Summary
Despite being developed by Massive Entertainment and only published by Ubisoft,Avatar: Frontiers of Pandorais a Ubisoft game through and through. Although it improves somewhat on Ubisoft’s traditional open-world formula with fewer hand-holding mechanics and a unique parkour system, it still approaches everything else nearly the same way, filling in the empty spaces throughout its open world with enough copy-and-paste environments and activities to bloat it.Avatar: Frontiers of Pandoramight actually be the closest thing to aFar Crygame that a non-Ubisoft developer has ever done, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
In light of the kinshipAvatar: Frontiers of Pandorashares withFar Cryand its somewhat fresh approach toUbisoft’s open-world model, it might be time to give one highly underratedFar Cryspin-off another go. Since its release, it has not received a sequel nor any news of one, but it has a remnant of dedicated fans who would likely get behind it.Avatar: Frontiers of Pandoramay have essentially served as Massive’s pilot episode for its upcoming open-worldStar Warsadventure,Star Wars Outlaws, but it has also all but paved the way for this one-of-a-kindFar Cryspin-off to finally receive the love and attention it deserves.
It’s Time to Give Far Cry Primal Another Try
Far Cry Primal Is a Highly Underrated Far Cry Spin-off
Far Cry Primalisn’t the most well-received installment in theFar Cryseries, but it has garnered a significant following over the last eight years since its release. One of the reasons it has become more celebrated is likely due to the repetitive nature ofeach mainlineFar CrygameandFar Cry Primal’s uniqueness among them all. MostFar Crygames take place in a modern or futuristic setting, butFar Cry Primaltakes players back to prehistoric times. It also introduced some new mechanics to the franchise, like the ability to tame wild animals and even use them in combat.
What is perhapsFar Cry Primal’s biggest differentiating factor, however, is that it doesn’t focus on politics, as so manygames in theFar Cryseriestend to do. Instead, its story centers around a lone Wenja hunter named Takkar who must learn to survive in an unforgiving world after his hunting party is attacked by a wild beast. Since its release, there has not been anotherFar Crygame likeFar Cry Primal, which is ironically what has most likely contributed to its popularity among certain fans. All in all, it is a very underratedFar Crygame that arguably deserves to be continued.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Paved the Way for a Far Cry Primal Sequel
For all intents and purposes,Avatar: Frontiers of Pandorais not too different fromFar Cry Primal. It has already been compared to theFar Cryseries for its open-world designand gameplay mechanics, butFrontiers of Pandoracompares especially toFar Cry Primalin its emphasis on non-gun weapons, its rideable beasts, and its overall tone and feel. EvenFrontiers of Pandora’s bow mechanics are nearly identical toFar Cry Primal’s. Its focus on nature is also a big nod toFar Cry Primal’s Stone Age, although the environments inAvatar: Frontiers of Pandoraare much more deeply saturated in bright, exotic colors compared toFar Cry Primal’s green and sepia tones.
Since its release, there has not been anotherFar Crygame likeFar Cry Primal, which is ironically what has most likely contributed to its popularity among certain fans.
Arguably, Ubisoft has everything it needs to giveFar Cry Primalsome much-needed love in the form of a sequel. WithAvatar: Frontiers of Pandoraout of the way, its spiritual predecessor could stand on its shoulders for another try. All it might need to do from here is improve even further uponFrontiers of Pandora’s open-world modelto bring it further away from what has become a rather predictable formula in theFar Cryfranchise.
Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora
WHERE TO PLAY
Protect Pandora. Become Na’Vi. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora™ is a first-person, action-adventure game set in the open world of the never-before-seen Western Frontier of Pandora. Abducted by the human militaristic corporation known as the RDA, you, a Na’vi, were trained and molded to serve their purpose. Fifteen years later, you are free, but find yourself a stranger in your birthplace. Reconnect with your lost heritage, discover what it truly means to be Na’vi, and join other clans to protect Pandora from the RDA.
