2024 is the year of trying new things for me, so today I’m stepping out of my wheelhouse. I’ve been completely immersed in Persona 3 Reload. Yes friends, I’ve been playing a JRPG. A genre almost totally unfamiliar to me. My experience is pretty much limited to Final Fantasy XV and Pokémon. Persona 3 Reload has been a huge change for me. My gaming world recently has very weirdly been revolving around Fortnite with friends. But enough about that. Let’s just dive right in!

What is Persona 3 Reload?

Persona 3 Reload is a reimagining of the original genre-defining RPG from 2006. Although the modern gaming market seems to be saturated with remakes and remasters, this one is a standout (in my opinion). You play as a transfer student, who enters a whole new world on top of a new school. A hidden hour exists between each day. The Dark Hour. Shadows exist within this Dark Hour, wreaking havoc on the normal world. It is the job of your character and his companions to defeat these Shadows and save the world. All while maintaining good grades, clubs, and friendships.

Admittedly, I did find the start of Persona 3 Reload to be slow. It took a solid two hours before I could actually get interested in anything that was happening. Normally, a game will click with me within the first half hour. I make up my mind very quickly – the same goes for books and movies. With Persona 3 Reload, I pushed through. And friends, I am very glad I did.

A Different Persona

I’ll start by saying the singular thing I did not like about Persona 3 Reload. The blood. Although it definitely fits in with the style of the game, it just didn’t look right to me. The shade of red was just way too bright for me. Maybe I’m a little too critical, but it bugged me. Especially in areas with a darker colour scheme. Aside from that, I had a pretty seamless run.

The creature design behind the Shadows in Persona 3 Reload really spoke to me. Some were a little cheesy, but not in a bad way. It added a sweet level of charm to the battles. And some Shadows were deceptively beautiful. Beauty aside, however, there was a nice aspect of challenge within battles. I always like to avoid spoilers, so I won’t go into detail here, but I adored the boss battles within Tartarus and the wider area. It took me a couple of fights to get used to get used to the turn-based combat.

Something that was very new to me and really took a while to understand was the Social Stats. Charm, Courage and Academics. Outside of battles and levels in that sense, you also need to work on your social life. School, part-time jobs, and clubs all contribute to this. Even playing games in the local arcade can help, depending on the genre. Furthering Social Stats is essential to properly progress through the game. They allow you to unlock further social links, allowing you to develop your Personas. That’s my understanding of how it works, anyway. I’m probably looking at it in a very simplistic light.

Reload Relationships

Social Links are all attached to different Tarot Arcana. Different characters represent different Arcana and present different scenarios for you to experience. From helping train children in track, to going for ramen, or even just watching a movie in the dorm. Each activity gives you a chance to get to know the people around you on a more human level, making each person significant in the real world. Persona 3 Reload has put a lot into really making you feel like these are real people.

Each relationship you pursue, be it for friendship or more, is special. Each character has so much to offer, and past the first couple of conversations, they get pretty interesting. Everyone has their own hopes and dreams, and paths to follow. Combined with the different scenarios and activities, everything becomes meaningful. Out of all the games I’ve played over the years, Persona 3 Reload has some of my favourite character development of all time.

Tartarus go Brrr

Every night, during the Dark Hour, you can choose to travel to Tartarus. The realm of the Shadows. Fighting in Tartarus allows you to level up your character, team and Personas. There is a total of 264 floors to Tartarus, each varying with enemy amount, type and strength. It’s a great way to practice tactics, and teams while learning how your different Personas work.

I’ve found that on days when I’m feeling more stressed, booting up Persona 3 Reload and jumping into Tartarus is therapeutic. Just killing Shadow after Shadow. Definitely a fantastic stress reliever.

A Parting Persona

I’m very pleasantly surprised to say I absolutely loved Persona 3 Reload. At this stage, we all know that I’m a little set in my ways when it comes to gaming. I don’t often step out of my comfort zone. However, I’m really glad that I did with Persona 3 Reload. Although some things took a little while to click, overall this is a fantastic game. It’s a great introduction to the Persona series and a nice way to get into JRPGs.

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We’re only a few weeks into the new year, and I’m already stepping away from my normal gaming habits. I’ve dived right into an open world, and truth be told, I haven’t wanted to leave it. Friends, I have been exploring the depths of Pandora. And now, finally, it’s time to talk about Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

What is Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora?

