Avatar (2009 video game)
Encyclopedia
James Cameron's Avatar: The Game is a 2009 third-person
action
video game prequel
to James Cameron's
film of the same name. The game was developed by Ubisoft Montreal
and released on the PlayStation 3
, Xbox 360
, PC
, Wii
and Nintendo DS
on December 1, 2009, with a PSP
version released later on December 8, 2009. It was announced by Ubisoft
that it would be using the same technology as the film to be displayed in stereoscopic 3D. In a Nintendo Power
interview, it was stated that the Wii version will use Ubisoft's Jade engine
. As of May 19, 2010, the game has sold nearly 2.7 million copies.
A significant feature has Sigourney Weaver
, Stephen Lang
, Michelle Rodriguez
, and Giovanni Ribisi
reprising their roles from the film.
As a Soldier, the player is equipped with firearms such as assault rifles, shotguns, grenade launchers, and Flamethowers. The soldier generally have to eliminate the enemies, which are fast and resilient and usually charging towards the player, from afar. Playing as an Avatar limits the player to only one Avatar-issued machine gun and various primitive weapons such as bows, crossbows and melee weapons. The Avatar player usually has to charge the enemies since ranged weapon are either weak (the machine gun), have slow rate of fire (bows and crossbows), or have limited ammunition; however, the human enemies are generally weak and the basic foot soldiers can die in one hit. The environment also reacts differently to the character: many plants will attack the soldier, while the Avatar can walk past said plants unharmed. A variety of vehicles or mounts are also available to each race.
If the player's health is reduced to 0, s/he can use a Recovery that instantly recovers to full health. Recoveries can be acquired by gathering cell samples left behind by killed creatures (including Humans or Na'vi) or plants, but only 5 Recoveries can be carried at any one time. Avatar players can collect Cell Samples more easily from many plants without having to "kill" them. If the player falls to his death, however, he cannot use Recoveries and have to reload from a check point which is automatically saved. The game offers no way to manually save when playing the game (it is only saved when player reach certain points, completed an objective, or quit the game). A special case involves a separate checkpoint when the user decides which race to side with, which cannot be overwritten.
As the player completes mission objectives or eliminates opposition, the character gains experience points and levels up. The leveling up process is quite linear, with no way to customize the character. Each level rewards the character with better version of the weapon, armor and skills she/he already has. The character can have only 1 armor, 4 skills and 4 weapons equipped into quick slot at any one time. The skills can be offensive (boost damage, summon air strikes / wild life), defensive (boost damage resistance, heal) or of general purpose (boost speed, invisibility).
Experience points is also converted to credits that is used in the Conquer minigame. It is a Risk
-style strategy game in which the player captures territories from enemies. Credits are used to buy troops (which has 3 types: infantry, heavy ground unit and air unit), defenses or limited special attacks. Some territores captured reward player with passive enhancements such as damage boost, critical chance, armor, health to use in the main game, as long as they are in the player's possession.
(Play Station 3 and Windows version)
as he filmed Avatar. According to Cameron, "For the movie Avatar we are creating a world rich in character, detail, conflict and cultural depth. It has the raw material for a game that the more demanding gamers of today will want to get their hands on - one that is rich in visuals and ideas, and challenging in play." While Sigourney Weaver
, Michelle Rodriguez
, and Stephen Lang
reprised their voices for their characters, Sam Worthington
and Zoe Saldana
, leading roles in the film, did not. The game was developed as an adaptation of the movie of the same name, with an original storyline and similar features. The developers had carte blanche from the movie. The idea originally came from James Cameron's daughter (Mary Cameron) and she thought it would be a good idea to create a game for the movie.
On August 27, 2009, MovieScore Magazine reported that composer Chance Thomas
had been hired to write the music for Avatar: The Game. It was unclear at the time whether the score would contain pieces of the original score composed by James Horner
for the movie.
video connection, and a 120 Hz
capable display in order to avail of the 3D effects. However, the following can be found on the Official Stereoscopic FAQ of the official forums: "Avatar: The Game has the option of outputting in most standard stereoscopic 3D formats, but a TV or monitor that is “3D-enabled” is necessary to decode and display the game in stereoscopic 3D." The release of the PC demo has confirmed the PC version of the game supports 3D capabilities as well.
