A few weeks before release, the new game Avatar developed by Ubisoft is worrying with its grinding mechanics considered excessive.
Ubisoft's new game Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, adapted from Cameron's famous film series, is still well announced for December 7, 2023. As such, the game is hitting trade shows and presentations to journalists in order to build up the hype. For better and for worse ?
A Far Cry with an Avatar skin?
Despite the fast-approaching release date, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora seems to be having a little trouble finding its place. The fault may be Star Wars Outlaws, another highly anticipated Ubisoft game, which overshadows it. And another, this video game adaptation of a very successful sci-fi series... However, the release date of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, just before Christmas, proves that Ubisoft intends to sell a lot of them, and everywhere! Note that the game will be released on all recent platforms:
- PS5
- Xbox series
- PC
- Stadia
And if most opinions are rather positive if not outrageously ravenous, others call for caution. Among the defects mentioned, we find in particular a recurring flaw in several Ubisoft games: an excessive and cumbersome need for grinding. And obviously, if this kind of defect is often more handicapping for multi-player games like The Division, Ubisoft's single-player games are not left out. The Far Cry series and Assassin's Creed in particular are regularly singled out by critics and players for these somewhat painful mechanics.
Too much grind kills the grind
The gameplay loop is indeed well known... The game requires players to increase their level or start crafting new equipment: either to defeat enemies that are too powerful, or to simply advance the story. The only solution is of course to excessively farm various resources... Once the resources are obtained after two hours of tedious play, the area becomes affordable or the equipment is at the level, and the course of the game can therefore resume... Up to one new area which will require repeating the loop, ad nauseum. Those who have played AC Valhalla, another Ubisoft game, will easily understand…
Beyond artificially extending the lifespan of the game, the grinding mechanic nowadays brings a new benefit for developers: the possibility of paying to progress. As Dmitry Rogulchuk, head of content for Casinocanada, explains, the next Avatar game will also offer an online store that will sell ways to accelerate player progression. Surprise boxes offering loot, resources or a currency usable only in the game are now widespread and Ubisoft's latest should therefore be no exception to the rule. Thus, the game will, without admitting it, take on the appearance of a casino: with loot boxes to be obtained randomly or not in exchange for a credit card code. But where the problem lies is that real casinos like these are much more honest! Indeed, in the igaming niche, any player can choose their own operator and read reviews about it on special platforms such as CasinoCanada is the best review site for Canadian players.
Na'vi or turnip?
If the game is still officially in the development phase, the upcoming release suggests that the monetization aspect is already completed. The inclusion of an online store to overcome the need for grinding therefore remains to be verified, but according to the latest reports, completing the game without spending additional money may be a little painful. And that's without counting other possible downsides (variable handling, care of graphics also uneven). But if the popularity of Ubisoft and Cameron's franchise suggests that the game will sell well, nothing says that the quality will match the sales figures!
