Version Differences in James Cameron's Avatar: The Game

[CarolineJohnson]

James Cameron's Avatar: The Game was released on many different systems, and has five distinct versions that you can play. FIVE. That is a LOT of different versions for a game (I am counting all versions collectively as a single game, as every single version has an identical name and is a tie-in game to the exact same movie).

Now, I was confused about the versions for the longest time (like at first I heard every system had a different story entirely, then there was that one time I heard the PC version was gonna have some open world shit with character creation, etc. Just confusing and occasionally incorrect information), and after an in-depth investigation, I now understand exactly what's going on with all of them, so I decided to make this thread for anyone here who was confused. Each explanation will be followed by a mini-review and some screenshots. Mini-review to help you choose the version you want, screenshots just so you can tell at a glance which version is which without knowing what system.

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Systems:

• Playstation 3
• Xbox 360
• PC

This version, set two years before the film, tells the story of an RDA signals specialist named Able Ryder (whose gender and appearance is the player's choice). They have an Avatar body which assists them in navigating the landscape of Pandora. It is soon discovered that there is a mole in the ranks of the Avatars working for the Na'vi, and you are the one tasked with finding them... The game plays like a traditional third-person shooter, albeit with a bit more action/adventure elements.

This game isn't AWFUL unless you're playing for the story. The gameplay and graphics are awesome, but the story is lackluster and quite awful. Like...the ending cutscene is only around 1 or 2 minutes long, abrupt, and seems almost disconnected from what you were doing just 5 seconds before (In fact, there's a path in the game that you can take that *SEMI-SPOILERS AHEAD* gets a character killed, but in the ending he'll still be alive and even speak to you *END SEMI-SPOILERS*). Also, there aren't multiple endings even though you can make choices that change how the rest of the game plays out (see spoiler in in previous sentence), which is totally sucky. Also some plot elements are bastardized versions of things that happened in the film, and feels kind of tacked-on and poorly done.

Let me note that if you're looking for amazing night visuals, like in the film, YOU WILL GET AMAZING NIGHT VISUALS. The following screenshot shows that off, if you're curious to see if it holds up to the film. It totally does, and even I had to just stop and gawk even though I had seen the film several times before I played the game and none of the things seen were entirely new to me. The graphics are just crazy good, even though the game is kind of bad.

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Systems:

• Nintendo Wii
• Playstation Portable

This version tells the story of Rai'uk, a Na'vi warrior from the Anurai clan. His clan is massacred by a group of humans, and he makes his revenge slowly by studying them to learn more about how they fight. After learning his clan's artifacts were to be transported away, he follows and finds the man responsible for his clan's destruction running toward the Hallelujah Mountains... The game plays like an action/adventure, albeit with some stealth elements. The Wii version has multiplayer.

Now, this looks like a decent game, although quite level-based (i.e. pick a mission from a world map, get transported there, do the mission, go back to world map, repeat) from what I've seen. I'll have to play it to actually see how it is, but it seems a lot better than Version 1 (grumble grumble).

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Systems:

• Nintendo DS

This version follows Nok, a Na'vi of the Tawkami clan. Having heard stories of the Sky People his whole life, he believes in their existence while his friend, Omati, does not. One day, the children are prohibited from leaving the village. Nok and his friend sneak out, only to find that the Sky People are real and invading. The game plays practically identically to The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.

One of the finest action/adventure games on the DS, I'd say. It's got charm, feels slightly like a Zelda hack in the way it controls, and is overall not too bad looking. My only gripe is that there's not another system this version's story can be seen on, so no higher res version that isn't top-down... But that doesn't take away from the greatness of the game at all.

(may look better in motion)

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Systems:

• iOS
• Android
• Nokia HD

This version follows the tale of Ryan Lorenz, a new Avatar driver tasked with collecting Unobtanium. After finding a Tree of Souls, he falls unconscious and is given a message by Eywa, showing the human's destruction of the planet. He awakens in the Hometree of the Ni'awve clan and is shown their life, in the hopes he will assist them. The game plays identically to Version 1, although with less buttons and more virtual controllers.

I dunno about this one. While it looks okay, the story just seems like somewhat of a cop-out. I mean, it's good that it adds something to the known world of Pandora and gives a little more life to the setting, it just sounds like it might end up being somewhat of a cop-out in the end. If someone wants to send me a controller I can use with my tablet that isn't bluetooth-compatible or an iReadyGo Much so I can play this game and accurately rate it, please do. Virtual controllers are hard as balls for me to use.

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Systems:

• Mobile (presumably this means devices like flip phones; I could not find any other information about what this game is on)

The story of this version actually conflicts with the events of the movie. Jake Sully is marking unobtanium deposits while in his Avatar body. He sees Neytiri and, at the urging of Grace Augustine, follows her. After catching up, he falls unconscious and dreams of the destruction to the planet humans are causing. He awakens and Neytiri runs off after seeing the totem marking on his hand. The game plays like a side-scrolling action/platformer AND a top-down shooter.

This game. Just. The story conflicting with the movie is enough that I will never play this or even consider playing it. It looks fun, but I don't want a tie-in game that conflicts with the movie it's tying into. No mini-review for you. Also, who the fuck has a mobile that this game would even be compatible with anyway?

On an unrelated note, the graphics of this game appear to be quite good. Very good spriting.

[Swagmaster]

Never played the game, but this seems interesting enough. I'll have to try it out one of these days

[NekoJonez]

I have played it a little bit and it was acceptable for being a movie game.

[CarolineJohnson]

Never played the game, but this seems interesting enough. I'll have to try it out one of these days

Just remember to get the right version for you.

I have played it a little bit and it was acceptable for being a movie game.

Which version? Some of them seem acceptable if you're not that into the movie, but if you're into the movie then they may seem less acceptable.

[NekoJonez]

I played the Nintendo DS version.

[CarolineJohnson]

I played the Nintendo DS version.

Ah. That one's pretty good and interesting, especially if you're a fan of the kind of gameplay seen in Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks.

[NekoJonez]

True that. Maybe I have to get to reviewing it one day.