Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Last updated

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Avatar Frontiers of Pandora cover.jpg
Developer(s) Massive Entertainment [a]
Publisher(s) Ubisoft
Director(s) Magnus Jansén
Ditte Deenfeldt
Composer(s) Pinar Toprak
Series Avatar
Engine Snowdrop
Platform(s)
ReleaseDecember 7, 2023
Genre(s) Action-adventure
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a 2023 action-adventure game developed by Massive Entertainment and published by Ubisoft. The game is part of the Avatar franchise, and was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on December 7, 2023. It received mixed reviews from critics.

Contents

Gameplay

The single-player campaign has a first-person perspective to control a Na'vi orphan. Pandora is a large open world divided into three distinct regions, each with unique biomes, quests, and inhabitants. The character had been raised and trained as a soldier by the Resources Development Administration (RDA), was put into suspended animation, and awakened sixteen years later in an abandoned facility. The player journeys across the Western Frontier, a previously unseen region of Pandora, discovering the character's origins, and organizing the local Na'vi tribes to fight back against the RDA as they attempt to exploit the natural resources of the Western Frontier. [1] The standalone story is partially tied to the films. [2] The game also supports two-player cooperative multiplayer. [2]

The player can use "Na'vi sense" to highlight interactable objects, and vulnerable points of enemies. The player is equipped with both RDA weapons like assault rifles and shotguns, and Na'vi weapons such as bows and arrows and spear throwers to combat enemies. Progression and quest completion will unlock better gear, improving combat performance. Ammo, throwables, and other consumables can be crafted using materials collected in the wilds. Animals can be hunted, though using firearms on them will prevent the collection of crafting resources. [3] Players can gain "Clan Favor" by defeating RDA troops, helping fellow Na'vi, and progressing. This can be used to purchase rare weapons, armor, and crafting materials. [4] The player character is very agile, with advanced acrobatic feats such as double jumping. The character can ride on a flying ikran creature to quickly navigate the world. [5]

Plot

In the year 2146, eight years before Jake Sully arrives on Pandora (as seen in the Avatar film), the RDA sets up The Ambassador Program (TAP) led by Dr. Alma Cortez and RDA Director John Mercer, with the goal of training five young Na'vi children: the player (referred as "the Sarentu"), Ri'nela, Aha'ri, Teylan, and Nor, to be Na'vi-human ambassadors. However, the Na'vi children remember they were kidnapped from their clans and are annoyed by Mercer's strict curriculum, culminating in them attempting to escape. Mercer shoots and kills Aha'ri to terrorize them into giving up. Eight years later though, the RDA's loss against Jake's army forces the remaining RDA forces to evacuate Pandora. Mercer orders the now adult-Na'vi students to be executed as liabilities, but Alma defies him and leads the students to a cryogenic life-suspension chamber so they can hide.

The students are awakened sixteen years later by Na'vi resistance fighters working with Alma and narrowly escape the facility when an RDA force led by Mercer returns to eliminate the students. The Sarentu is able to escape and reunite their friends, before joining Alma and her team of ex-RDA personnel. After succeeding in their first mission to destroy an RDA energy mining operation, the Sarentu manages to make a connection with Eywa, the living spirit of Pandora, and communes with their ancestors to learn about the nearly extinct Sarentu clan. However, the RDA steps up their aggression by launching a raid on Alma's hideout. The Sarentu is able to hold them off long enough to catch the attention of the Aranahae clan, who welcome them; however, their leader Ka'nat remains reluctant to start a war against the technologically superior RDA.

Eventually, the RDA's continued encroachment into Na'vi lands begins to provoke the Zeswa clan, and the Sarentu takes it upon themselves to destroy RDA facilities and forge an alliance between the clans, culminating in them forcing the RDA to abandon a critical facility. Despite the major victory, Nor begins to voice his resentment against Alma for failing to protect them from Mercer, which causes a rift between him and Teylan before the RDA ambushes their base and captures the Sarentu. Alma's lieutenant, Billy Nash, rescues the Sarentu at the cost of his own life. The Sarentu links back up with the Resistance, only to find that Alma and many others are afflicted with an illness caused by an RDA chemical weapon and that Teylan has apparently deserted. The Sarentu approaches the local Kame'tire clan to provide healing, and in the process discovers the existence of another TAP facility called TAP Con-1.

