Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is the subsequent canonical chapter of the Avatar mythos. Set in the course of the one-year hole in Avatar: The Approach of Water on the opposite aspect of Pandora in a brand new space known as the Western Frontier, gamers management a Na’vi raised and skilled by the Assets Improvement Administration (RDA) who finds themselves taking the struggle to the company. That requires, fairly actually, getting again to their roots as they reconnect with Eywa whereas studying what it means to be a Na’vi by ingratiating themselves with the sport’s three new clans. 

In a current preview occasion, I spent about two hours enjoying 4 early story missions. Right here’s a breakdown of the world, fight, and exploration mechanics I sampled throughout my keep on Pandora. 

Fight and Stealth

My demo begins a number of hours into the sport within the Kinglor Forest, a rainforest-like space dwelling to the Aranahe, one of many new clans and the primary one gamers encounter. The Aranahe largely consists of artisans and weavers, and so they depend on silk produced by giant moth-like creatures known as Kinglor (therefore the forest’s identify). Nevertheless, this symbiotic relationship has been disrupted by the RDA, and it is as much as me to revive stability.

As a first-person recreation, controls are acquainted to fashionable shooters. As a result of their background, the customizable protagonist wields Na’vi and human weaponry. The previous consists of a number of bows, similar to ones suited to quick and long-range, with numerous arrow sorts, together with fireplace and poison. Essentially the most distinctive weapon is the Workers Sling. Resembling a lacrosse stick, it is used to lob numerous explosives. 

The RDA weapons I used included an assault rifle, shotgun, and stun grenades. Generally, Na’vi weapons are quiet and nice for stealth. Arrows can be crafted by accumulating crops rising within the setting, that means ammo was not often a problem. Conversely, weapons are extra highly effective however louder, and you’ll solely replenish them by discovering ammo at RDA outposts or on lifeless troopers, making bullets a scarcer useful resource. All the weapons have a superb really feel and pack a punch, although I usually favored the Na’vi instruments as a result of my proclivity for stealth and roleplaying the fantasy of being a Na’vi. 

Although I engaged in a number of skirmishes with RDA platoons patrolling the world, probably the most combat-heavy sequence was a mission tasking me with shutting down a big outpost. These services will be discovered throughout Pandora and pollute the setting. Thus, eliminating them is important.

Gamers have the choice of going loud, however I go for sneaking. Being a 10-foot tall creature makes sneaking round considerably odd, as human-sized obstacles don’t conceal me fairly as nicely, that means I’ve to get a bit extra inventive and quiet. Choosing off foes with my large arrows feels good, as does performing melee assaults that ship their comparatively smaller our bodies flying. The bottom is crawling with AMPs, the strolling mech fits from the movies, which give a extra evenly-matched adversary as a result of their dimension, armor, and extra highly effective weaponry. 

Taking these down is usually a battle, however you may circumvent that through the use of your SID (Programs Interrogation Gadget), a hacking machine that, after ending a minigame the place you information nodes via an obstacle-laden maze, can briefly disable AMPs, leaving them susceptible to assault if you happen to select. 

This part was powerful because of the sheer variety of enemies. Alerting them sends the complete base after you, with even aerial reinforcements arriving within the type of the RDA Wyverns (these fancy helicopters from the movies). I managed to finish my guidelines of aims largely quietly, during which I needed to shut down or outright sabotage a number of key factors throughout the sprawling facility. Once I was caught, the RDA maintained some type of gentle alert standing even after I evaded their gaze for a superb whereas, which I appreciated as a contact of realism – they didn’t completely neglect I existed.  

Platforming and Flight

Since Na’vi have superhuman agility, I’ve an ordinary bounce and a extra highly effective vertical leap by holding down the bounce button. My Na’vi senses, activated by holding the best bumper, function an enhanced view of the environment by revealing animal scent trails (nice for monitoring and looking, extra on that later) and highlighting targets via the thick foliage.

Platforming has parts of parkour, showcased greatest in a mission the place I have to scale the suspended islands of the rookery to tame my flying mount, the ikran. Sprinting throughout its large vines, climbing up platforms, and grabbing objects similar to climbing vines can all be performed whereas operating, creating an satisfying circulation of motion and momentum. The extent design additionally feels pure; climbing factors aren’t apparent, however I can nonetheless get a superb sense of the place I have to go. 

Alongside the best way, I encounter the ikran of my fancy and try to assuage it by slowly approaching and whispering candy reassurances. Every time it ignores my advances, it flies off, triggering one other spherical of platforming. Once I lastly attain the highest and earn its belief sufficient to carry out the ceremonial bond, the ikran turns into my mate for all times, that means it turns into my everlasting flying mount (and might’t be killed). I additionally give my ikran a reputation from a preset listing – Carol, if you happen to’re questioning – and outfit it with adornments similar to a saddle and masks. 

