Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Misapplies Far Cry Lessons

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Misapplies Far Cry Lessons

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has left me with mixed feelings. Massive Entertainment’s promise of a contrasting world in this new action-adventure seemed promising, but the reality feels somewhat superficial. On one hand, there’s a visually stunning open world that could rank among the best; on the other, combat across bland RDA facilities echoes Far Cry’s influence a bit too closely.

The game’s essence as a first-person shooter is a letdown, especially given the rich, imaginative world of Avatar. The primary interaction with this world seems to be through conventional firearms, creating a disconnect between the game’s potential and its execution.

The narrative, where you play as a customizable, exiled Na’vi rediscovering their roots and earning the trust of various clans, hints at a gameplay loop aligned with Avatar’s themes of environmentalism and spirituality. The diverse regions of Pandora, from the Upper Plains to the Clouded Forest and the Kinglor Forest, offer unique experiences and skills, from taming Direhorses to bonding with a flying Ikran.

However, this foundation is undermined by gameplay that falls into a repetitive cycle of typical open-world shooter mechanics. The actions of infiltrating RDA facilities and engaging in mundane combat don’t align with the game’s otherwise peaceful exploration and immersive activities like hunting, gathering, and cooking.

The contrast is stark between the awe-inspiring areas outside RDA control and the uninspired combat encounters. Pandora’s dangerous beauty is captured well, but the reliance on human weapons in combat feels out of place in a game that otherwise encourages exploration and interaction with nature.

As the December 7 release date approaches, it remains unclear how much freedom the game will offer in balancing exploration and combat. While Frontiers of Pandora has the potential to be a transformative open-world experience, its combat elements risk making it feel too similar to other open-world shooters since Far Cry 3.