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a first-person, action-adventure, taking place in one of the most beautiful worlds to ever grace our screens. You play as a Na’vi, from the lost Sarentu clan. As a child, you were abducted by a human military known as the RDA. 15 years after this, you have finally managed to escape, into a world now completely unfamiliar. As a free Na’vi, embark on a journey to reconnect with your lost heritage, embrace being Na’vi, and fight alongside your brethren to take down the RDA.

Exploring Pandora

Friends, I don’t quite know where to start with this. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has truly blown my mind. We’ll start slowly here. The world design. Pandora is a truly beautiful planet. The attention to detail that has gone into the art is astounding. Huge huge props need to go to the art team behind Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. In all my years of gaming, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such beauty. Every little detail is truly immaculate.

The audio design matches the world perfectly also. It truly feels like you are wandering through nature. The environment feels very organic.

The only place where I actually had any issues was related to gameplay. Even then, it was a minor issue. For the majority of the game, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is extremely smooth. It feels similar to the Assassin’s Creed franchise for gameplay. The single issue I had was combat-related, specifically with the bow and arrow. There were moments when this particular weapon felt very clunky. However, this truly was the only issue I had throughout my whole play-through. Even the crafting system is pretty seamless, once you get used to it.

Pandora’s Tale

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora isn’t just a beautiful game to look at, though. The story is truly engaging. From learning about your own heritage as Sarentu, and Na’vi in general, to interacting with other clans, to going up against the RDA.

Every avenue feels fully fleshed out, and there is enough variety throughout to make you want to continue playing long after you’ve finished the main story. It’s well worth the time and money.

Final Frontiers

After playing the demo for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, I had a feeling I was going to like this game. Despite that though, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. Undeniably, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is one of the best games I have ever played. From a beautiful world to an engaging story, this ticks all the boxes for me.

I genuinely cannot recommend this game enough to pretty much everyone. Even if you’re not a fan of the movie franchise, you can still fully enjoy the game. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is well worth playing.

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Friends, this has been a long time coming. Though I kept putting this off, hoping for an improvement. However, it’s now time to talk about Paranoid. This won’t take very long, it’s another game from Madmind Studio (the folks behind Agony and Succubus). Don’t worry though, Paranoid is very on brand.

What is Paranoid?

Paranoid is the story of Patrick Calman, a man with paranoid schizophrenia, who has lost almost his entire family. His psyche is shattered, and his apartment is essentially a prison for him. A call from his still-living sister comes in, many years after she seemingly disappeared. Patrick is now faced with the choice of going out to pick up his medication, or staying home without meds to spy on his neighbour. There’s no way to make that not sound creepy. Dude has a hole in one of his walls to look at his neighbour through.

The thing with Paranoid

I’ll get the technical things out of the way first. Graphically speaking, Paranoid is not something to write home about. It’s not bad, it’s not particularly good. The word mediocre springs to mind. There are moments where the animation itself even feels clunky, even on the lowest settings. Optimisation is poor, to say the least. The only way to describe the gameplay is janky. Movement doesn’t feel particularly natural, and combat feels heavy. It’s jerky, more reminiscent of a PS1 game than a game released in late 2023. There are also minor annoyances, like subtitles not actually matching what has been spoken.

Paranoid tries to emulate the sound design from Hellblade Senua’s Sacrfice. Tries, mind you. It does not succeed. Instead of giving an intense, dark vibe, it just gives headaches.

Not very Paranoid

This game is meant to be showcasing a person living with a mental illness, but it misses the mark on every front. I’m all for games showcasing mental health and illness, when it’s done well. However, this is not done well. The longer the game goes on, the more it feels like a cash grab. It feels like someone just sat down with Psychology for Dummies, picked out a random disorder and rolled with it.

Paranoid has an interesting concept behind it, but misses the mark on every single point. Which, at this point, is to be expected from Madmind. Even updates can’t fix all the issues with this game. However, there are still loyal fans throwing their money at this studio, allowing games like this to pass through the cracks. This one is just not worth playing at all. But hey, you have to admire the lack of care to keep putting out such poor quality games. Maybe one day Madmind will flip the script and give us a good game. I won’t be holding my breath though.

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Current Jade is here to tell you to hold on to your butts! Yes, it’s time to talk about Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection! And yes, I took my time with this so I could play as much as possible. Is anyone really surprised? Really, I spared no expense.

What is Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection?

