With the latest Avatar film dominating the box office, gamers have naturally leapt to the most recent game capable of emulating the feeling of blue aliens navigating Pandora. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora was released in December 2023 to coincide with the second film (The Way of Water) to generally lukewarm reviews, but with the release of the From the Ashes DLC there has been renewed interest in Ubisoft’s open world game. Having not played or reviewed the base game previously, delving in now following multiple new DLCs and QOL updates across two years allows for a look into the game as it stands in early 2026. Despite many reviews citing a generic story and open world bloat, the addition of the third person camera and a darker tale in From the Ashes has been enough to see a surge of positivity from the gaming community. Over the last three weeks, I have completed both Frontiers of Pandora and From the Ashes. In the process, it is clear how well Avatar as an IP lends itself to the video game medium. While many Far Cry staples are here (crafting, gunplay, mission structure, outposts) there is simply something magical about navigating Pandora on foot or in the sky as the world lights up in colour. Is it worth your time now? Read on.
The opening of Frontiers is story-heavy, establishing your character and their family within a tale that intertwines with the film’s focus. Working on the outskirts of Jake Sully’s rebellion against the RDA makes him more of a legend than central figure, ensuring your character feels fairly insignificant early on. As with all games establishing a hero, this changes over the course of a 25-hour campaign that can easily stretch to 75 hours if engaging with all the side content available. The initial missions introduce gameplay in crafting, combat, cooking and flying to set you up for success as the difficulty begins to ramp up. This also works well in highlighting all the NPCs that cheer you on along the way. From the Ashes then picks up a year after the conclusion of Frontiers, therefore it is recommended that you complete that base campaign before delving into the more polished DLC. There are also two other DLCs available, though I did not engage with them in this review process.
As stated, I was constantly reminded of Far Cry in my playthrough. I’d heard many say this prior to my time with the game and really have to agree. This could likely extend to other recent Ubisoft games, yet the difference here really is Pandora as a location. Not only is it one of the best-looking locations in any medium, but the sheer scale of being able to fly across the map at such dizzying heights means the sandbox has verticality. Once you acquire your Ikran five hours into the game, reaching other missions is really not a time issue. You’ll still need to spend most of the playthrough on the ground to craft, fight and locate secrets. Though knowing a single press can send you skyward is such a thrill in any moments that feel like a slog.
The gameplay loop is this: locate mission and quest giver, undertake quest, talk to others for side missions, level yourself up through those side missions so you are strong enough to take on the main missions, repeat. This may sound simple, yet it isn’t. Your skill number goes up through new gear, new skills, upgraded weapons and other completion-based activities to scale against a recommended level. If my level was beneath that recommended figure, I went into the mission section to start ticking off those side quests. This is where you’ll get that stronger gear, pristine materials and deeper lore. Yes, there are outposts to take out and collectibles in all corners. This doesn’t change the fact that all feels connected to the main story and will always benefit you in some way. The discourse around the game often cited repetition, but if that repetition is enjoyable and earned then it can easily support a 25-hour campaign. I was impressed with the depth in crafting and cooking, capable of building your character into an absolute beast. Then I started From the Ashes to see what a true Navi master was capable of.
Many have entered the game now because of the third person camera. First person was never a deal-breaker for me, as Cyberpunk 2077 is one of my favourite games of all time. Still, being able to see your nine-foot-tall blue cat alien decked out in your crafted gear does make the game feel both personalised and connected to the films. It can be obvious in parts that this game was designed for first-person, especially as cut scenes in the base game revert to this. From the Ashes flows more cleanly in this position and was clearly made with the intention of showcasing both viewpoints. Still, don’t discount first-person. Tasks such as hunting and shooting (and even platforming, surprisingly) work better when the screen is filled only with what you should hit. My recommendation is playing a few hours in each to see what works best for you. In the end, 90% of my playthrough (base + DLC) was third person.
The soundtrack can often be forgotten here because of the similarities to the movies. There are new tracks, but I was often so immersed that the soaring score when flying through the sky generally lost out to a focus on visuals. The sheer draw distance and spectacle is breathtaking, and the music adds atmosphere rather than pushing to the front of the queue. Voice acting is solid, while the sounds of forest may be the clencher here. The option to select a VA for your character is welcomed, though I may have picked a voice that sounded a bit young and novice – impacting the latter third of the base game. From the Ashes uses an existing warrior from Frontiers that felt much stronger. It is as though Ubisoft listened to all the criticisms for two years and crafted a DLC that demonstrated the true potential of the IP in gaming form.
From the Ashes really is a step up from the base game. The campaign is more focused, with a darker story and stronger lead. The set pieces are more exciting through the advanced battle techniques of So’lek, such as the visceral takedowns and slowing down time. Cut scenes have stronger writing and impact on the overall narrative. Even the side-quests feel more essential. Where the base game has dragging points and too many check-list activities, From the Ashes always has urgency and drive. The third-person implementation is much better, and even though the colours are not as vivid due to the fire and ash focus, I didn’t stumble into as many minor glitches (for some reason, waterfalls always became pixelated in the base game). It is still a similar game to Frontiers, but all components were more fun. Even the flying and shooting down the choppers had that action movie edge. The story wrapped up fairly quickly if eliminating all the side content, yet this is not a negative. While you should definitely finish the base game first, From the Ashes is the definitive experience in the existing package.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a solid base game with many great ideas combined into an edition that is at its best when exploring Pandora. From the Ashes, the third DLC released for the game, is simply the base game made better through a tighter experience with all the bells and whistles. I would recommend the game to anyone interested in the Avatar IP or open worlds in general, as few will ever look or feel this good thanks to Cameron’s original vision. While I spent a combined 40 hours on the two entries, there is more than 100 hours here for those that really want to live like a Navi. There are spoilers for the base game in From the Ashes, so it is recommended that you complete the original before exploring the DLC. Happy hunting!
Pros
- Breathtaking world
- Exploration is a joy
- The updates add a bevy of options to enhance your experience
Cons
- Can feel like a jack-of-all-trades at times
- DLC story and gameplay is much stronger than the base game. This is a con because the base game should be completed first
4/5
