Ubisoft Forward 2023 kicked off with some interesting announcements, but fans might have perked up at the trailer for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. The Western Frontier of Pandora is showcased in this, with stories closely resembling those found in the movies and even a 15-year time skip between events. But all eyes were glued on your player character, a Na’vi who could freely explore the world of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, channeling some major Far Cry vibes in the process.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is Like Far Cry, and That’s Honestly Great
Far Cry is an incredibly formulaic franchise to a fault these days, but the idea of a big sci-fi franchise that fits well with this formula is something that’s exciting to see. It’s similar to how fans are tired of seeing terms like “The Dark Souls of X game” but would love to have a Berserk Souls-style game. Sometimes, they just fit.
In this game, you can bond and fly with your flying Ikran, offering incredible freedom to explore a massive, diverse world. Much like in the movies, you’re on Pandora as the Resources Development Administration expands and tries to take on the frontier. You’re abducted by John Mercer who attempts to corrupt you against your civilization. This is short-lived, however, after the events of the film and Battle of the Hallelujah Mountains (approximately in 2163), and you wake up, 15 years later.
Related: Avatar: The Way of Water Review
You must take down the human RDA, and get help from other Na’vi clans, having to win back their trust. You’re free to explore your path in the game, and in so many ways it feels like you get to experience the plot of the movie in a new character’s perspective: your own.
The result is a massive Far Cry-style world but based on worlds from the mind of James Cameron. Oh, and in this presentation, he made an appearance, which made it all the more exciting! Your weapons of choice are varied, based on Na’vi but also human sensibilities, from bows to shotguns and rocket launchers. You can fight enemies piloting AMP suits if you ever wanted a showdown like with Quaritch.
It might seem derivative to some crowds, but this sort of fit really makes a lot of sense. The Na’vi were the victims of an attempted corporate imperial subjugation, so the idea of a lone warrior gathering scattered peoples around them to rise up against their oppressors.
It doesn’t hurt that it’s on the beautiful world of Pandora, feeling like a breath of Pandoran air so fresh no human can breathe it without an exopack. But we’ll have to see a final, pure gameplay look before being totally sold.