According to Neil Schneider, executive director of the S-3D Gaming Alliance, NVIDIA has developed a proprietary method for NVIDIA's GeForce 3D Vision that allows left and right images to be passed directly from the game engine to the PC display, in the form of quad buffers
. Up until Avatar, this was a limitation criticized by the gaming industry because they were forced to use NVIDIA's stereoscopic 3D driver when they would prefer to have full control of the S-3D gaming experience. Alternate solutions like iZ3D monitors, interlaced displays, dual output projectors and 3D Checkerboard DLP do not require this enhancement because game developers have full output control.
The PC version garnered a metascore of 59 on Metacritic, while the console versions received a 60 for the Wii, a 60 for the PlayStation 3, and a 61 for the Xbox 360 edition.
On IGN
, the game received a mediocre score of 5.9 for Wii, and a passable 6.8 for other consoles. It received a 5.5 on GameSpot for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, while earning a poor 4.0 for the PSP edition.
In contrast with the mediocre reviews of most publications, according to Meant to be Seen (MTBS), the PC version fared much better with a rating of 8.2 out of 10. Its rationale was that PC stereoscopic 3D displays are readily available. "In a year or two when S-3D gaming is much more common, I really think Avatar: The Game will be a regularly cited example that demonstrates how things should be done and what the artistic potential is behind good 3D gaming," said the reviewer of MTBS.
Also, according to Gamesradar.com, the Wii version scored a 7 out of 10, saying, "You'll love that the forest world is lush and nicely realised, fun stealth-focused combat, and an overall a surprisingly decent movie tie-in." However, the site also said that, "You'll hate heaps of ugly clipping, control frustrations hamper its stealthy nature, and its repetitive goals."
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
action
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
video game prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
to James Cameron's
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
film of the same name. The game was developed by Ubisoft Montreal
Ubisoft Montreal
Ubisoft Montreal is a Canadian video game developer owned by French publisher Ubisoft.Ubisoft's North American studio is located in Montreal, Quebec...
and released on the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
, Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
and Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
on December 1, 2009, with a PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
version released later on December 8, 2009. It was announced by Ubisoft
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
that it would be using the same technology as the film to be displayed in stereoscopic 3D. In a Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
interview, it was stated that the Wii version will use Ubisoft's Jade engine
Jade engine
The Jade engine is a game engine developed and used by Ubisoft. The engine was originally developed by a development team on Ubisoft Montpellier, including Michel Ancel, for their critically acclaimed video game Beyond Good & Evil, the main character of which, Jade, shares its name...
. As of May 19, 2010, the game has sold nearly 2.7 million copies.
A significant feature has Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver is an American actress. She is best known for her critically acclaimed role of Ellen Ripley in the four Alien films: Alien, Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection, for which she has received worldwide recognition .Other notable roles include Dana...
, Stephen Lang
Stephen Lang (actor)
Stephen Lang is an American actor and playwright. He started in theatre on Broadway but is well known for his film portrayals of Stonewall Jackson in Gods and Generals and George Pickett in Gettysburg , as well as for his 2009 roles as Colonel Miles Quaritch in Avatar and as Texan lawman Charles...
, Michelle Rodriguez
Michelle Rodriguez
Mayte Michelle Rodríguez , known professionally as Michelle Rodriguez, is an American actress. Following on from her breakthrough role in 2000's Girlfight, she is best known for playing tough-girl roles and starring in Hollywood blockbusters such as The Fast and the Furious, Resident Evil,...
, and Giovanni Ribisi
Giovanni Ribisi
Giovanni Ribisi is an American actor. His film credits include Gone in 60 Seconds, Boiler Room, Saving Private Ryan, The Mod Squad, The Gift, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Lost in Translation and more recently, Public Enemies and Avatar...
reprising their roles from the film.