This collection brings together seven titles from the infamous franchise. Of course, this also means they come with some upgrades. Save state support, new maps, and quality-of-life fixes exist. Included in this collection are:

• Jurassic Park 8-BIT
• Jurassic Park Portable
• Jurassic Park 16-BIT
• Jurassic Park Genesis
• Jurassic Park Part 2: The Chaos Continues 16-BIT
• Jurassic Park Part 2: The Chaos Continues Portable
• Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition Genesis

Each game is a solid upgrade of the originals, giving a rounded experience. You’ll get to play as both Dr Alan Grant AND a velociraptor on your quest for survival. And these are adventures you don’t want to miss.

Life Finds a Park

Everyone who knows me knows that I have a deep love of the entire Jurassic Park franchise. But adding to my collection, games in particular is not an easy feat. Especially the older games. So when I heard that Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection was happening, you can imagine my excitement. I have been trying to get my hands on the NES/SNES/Genesis era of games for months upon months.

Sitting down and getting to experience these games finally is almost indescribable. The art style, being the classic remastered, is incredibly cool. Many games as of late try to emulate the nostalgic style of older games. None quite hit the nail on the head though. Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection is everything I needed artistically. I’m a simple woman, I like older things brought to a new light.

The gameplay takes a little bit to get used to. Especially when learning how to aim when you need to shoot. Once you adjust, it’s a lot of fun. However, I firmly believe that the greatest gameplay comes from being a velociraptor. You should buy Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection for that alone.

Jurassic Thoughts

Truth be told, there isn’t a whole lot to say about these games. While there is some level of difficulty within, it’s nothing that can’t be overcome with some practice. Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection is the perfect amount of nostalgia paired with the 30-year anniversary of the franchise.

If you’re a franchise fan, or just enjoy the feel of old games, you need this collection in your life. Although, I honestly feel everyone needs to play these games. That may be my dinosaur bias speaking, but it’s true. Everyone needs more dinosaurs in their lives. My only complaint is that I missed out on scoring the physical edition.

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Days like today, I really love what I do. There is something extremely satisfying about getting to sit with a cup of tea, talking about dinosaurs. My lovely friends at Frontier have blessed us with more DLC for Jurassic World Evolution 2. This game is the gift that keeps on giving. Up on the block this time is the Cretaceous Predators Pack!

Cretaceous Predators on the Prowl

There is something very satisfying about watching new dinosaurs getting the lay of the land. Building a new enclosure and learning about new species melts my heart. The Cretaceous Predator Pack brings four new, beautiful species, each spicier than the last.

First up, we have the Gigantoraptor. This giant thief is the largest known Oviraptor of the Late Cretaceous period. This beautiful creature as large, elongated legs, and an extensive plumage. These features ensure the Gigantoraptor can consistently maintain speed while hunting.

Next, we have the Utahraptor. This predator was one of the largest dromaesaurs to exist! Another truly ruthless predator, Utahraptor is vastly intelligent. Incredible feathers paired with large, scythe-like claws will be sure to terrify prey and enthral guests.

Coming third, we have Concavenator! This incredible beast is extremely distinctive. It has a narrow hump that’s formed by two large vertabrae. The intrusive thoughts in my head want to put a saddle on it, and train it like a horse. Although, the this therapod would definitely have no issues eating me, especially being such a fierce hunter.

Last but not least, we have Tarbosaurus. This particular tyrannosaurine therapod is a gargantuan hunter. It’s also inspired by the fantastic Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous. Be warned though, friends. This particular predator need a very secure enclosure.

Cretaceous Dreams

Everyone knows by now that I was a little disappointed with the Marine Species pack (I still want that Meg to come), but the Cretaceous Predator Pack is a definite return to top form. Again, that is based on personal preference.

Something I have really noticed in this DLC is the attention to detail. I’ve been saying this from the beginning, Frontier is made up of truly incredible people. Everything from the smallest feather to the most minor behaviour is designed to perfection. Even the wind moving through the feathers is immaculate.

Having these new species in my park is a truly fantastic experience. The more time I spend with this game, the more I love it, and Frontier.

On a parting note, I would like to thank Frontier for their support, and keeping my year filled with prehistoric perfection. It is an honour to get to talk about something I hold so closely to my heart. I cannot wait to see what’s coming in the future.

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What is Luto?

Luto is an upcoming psychological horror experience. You play the role of a man, inexplicably unable to leave his own home. The game will explore the pain of loss, grief, and the darkness behind anxiety and depression, amongst other things. The world within the house is full of secrets, and challenges. The lines between fact and fiction are blurred.

