The Ubisoft Forward showcase has just wrapped up, and generally speaking, it was pretty solid. Though it certainly had some pacing issues, with people taking to the stage for just a little too long, Ubisoft Forward did exactly what it set out to do: remind fans that Ubisoft still has plenty of games in the pipeline. WhileStar Wars: Outlawswas probably the biggest highlight of the showcase,Avatar: Frontiers of Pandoramight take that title for many fans.
Announced all the way back in 2021, with rumors suggesting it’s been around since 2017,Avatar: Frontiers of Pandorahas finally received its very first gameplay trailer, and a lot of it looks very impressive. From what fans have seen so far, it seems likeAvatar: Frontiers of Pandorahas managed to translate the beautiful environments ofJames Cameron’sAvataruniverseperfectly, with some truly impressive flora and fauna. However, not all ofAvatar: Frontiers of Pandoralooks completely original.
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Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Looks a Little Like a Far Cry Spinoff
A definite highlight of theUbisoft Forward showcase,Avatar: Frontiers of Pandorareceived a lengthy 6-minute gameplay trailer. Though there were still plenty of CG cutscenes interwoven between actual gameplay moments, this trailer does give fans a solid look at certain elements of the game, though these elements might look a little familiar toFar Cryfans.
The general gameplay loop ofAvatar: Frontiers of Pandoraseems to followFar Cryvery closely. Players drop into an expansive open-world, and get tasked with taking down an evil organization that’s built camps across an otherwise beautiful landscape, all from a first-person perspective. Along the way, players will have to encourage local factions to band together to fight the evil organization.
That’s just the start of the comparisons. A lot ofAvatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s gameplay mechanics look almost ripped directly fromrecentFar Crygames. During a moment in the trailer when the player-character is raiding an RDA facility, they slide across the floor while firing their bow and arrow. If it wasn’t for the blue arms holding the bow, some fans might think this is a scene fromFar Cry 6, and that comparison only grows stronger with the introduction of human weapons like assault rifles and shotguns.
The narrator of the gameplay trailer also announces that there’ll be a heavy emphasis on crafting inAvatar: Frontiers of Pandora, with it being the primary way to upgrade the player-character and their weapons. These upgrade and crafting materials can be found by harvesting plants and wildlife, which again, feels right at home in aFar Cry.
ButAvatar: Frontiers of Pandoraisn’t a mereFar Cryclone. Though it certainly shares a lot of the same DNA withFar Cry,Avatar: Frontiers of Pandoraisn’t without its own set of unique features and mechanics. The biggest difference betweenFar CryandAvatar: Frontiers of Pandorais the latter’s focus on aerial combat. While aerial vehicles have been a part ofFar Cryfor years now, they’re not usually a major part of gameplay, but inAvatar: Frontiers of Pandora, it seems to be half of the experience.
According toAvatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s gameplay trailer, a good portion of the game will take place in the skies, with the player exploring floating cliffs and taking down RDA gunships on their Ikran, or Banshee. When riding on the Banshee, the camera swaps to a third-person perspective, and the combat seems to function quite differently than when on the ground. Pair this with the game’s Direhorse mount, the gorgeous environments of Pandora, and some unique ways to traverse around the open-world andAvatar: Frontiers of Pandoradoes more than enough to stand on its own.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandorais set to release Jul 23, 2025 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
