James Cameron's Avatar: The Game is an Avatar video game prequel to James Cameron's film of the same name on Nintendo DS. The title is developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft, Lightstorm Entertainment and 20th Century Fox.
The story revolves around a Na'vi boy of the Tawkami Clan named Nok whose planet Pandora is being invaded by humans conducting research on its animals and willow trees. Dr. Anthony Ossman is tasked by the RDA to be the forefront of this biological research; he is also motivated his research may help his daughter Molly awaken from her coma. Nok and Molly cross paths and decide to sabotage her father's research in order to save the wildlife and willow trees, and Nok is assigned by his clan's elders to learn more about the Sky People in order to relay this information to Eywa. The game is set before the first film, some time between the 2120s and 2152.[1]
According to Joshua Izzo, every Avatar video game that was released in 2009 is now non-canon, including this one. The primary clan appearing in the game, the Tawkami, are still considered canon due to being repurposed and re-canonized for Toruk - The First Flight.
Plot[]
Nok speaking to the Tawkami Olo'eyktan
Nok, a young Greenhome Na'vi from the Tawkami clan (Sky Seer clan) believes that the stories about Sky People (humans) are not just stories. His friend Omati, however, doesn’t believe in them. One day there is a commotion in the Hometree and children are prohibited to go outside. Nok and Omati, however, see it as a challenge to test their skills. But before they find their way out, Nok is invited to see the Olo’eyktan, the leader of their clan, and he receives his fighting staff. Young Nok then proceeds to sneak out of the village. On his way out he spots some aggressive tapirus, who normally don’t behave like that.
Nok communicating with Eywa through one of the willow trees
While playing outside with his friend they spot a human flying machine (Samson) and something dropping out of it. Nok and Omati decide to go see what it was. After they find the machine, they are attacked by viperwolves, as if the machine drew them closer. Making their way back to the village, they hear that the clan elders have been abducted by the humans. With the guards in disarray, Nok decides to put to use his new fighting staff skills and save the elders. He succeeds in that, and Eywa selects him as her Alaksi Nari (ready eye) and he receives one of the hidden weapons of the last Alaksi Nari.
Now another human flying ship approaches their Hometree, and Nok is asked to help. He runs atop of the tree and meets Dr. Anthony Ossman, who surprisingly speaks Na’vi. Nok chases Dr. Ossman away and destroys their machines. Nok then is instructed to connect with Eywa through the Tree of Souls and show her what has transpired; Eywa rewards Nok with a mountain banshee.
Nok meets Molly who tells him to leave.
Hearing that more humans have been spotted near the Skycliffs, Nok is sent there to investigate their plans. While en route Nok meets a girl who dresses like the humans and speaks in a strange accent; her name is Molly. The two exchange names, although he comments she has a strange accent, that her skin is pale and asks her if she is sick. Molly takes offense; Nok apologizes but Molly says it's okay because he has a lot to learn. Because the two are on opposite sides of a cliff, Nok decide to follow her. When he catches up, she is confused as to why he is still following her. He tells her he wishes to apologize, but she points out he already did, and he should leave because it is dangerous.
She then walks away but he catches up again and asks her what she knows about the Sky People, as her clothing is similar. Molly dejectedly says it's a complicated matter he does not understand. Molly gets trapped when an explosion shakes lose some rocks, and Nok saves her. Nok then continues his travels to human base and again sees Dr. Ossman. Nok sneaks near his lab to see what he is up to and sees avatars, humans who walk in Na’vi skin, Molly being one of them.
Nok then proceeds to set the captured animals free. He is seen, however, and humans evacuate the base. Nok again follows them, this time to their ground base in the Distant Forest. In the forest, Molly argues with her father, saying she is glad the banshees are free and that he got what he deserved. He instead replies he is disappointed with her, saying she does not comprehend the nature of his work. He leaves to go perform more research into the willow tree.
