-game for picking locks from other games. If you’re successful in your attempt, the quality of materials you gather will be better. The climate and the region that you’re sourcing the product from will influence the quality of the item as well. Another aspect which can be a bit irritating involves paying close attention to your energy system. The more you exercise or fight and the longer you are in combat, the more you need to take in. There were numerous times that I was completely unaware of this fact and caused my stamina and health to diminish slowly.
The time I’ve spent playing Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is so far great. If you’re a lover of Ubisoft games, a lot will be familiar to you. For some, this may be a source of irritation, but for others, it could be a favorite features of games. In an action game that is that is based on a film, Ubisoft did well sticking to the original material, while creating something that was fresh and distinctive. The main highlights from Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora are the gorgeous images and the motion. It was fun wandering around and exploring new regions in the world. It’s so easy to get distracted (in an enjoyable way) while on a quest. If you’re a lover of Ubisoft games, and Avatar I recommend you give this game a shot. I’m planning to spend an entire day exploring and exploring the world.