Although not particularly covered in the demo, Luto itself will contain depictions of suicide, as well as mental health topics. Please play with caution if you are sensitive to these topics!

The Demo

The demo for Luto is a relatively short experience. You spawn (for want of a better word) inside a house, with limited rooms available to explore. The house is messy, almost falling apart in some areas. To progress, you must solve a couple of puzzles, and essentially fill in the blanks in the picture series.

I’m not going to lie, friends. I don’t know how I feel about the demo for Luto. The concept is unique and interesting. To show off the thematic ideas and gameplay, minus the game’s story. However, that’s exactly where I ran into problems.

Not so Luto

The lack of a story is a huge issue for me. I’ve always associated demos with an introduction to a story and characters. An opportunity to show off what’s to come, and reel you in early. Genuinely, it is a great concept. Demoing without the story showcases the ability of the animation, art, and gameplay teams. And I do love that. It’s wonderful for extra light to be shed on that side of things.

But I don’t feel like I came out of this demo knowing any more about what the developers are trying to accomplish. All I’ve gotten from this experience is a haunted house. The last haunted house game I played was Madison, and I loved it. Admittedly, I was shocked at how much I loved it.

I truly hope that Luto has a lot more to offer than what the demo showed. If anything, it has got my interest piqued.

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A little reminder on Jurassic World Evolution 2

Jurassic World Evolution 2 is a wonderful park-building simulator, with campaign mode, chaos theory, challenge mode, and sandbox. At the point of writing, there are 7 DLCs and a Deluxe Upgrade pack available for the game (all of which I’ve reviewed!) DLC 8, Cretaceous Predator Pack is due for release later this week. I for one cannot wait to sink my teeth into that. If my count is correct, there are currently around 110 different species in the game (including DLC), with four more coming in the Cretaceous Predator Pack. Please don’t trust my maths skills in full, it was never my best subject.

Evolving World for Park Building

I’ve loved park-building simulators since I was small. One of my earliest gaming memories is playing the original Zoo Tycoon on my dad’s PC. And the first-person mode in the second game, which completely blew my tiny mind. I even played Zoo Tycoon on Nintendo DS, and the reboot on Xbox One. Hell, I even played the first Jurassic World Evolution on Nintendo Switch. All of these solidified in my mind that the park building didn’t work on anything other than PC.

However, Jurassic World Evolution 2 has completely flipped the switch in my mind on that. Admittedly, the Xbox Series X is more powerful than my PC. My PC hasn’t been upgraded since 2018 (other than with a new SSD). I prefer console gaming, which is why my upgrades went that day. I knew there would definitely be a difference in Jurassic World Evolution 2 based on that alone. What I wasn’t expecting was everything else.

Jurassic Dreams

Graphically, I was blown away. I swear, I can see every tiny little detail in every species I play with. We’re not going to talk about the near-inhuman happy noises I made at that discovery. It’s my standard reaction to dinosaurs, we’ll leave it at that. The power of current generation consoles perfectly displays the attention to detail of the development team.

Initially, I struggled with the menu. New controls took some time to adjust to. Compared to PC, it is quite different. However, once you adjust, there are no issues. It’s just an awkward transition from PC. Undoubtedly, starting off on console would ease the learning curve.

The gameplay is what really, truly surprised me. Using a controller feels so smooth, making movement across the grounds feel seamless. Building enclosures is far simpler than I had expected, as is decorating the enclosures. I also enjoy the first-person mode more on console, though that probably comes back to my console being more powerful than my PC. Getting up close and personal with so many incredible creatures makes me truly happy. My TV is also way bigger than my monitor. That definitely helps too.

Jurassic World Evolution 2: The Definitive Play

The idea behind comparing the PC and console editions of Jurassic World Evolution 2 was to find the best experience overall. After all, consoles and PCs are very different. And consoles can be far more accessible than others. I’ve talked about this game so much, to the point where even my partner is now interested in playing. And he’s not even a dinosaur fan! By now, everyone knows I have extremely high standards when it comes to Jurassic World Evolution 2 and Frontier. The Jurassic franchise holds a big, special place in my heart. Every addition I scrutinise like there’s no tomorrow. Admittedly, my standards for this game are even higher than my horror standards.

And now, I can comfortably say that whatever your platform, you will have a good experience with this game. Console gameplay is well on par with using a keyboard and mouse on PC. The implementation is fantastic. Even after fully investing myself in the game again, I am so genuinely surprised at how well Jurassic World Evolution 2 runs on console. Frontier are really showcasing how skilled their team is.

