The prospect of doing an entirely new video game on the James Cameron version of Avatar was something I’ve been waiting for before 2023 came to an end. We already got one in 2009, which was set two years prior to the movie’s events, but it was depending on which version you played. In particular, there was a version that follows a similar plot to this 2023 release. However, as a whole, the 2009 Avatar: The Game wasn’t received that well by a lot of people.

One thing I thought about that game was that it failed to shed light on the actual premise of the Avatar movie, which was on the war between the Na’Vi and the human race for Pandora’s resources and habitat. In the eyes of the Na’Vi, increased involvement from the Resources Development Authority (RDA) had severed their ties to their entire heritage. Furthermore, it had driven them out of the land bestowed upon them as their home.

When Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora was announced, the main thing I wanted out of it was to just address this one premise. Sure, the gameplay mechanics, overworld look and feel, and customization aspects were cool and all. However, all of these will just make it a good open world game instead of having the potential to be an experiential cinematic gold mine.

A recognition of the past

Right off the bat, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora tackles one important aspect of the plot – its place in the James Cameron timeline. First off, the entire opening sequence takes place roughly eight years prior to the first film’s events. It even foreshadows the oncoming violence the RDA will inevitably wreak on the Na’Vi several years down the line. You are still a young Sarentu, though, so you’ll further understand things in due time.

Secondly, the entire main plot happens sixteen years after the events of the first movie, just in a different area of Pandora than the one Jake Sully was in from Avatar: Way of the Water. Now, you’re all grown up and having just awakened from cryogenic sleep, and the RDA still wants you dead. Luckily, you’ll be able to escape a destroyed RDA base and find your way into the forests of Western Pandora. This is where your journey begins.

Honestly, the initial seeds of the main plot sound riveting enough to play through and through. It’s as if this was a separate spinoff to the main movie franchise, or it can be its own standalone series if adapted into one. I found it rather weird that Ubisoft didn’t make an effort to try and tie this game with Way of the Water together, but the brief callback to the first movie was a nice touch. 

Being one with Eywa again

As you venture out into Pandora during the early stages, it is revealed that you were part of a nearly extinct Na’Vi clan, the Sarentu. Eventually, you’ll find out more details on what happened. You’ll learn what happened to your entire clan at the hands of the RDA. Then, you’ll find out how you ended up in their care in the first place. For now, your objective revolves around having to remove the RDA from Pandora. Of course, with the help of the Resistance forces and all the Na’Vi clans living in the area. Also, you will go on a more personal quest to re-establish your connection with Eywa and your Sarentu ancestry.

From an overall gameplay standpoint, a lot of the mechanics actually served a purpose. They were integrated well within the premise of this game. For example, I like how the Skill Tree looks.  It isn’t heavily based on XP for you to earn Skill Points. This helps you out immensely when acquiring new skills. This helps improve every aspect of your being, including the new Na’Vi Vision feature. Furthermore, relearning Core Skills entails you exploring further in Pandora. There is a purpose to do that instead of treating it like a forced side quest.

Combat and movement is pretty decent and isn’t particularly overwhelming to learn all the way through. One thing I was excited about was that you can ride an Ikran to make traversing through places faster (even with Fast Travel). Also, you get access to a variety of both traditional and modern weapons to take down foes and aid you in hunting quests, and you can craft more powerful ones down the line.

The beautiful wonders of Western Pandora

Amidst all the hunting, raiding, and even having to earn favor from all the clans, I had to literally stop playing most of the time because of the visuals. Obviously, the James Cameron films always had these as their hook. For the audiences to marvel at the beautiful fauna of Pandora. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora highlights the overworld further, especially when it gets dark.

Admittedly, playing on a TV that doesn’t support 4K at 120 FPS with HDR10+ meant that the colors seem a bit washed out for my liking. However, it didn’t really stop the developers from creating vast biomes by day and a spectacle of color by night. I likened the visuals to that of Ubisoft’s more recent releases in the Assassin’s Creed franchise in terms of attention to detail.

This is also true when using Na’Vi Vision to scope out enemies, trails of creature scents, and even markers for your next objective. The fact that when you use this feature and elements brightly shine towards you is super helpful for most of the main quests.

A Sarentu’s last stand for all of the Na’Vi

Like every Avatar movie that has come out so far, Frontiers of Pandora presented an ongoing struggle for supposed progress at the expense of entire civilizations going extinct. As the few remaining Na’Vi on the Western Frontier, the imminent threat of the RDA comes to a head. It’ll fully consume Pandora and drain it of its last ancestral breath. You, a full grown Sarentu having gone through an entire journey of reconnection and resistance must take the final stand.

This game felt like a movie. It gave you intense action and excellent visuals. It also delivered some twists and turns in the plot that will have you on the edge of your seat. In my eyes, what really stood out was that a lot of things just made sense. The developers didn’t waste time adding unnecessary fluff just to prolong the game. It took a while to finally get the ball rolling on the main story. However, it acknowledged that proper context must be made. This way, even those who didn’t catch the 2009 film can follow along.

In the end, only one group’s destiny will be manifested and reign supreme. With the fate of the Na’Vi resting on your hands.