Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – From the Ashes [REVIEW] – A New Perspective of Pandora

With the cinematic universe of Avatar expanding with Avatar: Fire and Ash, it feels like the perfect time for Ubisoft to drop the final DLC for their open-world adaptation, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, with it delivering a focused, emotionally charged experience that not only complements the base game but, in one signfiicant way, actually improves upon it. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

Taking place roughly alongside the events of the third film (which, if you haven’t watched yet, I highly recommend), From the Ashes puts players into the boots of So’lek, the battle-hardened warrior that will be familiar to fans of the main campaign. The premise is immediately darker and tougher to swallow than what came before, with the Kinglor Forest being decimated by the Ash Clan – a group of violent, pyromaniacal Na’vi – and the RDA.  

Leading the human side of this destruction is Major Tyler Bukowski, a villain who seems written purely to make your feel pure hatred for the RDA. He is the essential ‘human prick’ that the franchise loves to utilize, and to be fair, I didn’t mind this one bit. It gives the narrative a clear focal point and makes the stakes feel personal as you fight to reunite the scattered clans, with the narrative that feeling more grounded and, at times, more compelling than that which came in the base game. 

Of course, at its core, this is still very much a Ubisoft expansion. New map area? Check. New collectibles? Check. Bases to clear? Check. However, much like the base game, the Ubisoft formula here feels much more refined – I should point out that one of my favourite aspects of the base game was its respect for the player’s time, and From the Ashes doubles down on this. This is a streamlined adventure that cuts out a massive amount of open-world fluff, whilst other refinements such as simplifying the gear score system makes for a more straightforward experience overall. There are some small, unintrusive changes made to the base game’s formula, but it helps make the Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora a more enjoyable experience. 

Depending on how much of a completionist you are, you’re looking at anywhere between 10 to 20 hours of gameplay here. It keeps the narrative pacing tight without that nagging feeling of bloat that plagues so many other open-world titles, but honestly? I still found myself doing everything on the map. I’ll occasionally criticise it, but I’m a sucker for a checkbox exercise in open-worlds. 

“Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – From the Ashes gives players a fantastic reason to return to Pandora, and by streamlining the mechanics and shifting to a third-person perspective, it helps create an experience that feels more cinematic and distinct than before.“

The real game-changer here – and I cannot stress this enough – is the inclusion of the third-person camera. For the longest time, the biggest criticism leveled at Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora was that it just felt like a ‘Blue Far Cry’, with the first-person perspective, while immersive, often robbing players of the connection to your distinct playable character. It could make you feel like just another first-person hero, which is a bit of a disservice given how cool the Na’vi actually are.  

From the Ashes fixes this beautifully. Being able to pull the camera back transforms the experience entirely, and seeing your Na’vi traverse the environment, watching your customized gear shift as you move, and witnessing the sheer scale of the world against your character makes it FINALLY feel like a true Avatar experience rather than just a shooter. Navigating the dense canopies and the rocky terrain of the new Ravines biome feels much more tactile and precise, and, quite frankly, this is the way the game was meant to be played. It is worth noting that the third-person perspective comes as a free update for the game, and whilst I’ve used it for From the Ashes, you can play the whole game this way… what a treat. 

Visually, the game remains an absolute powerhouse, though the tone has shifted somewhat. The vibrant, neon bio-luminescence of the base game has largely been traded for a palette of greys, browns, and scorched earth, and whilst some might miss the lush beauty of the pristine forest, the devastation serves the story perfectly, creating a sombre atmosphere that highlights the stakes of So’lek’s journey. The original game felt VERY next-gen upon release, and whilst the environments aren’t quite so vibrant, that’s very much the case here. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

Combat has also seen some tweaks, with the introduction of the Mangkwan (Ash Clan) enemies spicing things up, which feel like a real threat (and a really cool inclusion after watching the third movie). The DLC also introduces new RDA Mech-Dogs to the roster, which are an absolute blast to destroy. They force you to keep moving and utilize the more kinetic movement system rather than just hiding behind a rock, with these encounters actually standing out the most for me. This is all balanced out by the new finisher moves – once you whittle an enemy’s health down, you can trigger a brutal takedown animation, which adds an effective and cinematic flair to skirmishes that’ll really make you feel like an unstoppable warrior. It’s good stuff. 

There are still a few niggles, of course. The new Ravines area, while visually distinct, forces you on foot for large sections, which can feel like a chore compared to the freedom of flying your Ikran. Additionally, while the third-person mode is fantastic, the game still jarringly cuts to first-person for swimming or soothing animals, which reminds you that this is a retrofitted feature. It’s not a big problem, but everytime it DID occur, I couldn’t help but to groan a little. 

Still, these are small issues that don’t stop Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – From the Ashes from being a wonderful addition to the core experience. It offers streamlined but satisfying gameplay, delivers a punchier story with a villain you love to hate, and finally lets us see the world through a lens that does the franchise justice… what more could you ask for? 

Developer: Massive Entertainment
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform(s): Xbox Series X|S (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PC
Website: https://www.ubisoft.com/en-gb/game/avatar/frontiers-of-pandora