The moment has finally arrived for us to dive into the enchanting world of Pandora. The anticipation and excitement surrounding this game were undoubtedly reaching a fever pitch for RPG fans.
I intentionally refrained from watching the trailer, opting for a fresh perspective and minimal expectations as I embarked on this gaming journey. This review will strive to steer clear of any plot spoilers and major story revelations.
The Ambassador Program (TAP)
As customary for all games, let’s kick things off with the basics. The game introduces us to TAP, a group of humans whose ostensible mission is to assist us Na’vi children supposedly abandoned by our families. Naturally, we quickly discern that appearances can be deceiving. Alma, one of our teachers, has immersed herself in the Na’vi culture, imparting to us the peculiarities of the “human” way of life.
It’s safe to assert that things are not as they seem, and soon we find ourselves compelled to venture into the real world where we truly belong – the world of Pandora.
Audio and Visual
The game is exquisitely detailed, capturing the essence of a forest straight out of the movie. The creatures encountered throughout the game are a visual feast. However, it did put me off slightly that the game is played in the first person. Considering the effort invested in crafting our avatars, it would have been nice to witness them in action.
One thing I noticed early on was a sense of nausea induced by the game. Navigating through the forest and tracking waypoints became challenging, particularly for a casual gamer with less-than-perfect eyesight. The situation was exacerbated at night when the environment (leaves, flowers, creatures) emitted a glow, sometimes in bright white or neon colors.
Some quests impose a time limit, requiring a sprint that induces a dizzying sensation. The game includes a disclaimer for those sensitive to such stimuli, cautioning against potential seizures or nausea.
The audio quality is top-notch, enhancing the overall gaming experience. I especially relished the voice acting and how it manipulated my emotions during pivotal scenes. The sound of water splashing, leaves rustling as we sprinted past, and the eerie noises made by creatures further elevated the immersive atmosphere of Pandora.
Controls and Movement
The game’s controls are straightforward, resembling those of other RPGs, whether you’re using a keyboard and mouse or a controller. However, the camera movement was a persistent source of discomfort, even with adjustments to its speed. This became particularly noticeable after extended gameplay.
On a positive note, the game’s responsiveness is commendable. Sprinting and dodging attacks unfold seamlessly, contributing to a more engaging experience.
Quests, Crafting, and Skills
While the main storyline provides a compelling narrative with a fair share of drama, my real enjoyment was in the side quests. Often imbued with humor or better rewards such as new crafting designs and recipes, these side missions added a delightful dimension to the game.
Understanding skill points is straightforward, with each trait accompanied by a brief explanation. Prioritizing skills according to personal preference is key. In my case, I leaned heavily into stealth skills, aiming to navigate quests and side missions with finesse and, truth be told, avoid confrontations in both the game and real life – because who wouldn’t want that?
Disclaimer: Before diving into my experience with AVATAR: Frontiers of Pandora, it’s important to note that gaming encounters can vary widely. What I faced might not be the same for everyone, as factors such as individual preferences, hardware, and software configurations play a significant role in the gaming experience.
Starting with AVATAR: Frontiers of Pandora, my first dive into this much-anticipated game was a mix of excitement, challenges, and a few surprises. It’s worth mentioning that we had the opportunity to play the game on both a high-end PC and my Acer Nitro 5 laptop, providing a perspective on varied gaming setups.
Long Cutscenes and Tricky Tutorials
The initial lengthy cutscenes caught my attention. However, the tutorial felt a bit confusing. The controls were a bit slow, making it unclear where to go. The tutorial mainly focused on sprinting, but doing so quickly drained my stamina. The real issue came when trying to reach a closing gate in the first area – I got stuck for about 20 minutes, thinking I needed a keypass or card key.
Early Gameplay Frustration
After the last cutscene and creating my avatar, escaping the first area became a challenge due to my misunderstanding of the tutorial. Instead of needing a keypass, I just had to run past the closing gate but the game somehow bugged and didn’t allow me to progress. Unfortunately, I only realized this after restarting the game, watching cutscenes again, creating a new avatar, and starting over – a bit frustrating.
Avatar Voice Selection Issue
Another problem popped up during avatar creation when I couldn’t select a male voice(keep in mind, that this was during early access, so here’s hoping these issues get fixed in the final release).
Tutorial and Learning Curve
Looking back, the tutorials felt a bit sparse, especially for those not familiar with this gaming genre. A bit more direction could have saved players from the confusion and frustration(especially during the exploration).
Exploration and Motion Blur
While scouring the area, I noticed feeling a bit dizzy at times, even after turning off motion blur in the settings. If you’re new to these types of games, it’s something to consider.
Laptop Specifications: For those interested, my gaming setup consists of an Acer Nitro 5 with a 1050Ti GPU and 12GB of RAM on low settings.
Contributor/Author: Jhimlerry Lacap
Not everyone’s cup of tea
In conclusion, this game is a treat for RPG enthusiasts. However, it may not cater to everyone’s taste. Personally, the factors that dampened my experience were the occasional bouts of nausea and the somewhat confusing map design. There were instances of me falling off cliffs or going in circles due to the similarities between areas. Even with the assistance of waypoints and a handy map, navigation remained a bit challenging – or perhaps it was just me! Hehe.