On that note, I will go back into my cage, just until there are more dinosaurs or horror games to talk about. Thank you so much Frontier for giving me the opportunity to experiment with my favourite game. The support you guys give to me and the rest of GamEir means the world to me. I’m so glad I get to play with dinosaurs from the comfort of my own bed now. My parks on PC will still be very well looked after, though. For me, very little can top the feeling I get from playing with dinosaurs.

Friends, whatever your platform of choice, go get Jurassic World Evolution 2, you will not be disappointed.

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Spooky season has come and gone, but the horror queen is still here! I hope everyone had a safe Halloween! Things were quiet on my end, mostly because I’ve been playing horror games! And friends, it was only a matter of time before I started talking about World of Horror. I’m super excited about this one, especially as it’s a little different to my normal gaming endeavours. Let’s jump right in!

What is World of Horror?

World of Horror is a 1-bit roleplaying game, developed by Paweł Koźmiński and published by Ysbryd Games. The pixel art style is inspired by legendary mangaka Junji Ito and Eldritch horror master H.P. Lovecraft. World of Horror is very much a roguelite, featuring turn-based combat and choices with rippling status effects.

Set in a small seaside town in Japan, The Old Gods are reawakening. Sanity is depleting, and grotesque, otherworldly creatures are terrorising the population. It is truly the end of the world as these people know it. You must confront these horrors head on, tackling mysteries within the new apocalypse.

There are five playable characters, with their own stories and perspectives on what’s happening in the town. Playthroughs are tackled through decks of event cards. Different cards and combinations will lead to different outcomes, and may even unlock new mysteries or clues.

World of Turns

Turn-based combat and roguelites in general have never really been my style. Despite this however, World of Horror enthralled me. Admittedly, it was the Ito-inspired art style that caught my interest initially. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a deep love of Junji Ito. He’s one of my artist idols. So to see something inspired by his work, I couldn’t help but want to play. Plus, I am trying to branch out a little bit.

Admittedly, it took me a little bit to get the hang of the combat. Even with the little tutorials, it just didn’t click in my brain. Some of the choices along the way were a little confusing for me too. This isn’t a reflection on the game however. It is completely down to my lack of knowledge and experience in this kind of game. Once I got the hang of things, it got pretty fun.

The art style is very well thought-out, and makes sense with the universe. The inspirations are clear with additional stylistic decisions heightening the atmosphere. It makes for a very well rounded horror experience.

Final Horrors

Despite the art style, I was a little skeptical about World of Horror at first. I’m a little set in my ways when it comes to gaming, mostly because it takes me a while to adapt to new things. I am very glad I gave this game a shot. The only thing that could have made this whole experience better for me would fall back to genre. I love the whole concept and the story, but I would love a more linear experience. That is very much personal preference, because even though I loved this game, the turn-based roguelite aspects still don’t click with me.

Something else that I really love is the fact that World of Horror is getting a physical Nintendo Switch release in December. I already have it on pre-order. The art-style and story make this game very well worth playing, and I think it would go over very well with lovers of roguelites!

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Very much in the spirit of trying to branch out, I have tried a visual novel. Unknowingly (at first), the visual novel is also a dating sim. Friends, I’m going to cut straight to the point. Slay the Princess was NOT for me. I’m fully aware that this game has been getting rave reviews across the board elsewhere, and I really did try. But to no avail. Let’s just get right into it.

What is Slay the Princess?

Slay the Princess is a choice-driven horror visual novel from Black Tabby Games. It’s pretty simple really. You’re following a path through a woods, and at the end of the path is a cabin. The cabin has a basement, and inside it is a Princess. The titular princess that you’re on your way to kill. Of course, you can choose to attempt to free her, or even romance her.

There are also a few different endings, and a lot of time looping. The whole game is fully voice acted, however I personally didn’t like the voices. That is absolutely nothing against any of the voice actors, they all do a great job. The voices just didn’t click for me. Audio options do allow you to totally turn off volume for voices, so that’s what I did for my playthroughs. The music is pretty chill, and matches the vibe of the game overall.

Art wise, Abby Howard did a truly fantastic job. The whole game has been hand drawn traditionally using paper and pencil. That is the one thing I genuinely enjoyed about the game. We all know I’m a sucker for a good art style, and I have 100% fallen in love with Abby Howard’s.