Nok meets Molly again, who complimented his saving of the banshees as being impressive. She says that she is on the Na’vi side and that her father, Dr. Ossman, is a selfish man who plans to enslave the beasts (to control them as weapons) and the trees; she also tells him about the unobtanium. Nok thanks Molly for helping him understand the human ways. The two agreed Ossman's actions are wrong, and Molly told Nok about how humans need oxygen to breathe. Because humans would be forced to flee without oxygen, she told him about the oxygen cell deep in the base that the humans used to refill their masks, and Nok ploughed on in to destroy it. Molly later told Nok about the nature of avatars, about her comatose body, and how she did not view her father as an evil man. She implored Nok to go to the Highcrags to prevent her father from finding another willow tree.
The digger machine which Nok battles
Eywa consistently rewards Nok with helpful weapons and animals. One of those animals is a prolemuris, who accompanies Nok and helps him reach otherwise unreachable areas. Nok then chases after Dr. Ossman to Highcrags, who plans to use the willow tree in his experiment. Nok manages to catch up with him in Floating Cave, defeat the digger he releases and chase him away from the tree. Dr. Ossman starts to take things a bit personally and threatens that they will meet again. Nok reports what has happened back to Eywa.
In the meantime the elders arrive and tell him that they think he is the Alaksi Nari. They suggest that Nok visit the wise hermit, Lungoray. Lungoray is said to live in Dusk Valley, and Nok takes flight. He speaks with the wise shaman, who wants Nok to prove who he says he is by finding the previous Alaksi Nari's bow. After Nok completes that quest, Lungoray sends him to his final test, to gather some glow worms. After they have been collected, Nok returns to Lungoray, who shows him how they can be used. He cooks a potion and throws it on a hammerhead titanothere who then is more connected to Eywa and helps Nok clear the way to the RDA base.
Nok finds Molly's human body.
At the Hammerhead Graveyard, Nok eventually stumbles into the room where he finds Molly's human body. Molly's avatar walks into the room and is relieved he is alright as she has been searching for him; she heard guards mention a lone Na'vi was sneaking around and figured it was him. Nok comments Molly looks healthy to which she comments he does, too. Nok tells her that her father has found another willow tree and will damage it. Molly is horrified and claims she "cannot" stand against him. She gives Nok a keycard and apologizes.
Molly confronting Anthony Ossman.
Ossman soon traps Nok in an electric field. Molly appears and orders her father to stop, saying she refuses to let him hurt others for her sake. Ossman says he's so close to restoring Molly to herself, prompting Molly to reply, "I AM myself!" She touches the lever in an attempt to free Nok, but ends up electrocuting herself unconscious. Lungoray appears and says he will take Molly back to her home where she can recover. Back at Lungoray's house in Dusk Valley, Nok finds Molly's injured avatar. She tells him her father found another willow tree and that he should head to Blightground.
Nok flies there to stop Ossman once and for all. Dr. Ossman releases a thanator who is under his control, but during the fight a feedback shocks Dr. Ossman and he ironically falls into a coma like his daughter. Nok manages to save the tree and alert Eywa that the humans can be dangerous.
Molly reflects on their sad situation.
Nok meets up with Molly's human body and activates her Link Pod. Molly in her avatar, Nok and Lungoray look over the destroyed ruins of the laboratory. She is saddened about her father's condition and mentions she still loves him, but does not blame neither Nok or her father, finding the entire journey to be a sad one. Nok mentions he fears Molly will never wake from her sleep, but she says it's okay because she feels more alive than she has ever been. Nok says that now that Eywa is aware of the presence of the humans, their future should be a more hopeful one.
Characters[]
- Nok - Hero of the game, a Na'vi boy who is selected by Eywa to be Alaksi Nari.
- Dr. Anthony Ossman - The villain in the story; he justifies his actions by saying it helps his daughter.
- Molly Ossman - Dr. Ossman's daughter, who is in a coma and can walk around only in her avatar body.
- Lungoray - Wise shaman who helps Nok.
- Dr. Gregorius - One of the avatars; he disagrees with RDA's actions.
- Mel - One of the RDA grunts assigned to help Dr. Ossman.
- Lawrence - Another RDA grunt assigned to help Dr. Ossman.
- Tawkami clan - Numerous members of the Tawkami clan make an appearance.
Gameplay[]
Ingame shot
Most of the game is presented as a top down adventure game, similar to The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass.