Investigating TAP Con-1, the Sarentu learns that a traitor within the Kame'tire tipped off Mercer about the location of the Sarentu clan, resulting in the clan being massacred and Mercer taking the surviving children to raise as soldiers loyal to him. With the traitor exposed, the Kame'tire leader Anufi agrees to atone for the betrayal by healing the sick Resistance members. Nor abandons the Resistance, though not before fatally stabbing Alma in her Avatar body. Before her Na'vi form dies and she returns to her original human body, Alma conveys her memories to the Sarentu and Ri'nela, revealing that she helped Mercer carry out the massacre out of a desire to ensure the TAP program's success and that she has regretted her decision ever since.

The RDA increases its efforts to extract oil from Pandora, prompting the Sarentu and the Resistance to investigate what the RDA is truly up to. They learn that Mercer intends to detonate explosives beneath the surface of Pandora, opening the entire land up for extraction and depriving the Na'vi clans of the native fauna that sustains them. With no other choice, the various Na'vi clans unite together and assault Mercer's base while the Sarentu infiltrates from the caves below. Teylan, who initially sided with Mercer, switches sides back to the Resistance. Working together, The Sarentu and Teylan sabotage the bomb and trap Mercer, leaving him to die in the explosion. In the aftermath, the RDA retreats from the region, and the Sarentu, Ri'nela, and Teylan decide to focus on rebuilding the Sarentu clan.

Development

In March 2017, Massive announced that its next major game would be based on James Cameron's Avatar . [6] The game was titled Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora with a trailer at E3 2021. [7] Its story stands alone within the Avatar universe, [1] with "some elements that will pay off when Avatar: Fire and Ash comes out". [8]

Release

In a 2021 investor call, it was revealed that Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora was tentatively set to release in the fiscal year of April 2022 to March 2023. [9] In July 2022, it was delayed to the fiscal year of April 2023 to March 2024. [10] The Ubisoft Forward June 2023 video revealed a release date of December 7, 2023. [11]

Reception

Critical response

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora received "mixed or average" reviews from critics for the PlayStation 5 and PC versions, while the Xbox Series X/S version received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. [12] [13] [14] The game was recommended by 53% of 132 critic on OpenCritic. [15]

GameSpot praised the game's open world, movement mechanics, combat, crafting and story, but criticized its "over-reliance" on Na'vi vision, closed-area combat and investigation system, [18] stating that the game got "countless Far Cry comparisons". [28] Kotaku Australia noted the mostly positive reviews and called it "The Okayest Game of 2023". [29]

Sales

In the United Kingdom, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora debuted at fifth place in the physical charts. [30] The next week, it fell to 12th place after a 53% decrease in sales. [31] In Japan, 8,363 physical copies of the PlayStation 5 version were sold within its first week, making it the 12th-best-selling retail game of the week in the country. [32]

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora was in the top 10 most-downloaded PS5 games in the US, Canada, and Europe in December 2023. [33] [34] It sold 1.9 million copies as of January 2024. [35] [36] The game also had generated approximately $133 million in revenue by that point. [37] In February 2024, it was amongst the top 20 best-selling games in the US. [38] [39]

Notes

  1. ↑ Additional work provided by Ubisoft Stockholm, Ubisoft Shanghai, Ubisoft Chengdu, Ubisoft Toronto, Ubisoft Montpellier, Ubisoft Kyiv, Ubisoft Reflections, Ubisoft Leamington, Ubisoft Bucharest, Ubisoft Düsseldorf, Red Storm Entertainment, and Lightstorm Entertainment
  2. ↑ Based on 86 critic reviews; 53% (46 reviews) of which is classified as "positive", 42% (36 reviews) as "mixed", 2% (2 reviews) as "negative", and the remaining are unscored
  3. ↑ Based on 30 critic reviews; 53% (16 reviews) of which is classified as "positive" and 43% (13 reviews) as "mixed", and 3% (1 review) as "negative"
  4. ↑ Based on 15 critic reviews; 53% (8 reviews) of which is classified as "positive", 40% (6 reviews) as "mixed", and the remaining one is unscored
  5. ↑ Based on 132 critic reviews

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ubisoft</span> French video game company

Ubisoft Entertainment SA is a French video game publisher headquartered in Saint-Mandé with development studios across the world. Its video game franchises include Assassin's Creed, Driver, Far Cry, Just Dance, Prince of Persia, Rabbids, Rayman, Tom Clancy's, and Watch Dogs.