Ikran will be summoned by hitting Up on the d-pad, and the attitude adjustments to third-person whereas mounted. Flying usually feels good as I’m in a position to increase flight velocity on the expense of my mount’s vitality bar. I replenish this by feeding it meals, which is finished on the fly by way of an merchandise wheel. Along with performing tips like barrel roles, flight opens up enjoyable fight alternatives. I come throughout a number of Wyverns and have interaction them with my bow or weapons, each of which may cut back a chopper right into a fiery heap. It’s usually simple to purpose and shoot whereas steering the ikran, although the true enjoyable is available in messing round with some inventive stunts. My favourite trick is to dive off the ikran in midair, provoke a free fall, pull out my Workers Sling to lob bombs at targets on the bottom, then command my ikran to catch me and take off as explosions rattle beneath. 

Ikrans additionally make for good distractions. On the RDA outpost, I known as it to the realm, which attracted the soldier’s consideration. As they opened fireplace at it, it gave me a window to slide by unnoticed. As your bond together with your ikran grows via the journey as you reconnect to Eywa, you should utilize them to journey to the sport’s different two areas – Higher Plains and Clouded Forest – as soon as they grow to be obtainable via the story. 

Exploration, Searching, Crafting, and Cooking

Kinglor forest is large, vibrant, and teeming with life. Better of all, the map isn’t plagued by icons. Frontiers of Pandora avoids this pitfall of many Ubisoft open-world video games for a less-is-more method. Solely key areas are highlighted, and aims tasked me with figuring out parts of the surroundings in a basic space or cardinal course (similar to a stone pillar lined in willow bushes in a single mission)  to search out my location as an alternative of shoving a waypoint precisely the place I have to be. This fashion, I’m in a position to hold my eye on the sport as an alternative of on the menu and really feel higher linked to the world because of this. 

Like within the movies, the world feels alive because of the dynamic interactions with the alien vegetation. Some are playful, like watching orange funnel crops shoot into the bottom upon method. Others are helpful, similar to blue flowers that launch speed-boosting pollen when stepped on. Some flora are harmful; hold a watch out for big, unstable egg bulbs that explode in shut proximity. Essentially the most helpful flower I discovered was the Tarsyu. This huge, pink flower rewards a ability level when you connect with it. They tower above the bottom and often require traversing elevated platforms or terrain to achieve them, however they’re value stopping what you’re doing to go to if you happen to see one. 

As I discover, I harvest a few of these crops for supplies utilized in crafting and cooking. This characteristic is extra concerned than I anticipated. Situations similar to time of day and climate decide the standard of the yield. A flower plucked within the afternoon could also be of decrease high quality than if it have been picked at night time, as a primary instance. A short minigame accompanies harvesting as I rotate the angled keep on with discover a candy spot earlier than yanking or reducing stems. You’ll be able to scan crops, animals, and different objects by clicking the best analog stick, which saves all of their data, similar to location and their supreme situations for harvesting, to a menu database. 

Searching is equally concerned. Animals sport weak factors, and focusing on them won’t solely drop them quicker however lead to cleaner kills. That is vital as the standard of the meat and hides is dependent upon how a lot ammo you dump into them and what kind. Arrows are nice for this as a result of their precision and energy. A few well-placed pictures can protect the meat whereas hitting weak factors ends in a merciful kill, including a bonus to your general yield high quality. Killing creatures with weapons renders them completely unharvestable – Na’vi abhor steel, in spite of everything. Thus, when confronted by extra aggressive beasts, the selection of killing them extra rapidly with weapons and dropping out on the reward is fixed and provides weight to battles.

A cooking system harking back to the current Zelda video games permits you to flip hard-earned elements into quite a lot of dishes. Combining elements ends in surprising combos. Some plates bestow short-term buffs. Unhealthy combos lead to gross dishes unfit for consuming. Recipes are robotically saved to a database for simple reference.  You should utilize harvested supplies to craft new weapons and armor at a weapon bench. Armor has color-coded rarities, although are nuanced with specialised perks. 

Exterior of crafting and consuming items, one specific recurring sidequest includes donating requested items to a tribe’s communal basket. Most villages I visited had one among these, and every requested a sure kind of plant, meals, or merchandise of a selected high quality or rarity. Fulfilling these requests crammed parts of a spiral meter. I didn’t fill it up throughout my session, and the Ubisoft consultant didn’t clue me in on what occurs if you do after I requested. We’ll simply have to attend and see the way you’re rewarded for being a beneficiant giver. 

Every thing you do feeds into leveling up, which unlocks ability factors to spend on 5 ability bushes: Survivor, Warrior, Hunter, Rider, and Maker. Survivor dictates stats for well being vitality (principally stamina) and will increase your stock dimension. Warrior pertains to all issues fight, letting you increase proficiency with weapons. Hunter unlocks extra abilities to enhance your monitoring and determine higher-quality supplies. Rider gives abilities to your ikran, similar to barrel rolls or catching fish when flying near water. Lastly, Maker improves cooking and crafting attributes. 

Total, I largely loved my time with Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. On one hand, it’s acquainted within the sense that it channels video games like Far Cry in its open-world fight and exploration. Alternatively, it cures criticism of Ubisoft’s open-world design, similar to eliminating icons and letting gamers discover utilizing the gorgeous sights. The sport admirably captures the spirit and identification of the IP, particularly since exploring and poking round is entertaining by itself. It stays to be seen how the storytelling holds up, however we gained’t have to attend an excessive amount of longer. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora launches on December 7 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Collection X/S, and PC