Much of the game is comprised of logic puzzles; players will need to think critically about aspects such as where blocks are located in order to jump across, what tools they should use to progress the levels, etc. The logic puzzles are solved using potent fruit switches, nerve plants and other devices. Eventually, Nok will receive a prolemuris which he can throw across gaps, as well as crawl through spaces which feature their own mini-level. Platforming and timing is a major part of the gameplay, with plenty of moving platforms.
There is a little combat which is controlled using the touch screen. There are some unique boss fights, although many of the boss fights feature having to defeat an AMP suit repeatedly by throwing its bombs back at it. Nok begins the game with a staff. He then receives a sling, a whip, a bow, and finally a maul in this order. The maul can be used at certain points to summon a Prolemuris helper.
Early into the game, Nok unlocks access to a banshee which can transport him to a world map. Navigating through different parts of the world map features a fully 3D flying level, although there are only about 20 seconds long, there are no hazards and the main goal is to collect Essence Seeds.
Essence Seeds are used like a currency, and can be used to purchase lore abilities or additional health from shrines. The game does not have any sort of New Game Plus; the main incentive of its replayability is to collect all the lore entries. Players can backtrack to previous worlds using their new tools in order to find more lore.
Amitsa with the Rainbow Plant
The game is DSi enhanced; if playing on a DSi, there will be another Na'vi named Amitsa in the lore hut with a Rainbow Plant. The player is tasked with taking real-life photos of requested colors; this will unlock parts of the "Warrior's Song". Completing this song nets a visual change; Nok will have a new character model in which he wears red-plated armor (although his character sprite portrait remains the same). He will be able to wear it at Dusk Valley and onward. It has been rumored that the armor provides a slight defense upgrade, although testing it, this does not seem to be the case.
Pandorapedia[]
Na'vi[]
| Title | Description | Location | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matriarch | The Tsahik is the female leader of the tribe, sharing a duel chieftainship with her male counterpart, the Olo'eyktan. Her role is more focused on the spiritual aspect of life. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | Health Upgrade |
| Sky Seer Tribe | The Tawkami (Sky Seer) tribe lives peacefully deep in the Pandoran jungle. They have long watched over Eywa's ecosystem with a careful eye to maintain balance. They are known for their persistent quest for knowledge and lorekeeping. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | Health Upgrade (375) |
| Patriarch | The Olo'eyktan is the male leader of the tribe, sharing a dual chieftainship with his female counterpart, the Tsahik. His role is more focused on the warrior and hunter goals of the village. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | |
| Elders | The Sky Seer Elders are the oldest of the tribe's spiritualists. They have spent their lives seeking harmony with nature and working to understand the will of Eywa. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | |
| Hometree | The spiritual and physical home of the Na'vi. Inside the tree, there are multiple levels upon which the Na'vi eat, sleep, craft and enact their rituals and customs. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | |
| ? | |||
| Na'vi Weaponry | Na'vi weaponry might look crude next to advanced human weapons, but they are equally effective in the right hands. The Na'vi craft their weapons from horns, bones, and hide rather than metal. | Skycliffs | Warrior's Insight: With this skill, you will learn how to enhance your war staff. (1200) |
| ? | |||
| Eywa Provides | Virtually all living things on Pandora can connect to Eywa, the moon itself. Because everything is connected, Eywa provides her creatures with aid when it benefits the ecosystem. | Skyclifs | Hero's Strikes: With this skill, your drive to survive will make you attack better when your health is very low. (600) |
| Seeing | "To See" is a cornerstone of Na'vi philosophy. It is to open the mind -- and heart -- to the present and embrace Pandora, and everything in it, as if encountering it for the very first time. | Highcrags | Health Upgrade (375) |
| Na'vi Skin Pattern | Each Na'vi possesses facial and body pigmentation patterns that take glow in dim light. These bioluminescent markings can change colors with the Na'vi's mood and emotion. | Dusk Valley | |