Story
Set in 2152 (two years before the events of the film), Avatar: The Game starts out with a new signals specialist arriving named Able Ryder, whose first mission is to save five marines from Viperwolves. After saving the marines, Ryder must go help another Sig Spec who is afraid of the Viperwolves. Then Ryder gets on a boat to another base, where Ryder is told to go fix the fences. After fixing the fences, Ryder gets told to get in his avatar. Ryder's first mission in his avatar body is to get cell samples. After getting the samples, a Na'vi tells Ryder to kill his infected animals. Ryder finds out that there is a mole and that it is one of the avatar drivers. He must then follow a Na'vi who will lead him to the mole. After finding who the mole is, Ryder must make a decision of Siding with the Na'vi or siding with the RDA.Gameplay
At first the player is allowed to choose the appearance of the character from a set of pre-defined faces, although not the name. After the player has chosen a side, each side the player chooses offers different gameplay, weapon set, skill set, and environment.As a Soldier, the player is equipped with firearms such as assault rifles, shotguns, grenade launchers, and Flamethowers. The soldier generally have to eliminate the enemies, which are fast and resilient and usually charging towards the player, from afar. Playing as an Avatar limits the player to only one Avatar-issued machine gun and various primitive weapons such as bows, crossbows and melee weapons. The Avatar player usually has to charge the enemies since ranged weapon are either weak (the machine gun), have slow rate of fire (bows and crossbows), or have limited ammunition; however, the human enemies are generally weak and the basic foot soldiers can die in one hit. The environment also reacts differently to the character: many plants will attack the soldier, while the Avatar can walk past said plants unharmed. A variety of vehicles or mounts are also available to each race.
If the player's health is reduced to 0, s/he can use a Recovery that instantly recovers to full health. Recoveries can be acquired by gathering cell samples left behind by killed creatures (including Humans or Na'vi) or plants, but only 5 Recoveries can be carried at any one time. Avatar players can collect Cell Samples more easily from many plants without having to "kill" them. If the player falls to his death, however, he cannot use Recoveries and have to reload from a check point which is automatically saved. The game offers no way to manually save when playing the game (it is only saved when player reach certain points, completed an objective, or quit the game). A special case involves a separate checkpoint when the user decides which race to side with, which cannot be overwritten.
As the player completes mission objectives or eliminates opposition, the character gains experience points and levels up. The leveling up process is quite linear, with no way to customize the character. Each level rewards the character with better version of the weapon, armor and skills she/he already has. The character can have only 1 armor, 4 skills and 4 weapons equipped into quick slot at any one time. The skills can be offensive (boost damage, summon air strikes / wild life), defensive (boost damage resistance, heal) or of general purpose (boost speed, invisibility).
Experience points is also converted to credits that is used in the Conquer minigame. It is a Risk
Risk (game)
Risk is a strategic board game, produced by Parker Brothers . It was invented by French film director Albert Lamorisse and originally released in 1957 as La Conquête du Monde in France. Risk is a turn-based game for two to six players...
-style strategy game in which the player captures territories from enemies. Credits are used to buy troops (which has 3 types: infantry, heavy ground unit and air unit), defenses or limited special attacks. Some territores captured reward player with passive enhancements such as damage boost, critical chance, armor, health to use in the main game, as long as they are in the player's possession.
(Play Station 3 and Windows version)
Development
On July 24, 2007, it was announced that Ubisoft would be developing Avatar: The Game in conjunction with director James CameronJames Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
as he filmed Avatar. According to Cameron, "For the movie Avatar we are creating a world rich in character, detail, conflict and cultural depth. It has the raw material for a game that the more demanding gamers of today will want to get their hands on - one that is rich in visuals and ideas, and challenging in play." While Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver is an American actress. She is best known for her critically acclaimed role of Ellen Ripley in the four Alien films: Alien, Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection, for which she has received worldwide recognition .Other notable roles include Dana...
, Michelle Rodriguez
Michelle Rodriguez
Mayte Michelle Rodríguez , known professionally as Michelle Rodriguez, is an American actress. Following on from her breakthrough role in 2000's Girlfight, she is best known for playing tough-girl roles and starring in Hollywood blockbusters such as The Fast and the Furious, Resident Evil,...
, and Stephen Lang
Stephen Lang (actor)
Stephen Lang is an American actor and playwright. He started in theatre on Broadway but is well known for his film portrayals of Stonewall Jackson in Gods and Generals and George Pickett in Gettysburg , as well as for his 2009 roles as Colonel Miles Quaritch in Avatar and as Texan lawman Charles...
reprised their voices for their characters, Sam Worthington
Sam Worthington
Samuel Henry J. "Sam" Worthington is an English born, Australian actor. After almost a decade of roles in Australian TV shows and films, Worthington gained Hollywood's attention by playing Marcus Wright in Terminator Salvation and the lead role, Jake Sully, in James Cameron's science...
and Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana , sometimes stylized Zoë Saldaña, is an American actress. She had her breakthrough role in the 2000 film Center Stage and later gained prominence for her roles as Anamaria in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Uhura in the 2009 film Star Trek, and a starring role...