Massive Entertainment AB is a Swedish video game developer and a studio of Ubisoft based in Malmö. The company has been fully owned by Ubisoft since 2008. The studio is known for Tom Clancy's The Division, The Division 2, Ground Control, and World in Conflict.

<i>Avatar</i> (2009 film) 2009 American film by James Cameron

Avatar is a 2009 epic science fiction film co-produced, co-edited, written, and directed by James Cameron. The cast includes Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez and Sigourney Weaver. It is the first installment in the Avatar film series. It is set in the mid-22nd century, when humans are colonizing Pandora, a lush habitable moon of a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri star system, in order to mine the valuable unobtanium, a room-temperature superconductor mineral. The expansion of the mining colony threatens the continued existence of a local tribe of Na'vi, a humanoid species indigenous to Pandora. The title of the film refers to a genetically engineered Na'vi body operated from the brain of a remotely located human that is used to interact with the natives of Pandora.

<i>Avatar: The Game</i> 2009 video game

Avatar: The Game is a 2009 third-person shooter action-adventure game based on the 2009 film Avatar. The game was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It was released on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Wii, and Nintendo DS on December 1, 2009, with a PlayStation Portable version later released on December 7. It uses the same technology as the film to be displayed in stereoscopic 3D. As of May 19, 2010, the game has sold nearly 2.7 million copies.

In the 2009 science-fiction film Avatar, director James Cameron conceived a fictional universe in which humans seek to mine unobtanium on the fictional habitable moon Pandora. The Earth-like moon is inhabited by a sapient indigenous humanoid species called the Na'vi, as well as varied fauna and flora. Resources Development Administration scientists, administrators, recruits, support, and security personnel travel to Pandora in the 22nd century to discover this beautiful, lush world, which is inhabited by many lifeforms including the human-like Na'vi. The clan with which the humans have contact in the film lives "in a giant tree that sits on a vast store of a mineral called unobtainium, which humans want as an energy supply." Cameron has described Avatar as more "science fantasy" than true science fiction and has said that he would explain in the novel for the film why in the fictional universe the Na'vi look like humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miles Quaritch</span> Fictional character in the Avatar franchise

Colonel Miles Quaritch is a fictional character in the American science fiction franchise Avatar created by Canadian filmmaker James Cameron. He serves as the main antagonist of the 2009 film Avatar and its 2022 sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, and will appear in its upcoming sequels, including the third and currently untitled fourth films. In all his appearances, including in the 2009 film's tie-in video game Avatar: The Game, the character is portrayed by American actor Stephen Lang, who won Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Quaritch in the first film at the 36th Saturn Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Sully</span> Avatar franchise fictional character

Jake Sully, or Tsyeyk te Suli in the Naʼvi language, is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the American epic science fiction film franchise Avatar, created by James Cameron. Portrayed by Sam Worthington in Avatar (2009) and its sequels, including Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), the upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash, and the currently untitled Avatar 4 and Avatar 5.

<i>Avatar: The Way of Water</i> 2022 American film by James Cameron

Avatar: The Way of Water is a 2022 epic science fiction film co-produced, co-edited, and directed by James Cameron, who co-wrote the screenplay with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver from a story the trio wrote with Josh Friedman and Shane Salerno. Distributed by 20th Century Studios, it is the sequel to Avatar (2009) and the second installment in the Avatar film series. It features Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Giovanni Ribisi, Dileep Rao and Matt Gerald reprising their roles from the first film, with Sigourney Weaver returning in an additional role and Kate Winslet joining the cast. It follows a blue-skinned humanoid Na'vi named Jake Sully (Worthington) as he and his family, under renewed human threat, seek refuge with the aquatic Metkayina clan of Pandora, a habitable exomoon on which they live.