| ? | ? | ||
| Whip | One tribal song tells of one of Eywa's chosen heroes who wielded a living vine as a long whip. The hero was able to defeat his enemies with the weapon, but also used it to reach things well out of his reach. | Highcrags | Whip Sting: With this skill, your whip will become a more effective weapon. (800) |
| Lore Shrine | The Tsahik of the Sky Seer tribe invites knowledge-seekers to come study the mysteries of their world at the tribal lore shrine. | Distant Forest (revisited); west side, requires swimming | Nature's Guidance: With this skill, the essence cost for upgrades in Pandorapedia will be less. (1000) |
| Lungoray | Lungoray is one of the oldest Na'vi shamans and a skilled interpreter of signs and omens. Unusual for the highly social Na'vi, he lives the life of a hermit. He is one of Eywa's most knowledgeable lorekeepers. | Dusk Valley | |
| Na'vi Queue | All Na'vi possess queues, which are long sheaths covering a bundle of neural tendrils which physically connect with other life on the moon. Through their queues, the Na'vi can guide dangerous animals and commune with Eywa herself. | Dusk Valley | Health Upgrade (375) |
| Bow | Bows are a symbol of a child's passage into adulthood, but they also serve as the primary hunting weapon for a Na'vi. Legends tell of one bow in particular wielded long ago by a great hero. | Greenhome (requires maul) | Predator's Eye (800): With this skill, your bow will do more damage. |
| ? | ? |
Creatures[]
| Title | Description | Location | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hellfire Wasp | The hellfire wasp's venomous sting is excruciating, but it's rarely lethal to humans or Na'vi unless attacked by a swarm. In the Pandoran wild, the wasps are a potent and often underestimated threat. | Skycliffs | |
| Direhorse | The direhorse is similar to an Earth horse, but with much greater size and six legs. The Na'vi link their queues to its long antenna, granting them exceptional control over the beast. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | |
| Tapirus | A squat, six-legged creature that resembles a pig. The tapirus has armored plates on its back for protection because it is very low on the Pandoran food chain. It's not normally an aggressive animal. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | Health Upgrade (375) |
| Viperwolf | These fierce wolf-like pack hunters have dexterous hands for pursuing their prey into trees. Their elongated snouts and sharp teeth aid them in both hunting and scavenging. They are extremely intelligent and coordinate their hunting parties. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | Nature's Force: With this skill, you will sustain less damage from enemies. (1200) |
| Tetrapteron | These four-winged aerialists are often found near water. They fly in huge flocks and eat fish as their primary diet. A cooperative hunter, they take exceptional care of their young. | Skycliffs | |
| Dinicthys | Piranha-like, the dinicthys is a voracious aquatic predator with triangular, blade-like teeth. Found in lakes and murky lowland waters, it's easily as deadly as many of its land-dwelling counterparts. | Highcrags | |
| Banshee | A large flying creature with dazzling patterns on its wings. Though banshees are dangerous predators, the Na'vi are able to tame and ride them by connecting their queues to the banshees' neural tendrils. | Skycliffs (after Digger boss fight in Highcrags - swim right instead of leaving on the banshee) | |
| Sturmbeest | Plentiful across the face of Pandora, these large beasts herd in the plains. The average sturmbeest weighs 2,000 pounds and can be very dangerous when spooked. These creatures are a staple of the Na'vi diet. | Distant Forest (revisited); west side, requires swimming | |
| Prolemuris | These monkey-like creatures live in the canopy of the Pandoran forest. Prolemuris can be trained to perform simple tricks, but have a very short attention span - they're easily distracted if they sense any danger. | Distant Forest (revisited); west side, requires swimming | Prolemuris' Resolve: With this skill, the prolemuris is less distracted when he is hit. (600) |
| Glow Worm | These monkey-like creatures live in the canopy of the Pandoran forest. Prolemuris can be trained to perform simple tricks, but have a very short attention span - they're easily distracted if they sense any danger. | Greenhome; top-right area, requires bow. Nok must push a block and drop down. | Health Upgrade (375) |
| ? | |||
| Hammerhead Titanothere | A hammerhead is not a creature to be dealt with lightly. It's a massive, armored herbivore with a blunt crest on its skull. It's extremely aggressive when protecting its grazing territory. | Distant Forest | Health Upgrade (375) |
