Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is finally here, and fans will get to explore the Western Frontier continent for the first time ever. However, many are expressing some disappointment that the game will be in first-person perspective.
Frontiers of Pandora lets you create your very own Na’vi to play as. Understandably, many are disappointed that we’ll be playing the majority of the game without actually being able to see our customized character. In the 2009 James Cameron’s Avatar game, the default perspective was set in third-person. So why did Massive Entertainment choose first-person for Frontiers of Pandora?
Why is Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora first-person?
The reason why Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is in first-person is because the developers, Massive Entertainment, wanted the players to feel immersed. This was according to game director Ditte Deenfeldt, who stated the reason in an interview with IGN.
To the disappointment of many fans, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a first-person action-adventure game. There are those online who would argue that third-person is the best medium to use when exploring an open world. However, it seems that Massive Entertainment has decided to take a more Far Cry approach with Frontiers of Pandora rather than following The Division’s format, which they previously developed.
According to Deenfeldt, picking a first-person perspective format was a “no-brainer” since they wanted viewers to really get as close to Pandora as possible. This is different from James Cameron’s Avatar 2009 game, which followed a third-person perspective. It’s a chance to view the Western Frontier up close, a continent of Pandora that’s never before seen, even in the movies.
What’s even stranger is that Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora has a character creation menu right at the beginning of the game. You can even choose different outfits for your very own Na’vi protagonist as they fight back against the RDA in the Western Frontier. Like Far Cry 5, you’re able to customize your own character despite not seeing their faces most of the time.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is first-person when you’re exploring on the ground and fighting against enemies. However, it will quickly change to a third-person perspective when riding a mount.
Can I play Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora in Third-Person?
Players cannot choose to play or switch freely in third-person in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, as the game is set from a first-person perspective. The only time the game lets you switch to third-person gameplay is when you’re riding a mount. Even cutscenes seem to be in first-person.
If you’re playing any of the Frontiers of Pandora editions on PC, it may be possible to mod the game to show a third-person perspective. However, since the game isn’t meant to be played like that, you could face issues. The animations done in first-person would have to somehow be translated to a third-person perspective, meaning that whoever is doing the mod would have their work cut out for them.
It’s unlikely that Ubisoft will employ a patch in the future that lets you play the game in third-person. To my knowledge, they’ve never done that before. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora can only be played from a first-person perspective for most of the game.
Check out our main page for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora for more guides, news, and walkthroughs.