Themes in <i>Avatar</i> Academic analyses of Avatar

The 2009 American science fiction film Avatar has provoked vigorous discussion of a wide variety of cultural, social, political, and religious themes identified by critics and commentators, and the film's writer and director James Cameron has responded that he hoped to create an emotional reaction and to provoke public conversation about these topics. The broad range of Avatar's intentional or perceived themes has prompted some reviewers to call it "an all-purpose allegory" and "the season's ideological Rorschach blot". One reporter even suggested that the politically charged punditry has been "misplaced": reviewers should have seized on the opportunity to take "a break from their usual fodder of public policy and foreign relations" rather than making an ideological battlefield of this "popcorn epic".

<i>Avatar: Fire and Ash</i> Upcoming American film by James Cameron

Avatar: Fire and Ash is an upcoming American epic science fiction film co-produced, co-edited, co-written, and directed by James Cameron. Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and the third installment in the Avatar film series.

<i>This Aint Avatar</i> 2010 film by Axel Braun

This Ain't Avatar is a 2010 3D science fiction sex comedy parody film that parodies James Cameron's Avatar, to which it serves as a spiritual sequel. The film was shot, edited, and directed by Axel Braun and stars an ensemble cast headed by Chris Johnson as Jake, the main human character. It was produced by Hustler Video. Industry reviewers noted that the release used old-style rather than modern 3D technology and faulted it for its poor production quality.

Pandora – The World of <i>Avatar</i> Themed area of Avatar, located in Disney Animal Kingdom

Pandora – The World of Avatar is a themed area inspired by James Cameron's Avatar located within Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. Set generations into the future after the events of the Avatar films, the area is based upon the fictional habitable exomoon, Pandora, and features Pandora's floating mountains, alien wildlife, and bioluminescent plants. Spanning 12 acres (4.9 ha), Pandora – The World of Avatar includes two major attractions, Avatar Flight of Passage and Na'vi River Journey, as well as retail and dining outlets.

Avatar is an American epic science fiction media franchise created by James Cameron, which began with the eponymous 2009 film. Produced by 20th Century Studios and distributed by Lightstorm Entertainment, it consists of associated merchandise, video games, and theme park attractions. Avatar is set in the mid-22nd century on Pandora, a lush habitable moon of a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri star system. The films' central conflict is between the indigenous Na'vi led by Jake Sully and Neytiri, and humans led by Colonel Miles Quaritch from the Resources Development Administration (RDA), a megacorp which has arrived on Pandora to colonize and pillage it for its natural resources. The title of the series refers to the genetically engineered Na'vi body operated from the brain that humans pilot to interact with on Pandora.

The Resources Development Administration (RDA) is a fictional organization that first appears in Avatar, the 2009 science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron. It is depicted as a powerful corporate entity seeking unobtainium, a valuable mineral, to sustain its operations. To this end, the RDA establishes a colony on the extrasolar moon Pandora, where it employs both scientific and military means to extract resources, often clashing with the indigenous Na'vi population.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snowdrop (game engine)</span> Proprietary game engine

Snowdrop is a proprietary game engine created by Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft for use on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Stadia, and Luna. It was revealed at E3 2013 with Tom Clancy's The Division, the first game using the engine. Snowdrop is one of the primary game engines used by Ubisoft along with Disrupt, Dunia, and Ubisoft Anvil.

<i>Avatar</i> Flight of Passage Attraction at Disneys Animal Kingdom

Avatar Flight of Passage is a 3D flying simulator attraction within Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Set in the Avatar universe, the attraction allows guests to take flight on a native mountain Banshee and soar across the landscape of Pandora.

Avatar 4 is an upcoming American epic science fiction film co-written, co-edited, co-produced and directed by James Cameron. Distributed by 20th Century Studios, it will be the sequel to Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) and the fourth installment in the Avatar film series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neytiri</span> Avatar franchise fictional character

Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite is a fictional character and one of the protagonists in the Avatar franchise, created by James Cameron. She is portrayed by Zoe Saldaña.

Lego Avatar is a Lego theme based on the film series of the same name created by James Cameron. It is licensed from 20th Century Studios, The Walt Disney Company and Lightstorm Entertainment. The theme was first introduced on 1 October 2022. Subsequent sets were released in 2023, alongside the next film, Avatar: The Way of Water.

