- In my opinion, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora marked Ubisoft’s return to form.
- The game deserved more love and attention than it got and is one of the best open-world titles I’ve played recently.
- Future Ubisoft titles are also shaping up to be great, and the publisher might be on the way to reclaiming its lost glory.
When discussing Ubisoft, the likes of Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry come to mind, arguably some of the best open-world releases of the past two generations. However, there is no doubt that the quality of this studio’s output has deteriorated significantly in recent years.
These failures gave the studio a clear path for the future and allowed it to focus on its established IPs. Following this, Ubisoft revived or, better said, renewed one of its forgotten franchises.
Following an Avatar adaptation in 2009, the studio released Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora last year, and it was great. The game was a commercial and critical success, becoming the highest-rated Ubisoft release in recent years, even though it didn’t make as much of a splash as it should have.
However, if there’s one thing that I’ve picked up, it’s that the publisher is back in form. With exciting future releases on the way, I’d say that the developer’s future looks brighter than ever.
Why it matters: For a publisher considered a pioneer of open-world gaming, its failures in the past few years were disappointing and saddening. However, the studio has confirmed its intentions to dominate again.
Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora Deserved More Love
I believe one of the main reasons Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora didn’t receive much attention and love was Ubisoft itself. Gamers now have a pre-determined opinion on the studio’s releases, and it’s far from positive.
I understand their perspectives, too, considering the recent track record. However, the publisher is more than willing to make up for it; this Avatar adaptation is a testament to that. If you need more proof, look no further than the excellent Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.
Getting back to Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, the game isn’t entirely a Far Cry replica, though it certainly borrows a few elements. During my playthrough, I had quite a blast killing soldiers as a 10-foot-tall creature.
The combat is super fluid despite being pretty basic. Moreover, the never-seen-before west side of Pandora is canon to the movies and mesmerizing, to say the least. The Navi weapons are also super fun to use, and traversing Pandora with a flying mount is as immersive as it gets.
The title fully utilizes the Snowdrop engine’s potential and delivers some of the best audio from Massive Entertainment. Thanks to this engine, it was among the few titles that truly stood out for their visuals last year.
I’d wager that this title will be considered a hidden gem in a few years.
Future Ubisoft Releases
In my opinion, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is far from the best Ubisoft has to offer. The developer has tons of exciting releases coming in the future, and I speculate that it will eventually reclaim the throne of the best publisher.
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, despite the Yasuke controversy, is looking to be a promising release and has revamped its stealth elements. Splinter Cell is getting a remake with ray-traced reflections that will play a role in the stealth elements.
Star Wars: Outlaw is looking to be the space adventure game we have always wanted, and Prince of Persia’s remake is also moving ahead with more support. All in all, it’s a great time to be a fan of this publisher’s work.
Ubisoft is back to its roots, focusing on innovation and creativity. I hope it doesn’t make a wrong move now and that it continues to work on future games that offer the same spark as Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.
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