, leading roles in the film, did not. The game was developed as an adaptation of the movie of the same name, with an original storyline and similar features. The developers had carte blanche from the movie. The idea originally came from James Cameron's daughter (Mary Cameron) and she thought it would be a good idea to create a game for the movie.
On August 27, 2009, MovieScore Magazine reported that composer Chance Thomas
Chance Thomas
Chance Thomas is a composer and producer of original music for video games. He has worked on titles such as King Kong, X-Men, Lord of the Rings, and Quest for Glory V: Dragon Fire. Thomas' projects have won major awards, including the Oscar, Emmy, IGN, and G.A.N.G...
had been hired to write the music for Avatar: The Game. It was unclear at the time whether the score would contain pieces of the original score composed by James Horner
James Horner
James Roy Horner is an American composer, orchestrator and conductor of orchestral and film music. He is noted for the integration of choral and electronic elements in many of his film scores, and for frequent use of Celtic musical elements...
for the movie.
3D capabilities
According to Luc Duchaine, the game's senior international brand manager, the game will require an HDMIHDMI
HDMI is a compact audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed digital data. It is a digital alternative to consumer analog standards, such as radio frequency coaxial cable, composite video, S-Video, SCART, component video, D-Terminal, or VGA...
video connection, and a 120 Hz
Refresh rate
The refresh rate is the number of times in a second that a display hardware draws the data...
capable display in order to avail of the 3D effects. However, the following can be found on the Official Stereoscopic FAQ of the official forums: "Avatar: The Game has the option of outputting in most standard stereoscopic 3D formats, but a TV or monitor that is “3D-enabled” is necessary to decode and display the game in stereoscopic 3D." The release of the PC demo has confirmed the PC version of the game supports 3D capabilities as well.
According to Neil Schneider, executive director of the S-3D Gaming Alliance, NVIDIA has developed a proprietary method for NVIDIA's GeForce 3D Vision that allows left and right images to be passed directly from the game engine to the PC display, in the form of quad buffers
Quad buffering
Quad buffering is a technology for implementing stereoscopic frame rendering in computer graphics. For stereoscopic rendering, each eye must receive a separate image...
. Up until Avatar, this was a limitation criticized by the gaming industry because they were forced to use NVIDIA's stereoscopic 3D driver when they would prefer to have full control of the S-3D gaming experience. Alternate solutions like iZ3D monitors, interlaced displays, dual output projectors and 3D Checkerboard DLP do not require this enhancement because game developers have full output control.
Reception
Avatar: The Game received mixed reception. Many critics criticized the game's linear gameplay and unintuitive controls, and the Wii version received mediocre scores as well, with many reviewers citing poor camera work, frame rate and story telling, but visuals and controls were regarded comparatively well.The PC version garnered a metascore of 59 on Metacritic, while the console versions received a 60 for the Wii, a 60 for the PlayStation 3, and a 61 for the Xbox 360 edition.
On IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, the game received a mediocre score of 5.9 for Wii, and a passable 6.8 for other consoles. It received a 5.5 on GameSpot for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, while earning a poor 4.0 for the PSP edition.
In contrast with the mediocre reviews of most publications, according to Meant to be Seen (MTBS), the PC version fared much better with a rating of 8.2 out of 10. Its rationale was that PC stereoscopic 3D displays are readily available. "In a year or two when S-3D gaming is much more common, I really think Avatar: The Game will be a regularly cited example that demonstrates how things should be done and what the artistic potential is behind good 3D gaming," said the reviewer of MTBS.
Also, according to Gamesradar.com, the Wii version scored a 7 out of 10, saying, "You'll love that the forest world is lush and nicely realised, fun stealth-focused combat, and an overall a surprisingly decent movie tie-in." However, the site also said that, "You'll hate heaps of ugly clipping, control frustrations hamper its stealthy nature, and its repetitive goals."