References

  1. 1 2 "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is an open-world action-adventure for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC". Video Games Chronicle . June 12, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  2. 1 2 O'Brien, Lucy (June 12, 2023). "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora - Release Date Announced, New Gameplay Revealed". Ubisoft. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  3. ↑ Pearson, Jordan (December 12, 2023). "Hear Me Out: 'Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora' Is Ubisoft's Best Open World In Years". Vice . Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  4. ↑ Jones, Anthony (December 7, 2023). "How to Increase Clan Favor Fast in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora". The Escapist . Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  5. ↑ Carpenter, Lincoln (November 17, 2023). "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora: Everything we know". PC Gamer . Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Avatar Game from Division Developer Massive". ComingSoon.net. February 28, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  7. ↑ Hall, Charlie (June 12, 2021). "Ubisoft reveals Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora with a new trailer at E3". Polygon . Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  8. ↑ Purslow, Matt (November 28, 2023). "Future Avatar Movies Could Feature Elements Created for Ubisoft's Frontiers of Pandora Game". IGN . Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Massive Entertainment And Ubisoft's Avatar Game Releasing Before April 2023, Before Their Star Wars RPG". PlayStation Universe. February 10, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  10. ↑ Peters, Jay (July 21, 2022). "Surprise, surprise — Ubisoft's Avatar game is delayed". The Verge . Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  11. ↑ Peters, Jay (June 12, 2023). "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is coming out later this year". The Verge . Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora critic reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora critic reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  14. 1 2 "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora critic reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  15. 1 2 "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Reviews". OpenCritic . Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Review: Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora". Destructoid . Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  17. ↑ Miller, Matt (December 7, 2023). "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Review - Tripping Through Jungles". Game Informer . Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  18. 1 2 "Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora Review - The Good Blue Man Group". GameSpot . Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  19. ↑ Hurley, Leon (December 6, 2023). "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora review: "doesn't exactly break any molds but fits them perfectly"". GamesRadar+ . Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  20. ↑ Quesada, Daniel (December 6, 2023). "Análisis de Avatar Frontiers of Pandora, la mejor representación posible del universo de James Cameron". Hobby Consolas (in Spanish). Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  21. ↑ Ogilvie, Tristan (December 6, 2023). "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Review". IGN . Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Test du jeu Avatar : Frontiers of Pandora". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Avatar Frontiers of Pandora review – a stunning yet shallow FPS". PCGamesN . December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora review: The mild, mild west". Shacknews . December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  25. ↑ Lane, Rick (December 6, 2023). "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora review - welcome to the jungle, it's yours to reclaim". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  26. ↑ Middler, Jordan (December 6, 2023). "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a jaw-dropping but predictable adventure". Video Games Chronicle . Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora review - a far cry from home". VideoGamer. December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  28. ↑ "Review Roundup For Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora". GameSpot. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  29. ↑ Smith, David (December 7, 2023). "Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora Review Roundup: 'Far Cry With Blue People'". Kotaku Australia. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  30. ↑ Writer, Sophie McEvoy Staff (December 11, 2023). "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora debuts at No.5 | UK Boxed Charts". GamesIndustry.biz . Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  31. ↑ Writer, Sophie McEvoy Staff (December 21, 2023). "EA Sports FC 24 is Christmas No.1 | UK Boxed Charts". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  32. ↑ Romano, Sal (December 14, 2023). "Famitsu Sales: 12/4/23 – 12/10/23 [Update]". Gematsu. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  33. ↑ "PlayStation Store: December 2023's top downloads". PlayStation.Blog. January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  34. ↑ "PSN's Most Popular Games In December 2023 Revealed, As Avatar Took On Call Of Duty And GTA 5". GameSpot. January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  35. ↑ Henderson, Tom (November 25, 2024). "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora DLC Has Been Delayed to Due 'Critical Last Minute Issue'". Insider Gaming. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  36. ↑ "Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora's Secret of the Spires DLC Delayed to November 28th". GamingBolt.com. November 25, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2025.
  37. ↑ Henderson, Tom (January 30, 2024). "Inside Ubisoft - From Low Morale To Internal Tensions". Insider Gaming. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  38. ↑ "Top 20 Best-Selling Games For February 2024 In The US". GameSpot. March 21, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  39. ↑ Kaser, Rachel (March 25, 2024). "Helldivers 2 dominates sales — for democracy! | Circana February 2024". VentureBeat. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.