Summary
The next few months are going to be some of the busiest of 2023 for the gaming industry. In a year that’s already been jam-packed with excellent AAA releases,Avatar: Frontiers of Pandorais really going to need to go above and beyond if it wants to stand out. A game that’s been years in the making,Avatar: Frontiers of Pandorais releasing at a bit of an awkward time for the franchise, withthe hype surroundingAvatar 2: The Way of Waternow fully died down, and the next sequel still a ways off. But with enough care and attention, and plenty of its own unique mechanics,Avatar: Frontiers of Pandoracould be another 2023 smash-hit.
The biggest thing holding backAvatar: Frontiers of Pandoraright now is its obvious similarities to theFar Cryfranchise. Based on the gameplay that Ubisoft has released so far, it seems as thoughAvatar: Frontiers of Pandorawill borrow heavily fromFar Cry’s gameplay formula, with similar-looking combat and exploration mechanics. WhileFrontiers of Pandoraneeds to counteract this with its own set of unique features, it shouldn’t rely too heavily on its flight mechanics alone.
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Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Should Still Highlight Other Traversal Options
Flying is a huge part of theAvataruniverse and mythos. Jake Sully’s first flight is an integral scene in the originalAvatarmovie, encompassing the movie’s themes of nature and the freedom that comes when embracing it. Flying also plays a pivotal role in the sequel, withThe Way of Water’s Omaticaya clanusing a number of flying water beasts in the final battle. It’s only natural, then, thatAvatar: Frontiers of Pandorawould want to embrace this essential piece of the universe.
From what fans have seen so far, it seems as though flying will play a major role inAvatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s gameplay. Seemingly just a few hours intoFrontiers of Pandora, players will tame their first Banshee, and gain access to the game’s flight mechanics. It’s currently unclear how the player then summons the Banshee, or if there are restrictions on where it can go, but it seems as though flying will have a prominent place in the game’s general formula, with players being able to soar to their next destination, and even engage in aerial combat with RDA gunships.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s flying mechanics seem to be one of its defining features, and the primary way the game is setting itself apart fromFar Cry, but it shouldn’t be the only unique traversal mechanic that the game focuses on. While flying is a major aspect oftheAvataruniverse, it isn’t the only way the Na’vi get around, and a AAA open-world title based on the franchise should verify it embraces those options as well.
Ubisoft has already confirmed that players will be able to ride a Direhorse inAvatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and while it certainly looks visually impressive, those mechanics need to be just as fleshed out and responsive as the game’s flying mechanics. Similarly,Avatar: Frontiers of Pandoraneeds to deliver some engaging parkour mechanics. Throughout theAvatarmovies, the Na’vi are constantly seen leaping from cliffs, climbing up trees, and swinging from vines, andAvatar: Frontiers of Pandoraneeds to a movement system that can capture that experience in a satisfying and enjoyable way. Every form of traversal inFrontiers of Pandoraneeds to be equally fun, or the game’s moment-to-moment gameplay is going to feel uneven.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandorareleases December 7 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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