Fourteen years after its theatrical debut, the original Avatar movie remains the highest-grossing movie of all time, despite a valiant effort from Avengers: Endgame in 2019. While American audiences only count for about a quarter of its total profit, it’s hard to deny that the James Cameron film and its 2022 sequel, which comes in at third on the same list, have had a monumental impact on the entertainment industry in the 21st century. That impact extends beyond films, as prior to the release of the first movie, Ubisoft Montreal was selected to work on an action adventure game that would serve as a prequel and ultimately release a couple of weeks before the first film, making it the official debut of this new sci-fi universe. With prior experience working on some of the original entries in the Prince of Persia, Splinter Cell and Assassin’s Creed series, this division of the French developer seemed like a solid fit for bringing Cameron’s ambitious visions to the interactive medium.
Despite coming to numerous consoles and portable devices, the primary version of the Avatar game is typically considered the one that came to Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in December 2009. On these platforms, players were able to choose which faction they worked for, fighting alongside either the alien Na’vi or the human soldiers as part of the RDA. This ended up resulting in two unique gameplay experiences, with the soldier’s campaign playing out like a more traditional third-person shooter, offering a variety of familiar weapons while the player deals with quick, tough alien foes that can attack from afar. These humans also had to be more wary of the environment around them, as various plants would fight back against these planetary invaders as well. Meanwhile, the Na’vis were granted access to a machine gun, but mostly relied on more primitive weapons to take on their foes, such as crossbows and melee weapons. Fortunately, their combatants were far easier to quickly take down, resulting in large groups of weak humans being wiped out in a matter of minutes. With a variety of offensive and defensive skills that both sides could choose between to match their playstyle, the Avatar game had its share of unique ideas, but ultimately released to mixed reviews thanks to repetitive mission design and a disappointing plot.
Fast forward to 2021, when movie fans are still waiting on the frequently-delayed follow-up to the first movie. During their E3 showcase, Ubisoftrevealsa brand new Avatar game subtitled Frontiers of Pandora, this time from Massive Entertainment, the team behind both of The Division games and the upcoming Star Wars Outlaws. The first teaser immediately wows with its impressive presentation thanks to the Snowdrop engine, and seemed to suggest a first-person outing with this new adventure, which is later confirmed as a better way to immerse players on this naturalistic planet. Originally scheduled to release in 2022 alongside the new movie much like the first game’s release, the title was ultimatelypushed back to a December 2023 release date, where it currently resides as one of the last big releases of this incredible year for gaming. Unlike the first game which featured several members of the film cast to help better tie it into the movies, this new entry is presented as more of a standalone story within the same universe, although fans can expect ties and references to both films.
As a (customizable) Na’vi orphan that was trained by RDA soldiers until they were frozen in time for fifteen years and wake up to discover an abandoned facility, players must traverse and survive a brand new location on Pandora known as the Western Frontiers. Along the way, they’ll discover their true origins by conversing with members of various Na’vi tribes, and must convince them to work alongside one another in order to fight off the remaining RDA soldiers, who continue to harvest the natural resources of Pandora. The simplest gameplay comparison for Frontiers of Pandora is that of another Ubisoft property, Far Cry, as players can take on enemy bases using various Na’vi and human weapons, or rely on traps and stealth to catch their foes off guard. Players will also be able to ride various ground and air mounts from a third-person perspective, as your companion banshee allows you to take to the skies for speedy traversal or chaotic aerial combat. Plus, a friend can join in on the fun thanks to two-player co-op, offering even more opportunities for creative solutions to take the Na’vi’s land back from the RDA. As one of the first current-gen exclusive titles from Ubisoft, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora looks to capitalize on the missed opportunities of the first game and immerse players even further into this memorable cinematic universe. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is set to launch on December 7 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
