Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Review – C’EST NA’VI

Considering that the last tie-in for the original 2009 movie called Avatar: The Game was (as the kids call it) ‘mid’ at best, it’s understandable that the gaming community was more than a little sceptical about this newest release. But as it turns out, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora—a side story chronologically set between the first film and The Way of Water—is a big step up from the original movie tie-in.

A Familiar Blue Coat of Paint

Though just like the film series it spawned from, this story is drenched in generic themes, tired cliches and laughably evil human colonisers that I honestly could not care less about, besides one or two characters that stand out… somewhat. The problem is, it’s hard to distinguish between the rotating cast who all look very similar and often have very similar sounding names. Now I’m not at all trying to be racist (or blue-ist, in this case) but since the characters often weave in and out of the narrative with rapid and vapid story segments, they ultimately don’t leave much of an impression. It’s the emotional equivalent of someone mentioning a friend’s friend you’ve never met before has suddenly passed away. You may seem a little sympathetic or slightly taken aback at first, but it certainly won’t pull on those dainty little heartstrings, that’s for sure.

However, the world of Pandora is a visual fiesta to explore, with great use of the PS5’s adaptive triggers and haptic feedback that help to immerse players into James Cameron’s gazillion-dollar franchise. One minute you’ll be infiltrating a base all sneaky-sneaky like in Far Cry, then piloting an airborne dinosaur to shoot up a helicopter. Even though you won’t find the same variety of weapons or combat feats available in Far Cry 6, Rambo would be proud of all the stealth and sabotage your custom-made Na’vi is capable of.

It’s all very on-brand for the series, right down to the capturing of critters, foraging for food, punchy platforming and vaulting of vines for quick and easy transportation. The open-world aspects fit as snug as a bug in a rug with Avatar, featuring plenty of uniquely flavoured elements and music which nail that epic, otherworldly tone. Even better is that you can tackle an overwhelming majority of the game in two-player online co-op, with full cross-play and cross-generation saving compatibility between PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X and PC. However, just keep in mind that certain missions and their locales can become rather same-same, and the AI and difficulty definitely could’ve benefitted from some extra TLC.

Becoming a Giant

What is done particularly well though are the dynamics between the player-controlled Na’vi and the human antagonists. You can’t just rush in all guns blazing like Master Chief, as the Na’vi don’t have any inherent shielding or armour properties. Instead, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora encourages players to swiftly maneuver around large, open battlefields and make use of Na’vi Sense. This ability allows them to see through walls whilst highlighting enemies and nearby resources to maintain the advantage. Clever touches that further enhance the immersion factor, even if fighting in confined spaces sometimes derails the whole quick-and-nimble-Na’vi thing.

What isn’t so great are the detective-tracking segments that occur from time to time throughout the story. Using Na’vi Sense, players are tasked with piecing together certain events that transpired in the environment. However, it’s often either too simple or the evidence seems too disconnected that you might as well trial-and-error your way to victory. So instead of feeling like a skilled Na’vi tracker, you’ll end up thinking “Well, that was a complete waste of time” and promptly start bundling through it.

On the flip side, it is impressive how much effort went into the beast-hunting and tracking of local fauna, as Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora contains an extremely in-depth hunting guide. This lets players chase down the scent of a plant, for example, then use the PS5’s tactile features to harvest them, as they all have a unique way of being meticulously ripped out of the ground. Conversely, if players use human-based weaponry like assault rifles or flash grenades for hunting animals, the resulting pelts and resources will be ruined and result in goods not fit for consumption/trading. Even if you aren’t the biggest hunter-gatherer fan out there (I don’t think I’ve ever said that in my life) you can’t help but admire how well-implemented these aspects are.

Decision

All things considered, it’s honestly confounding just how well Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora turned out. Housing a healthy amount of Ubisoft’s and Far Cry’s DNA, this title naturally infuses many tried and true open-world staples with its a distinct blend of Pandora-themed elements. Particularly the beast hunting, Na’vi combat utilities and use of the PS5’s tactile features; they all help to keep the action-adventure gameplay intriguing. You can even fly through Pandora on an Ikran whilst shooting down aerial enemies and tackle almost the entire campaign in two-player online co-op. However, just like the two James Cameron films that preceded it, this story simply won’t capture your attention, as it’s bogged down with environmentalist and colonial trite that can’t be taken seriously. As a whole though, this game is certainly worth experiencing. Just don’t mind the sometimes silly AI, the dull detective sections or the samey sabotage missions too much and you’ll have a great time.

By Anthony Culinas – Reviewed on PlayStation 5

Great

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is surprisingly solid, believe it or not. It features an action-packed main campaign over 12 hours long with plenty of optional content to discover throughout its splendiferously sprawling landscapes. If you can get past some repetitive parts of the game, as well as the story being a bombastic mixture of overused tropes and themes, getting lost in the world of Pandora (especially with a friend) is heaps more fun than watching both of James Cameron’s movies—guaranteed.

This game was reviewed using a download code provided by Ubisoft. The Beta Network uses affiliate partnerships, however, this does not influence reviews or any other content published. The Beta Network may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links that are on the website.