Slay the Story

I do understand why Slay the Princess has gone over so well for fans of this kind of game. There is a full narrative there, and a winding, expanding experience. However, it just did not click with me. The dialogue didn’t capture me, and the options just didn’t feel right. There were a couple of lines over the course of my runs that made me laugh, (including a “viva la revolución”) but overall it felt a bit stale.

Like I said above, the one thing that did win for me was the art style. It is truly great. The environments are nice to look at, and the different forms of the princess are well executed. I highly recommend checking out more of Abby Howard’s art, you will not regret it! That was just where the good ended for me.

The romance was fun to try at first, but it lost its charm pretty fast. Again, that came back to the dialogue. It just didn’t flow the way I would have liked.

Slaying Word

I do need to stress, this is all very much personal preference. I do not click with visual novels. Genuinely, I really wanted to like this game. I love the art style, and that frequently adds to my enjoyment of a game. This time around, it just wasn’t enough.

Undeniably though, I firmly believe people who enjoy the visual novel genre would enjoy this. It just wasn’t for me.

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Friends, I got to demo Avatar Frontiers of Pandora. I had the honour of taking part in a 2.5 hour demo session that covered 4 main quests from the upcoming open world adventure. There were side quests available, but by now you all know I’m a tad on the slow side, so I didn’t get to those. I did, however, experience a couple of random encounters. But enough of the ramble, let’s do this properly! Very minor spoiler warning for the 4 main quests alone.

What is Avatar Frontiers of Pandora?

Just in case you’ve missed this, let’s start with a quick rundown of what Avatar Frontiers of Pandora is. Avatar Frontiers of Pandora is a first-person open world action adventure. The game is based on the Avatar film series, and is being developed by Massive Entertainment, with Ubisoft publishing. You will play as a Na’vi orphan, raised and trained by the RDA. However, after training, Na’vi was placed in suspended animation. They will awake 15 years later, in an abandoned facility.

You’ll get to explore Pandora, learn about your character’s Na’vi heritage from the native tribes, and take the fight back to the RDA. Just to name a few things. The story also partially links in to the movies. As well as this, Avatar is set to support 2-player co-op multiplayer.

Demoing Avatar Frontiers of Pandora

Like I said at the start, the playable content available in the Avatar Frontiers of Pandora demo covered 4 main quests. These quests were:

• The Eye of Eywa
• Take Flight
• Those Who Guide Us
• Pushing Back

In The Eye of Eywa, you are tasked with finding mangrove hive nectar. This is to be used for the Kinglor in ritual. This beautifully introduced the world, and some of the incredible landscape within.

In Take Flight, you get to ascend the Ikran Rookery. Here, you will befriend your very own Ikran, and learn how to fly. Friends, do not do what I did here. It is not a good idea to walk behind the Ikran. They will lash out and knock you. Potentially over the cliff, at least in my experience.

In Those Who Guide Us you get to really put your flying skills to the test. This quest takes you to a Floating Mountain, and to Storyteller’s Stone, where you will learn more about Na’vi friend Nefika, and her story.

In Pushing Back we get to take the fight to the RDA (for the first time, anyways). This is a mix of combat and stealth. You’ll begin with hacking and destroying some RDA aerial devices, and then move on to an RDA outpost. This is where the stealth comes in, but if like me stealth is not your forte, there are places to hide while moving through the outpost.

Will Avatar Frontiers of Pandora be worth the wait?

By now, everyone probably knows me more for talking about horror and dinosaurs. Avatar Frontiers of Pandora is very much out of my normal wheelhouse. Before playing the demo, I was already interested in this game. I love strong, story driven experiences, and the world looked stunning in all trailers and promotional material. Everyone also knows I’m pretty critical of demos and how much/little they show.

I am so truly happy to say that Avatar Frontiers of Pandora is genuinely shaping up to be fantastic. The demo was super well done. Included quests nicely showcased the different gameplay aspects and the world its set in. Although I definitely need more flying practice. Though this was much easier as the demo was played with controller. I feel on release, controller will be the best way to play the game.

The gameplay itself is very smooth, in some ways reminiscent of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, but more updated. I also don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautifully designed world to date. The audio design is very well done, perfectly adding to the real feel of the world. Without a doubt, it felt like taking steps on another planet.

I loved the demo for Avatar Frontiers of Pandora, and I cannot wait for the full release in December. Although I personally will be playing on Xbox Series X. This is definitely going to be something special.

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