| Hexapede | These deer-like creatures have six legs and a fan of horns connected by membranes around their heads. They are gentle and herbivorous. They inhabit the low-growth of the forest. | Dusk Valley - right area, requires maul | Health Upgrade (375) |
| ? |
Environment[]
| Title | Description | Location | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pandora | Home to the Na'vi, Pandora is the largest moon of the gas giant planet Polyphemus. It is a blue and surprisingly Earth-like world with a unique and bizarre ecosystem. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | |
| Potent Fruit | Some Na'vi tribes have learned how to use Eywa's complex chemical system to alter the Pandora's surface in small ways. For example, combining the chemicals of certain potent fruits with root extensions can cause the ground to rearrange itself. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | Health Upgrade (375) |
| Organic Door | Thick roots split through the surface of Pandora, often creating organic barriers. The Na'vi believe some of these "doors" were intentionally placed by Eywa and that only someone who is blessed can cause the, to open. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | Health Upgrade (375) |
| ? | ? | ||
| Unobtanium | A rare, superconductive mineral found only on Pandora. Earth is dependent on superconductive technology for power generation, transportation, and interstellar travel. | Skycliffs revisit | |
| Ar'lek Seed | The Na'vi are able to harvest the forest for a wide variety of natural medicines, but none can match the healing potential of an Ar'lek Seed. | Skycliffs revisit | Nature's Blessing: With this skill, you will be able to carry more healing seeds. |
| Thorn Walls | Pandoran plant life has evolved alongside the animal life. Giant, toxic thorns grow from many jungle vines, creating dense, deadly barriers. | Greenhome | |
| ? | ? | ||
| Bioluminescence | Most plants and animals on Pandora share a common chemical process that converts energy to light, giving them a magnificent glow. | Dusk Valley | Health Upgrade (375) |
| Pandoran Atmosphere | Pandora's atmosphere is toxic to humans, forcing troops to rely on breathing masks delivering oxygen when they are outdoors. Cloned Na'vi humanoids, avatars are able to breathe the Pandoran air. | Dusk Valley | |
| ? | ? | ||
| Nerve Plant | Due to the intricate neural network of roots below Pandora's surface, the Na'vi know that certain plants act as nerve clusters and piercing them can cause changes to the living landscape. | Dusk Valley | Health Upgrade (375) |
| Essence Seed | The Na'vi believe that these bioluminescent seeds contain small amounts of Eywa's spirit. More than just good luck charms, these seeds are believed to bring Eywa's blessing to those who know where to look for them. | Dusk Valley | Eywa's Heart: With this skill, you can collect essence more quickly. (1000) |
| Helicoradian | These plants look like spiraling corals crossed with palm trees. When they sense movement or are touched, they retract their trunks underground with a loud, sucking sound like a vacuum. | Boneyard cavern | |
| ? | ? | ||
| ? | ? |
RDA[]
| Title | Description | Location | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worker | Not all humans carry large weapons, but they are still trained to defend themselves. Even wielding nothing but a wrench, a worker is still a dangerous foe for the Na'vi. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | Worker's Strength (800): With this skill, your stamina will increase, enabling you to carry objects more easily. |
| ? (possibly Power Box) | |||
| Soldier | Though the humans landed on Pandora for mining and research mission, they brought along a highly trained and heavily armed defense force. These soldiers are masters at their high-tech weaponry and a serious threat to the Na'vi way of life. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | |
| Patrol Drone | Roughly the size of a human, these hovering automated drones provide excellent security with no risk to the soldiers. Each drone is equipped with an accurate gun. | Greenhome (found before ikran) | |
| AMP Suit | The Amplified Mobility Platform (AMP) gives soldiers an exoskeleton that is armed to the teeth. Highly nimble, and adaptable to hostile or toxic environments, AMP suits are nearly invulnerable to most Na'vi weapons. | Skycliffs | Health Upgrade (375) |
| Shield Soldier | One branch of RDA soldiers has been trained in crowd control tactics in case of a Na'vi uprising. Using large shields and batons, these enforcers pose a serious challenge to Na'vi warriors. | Skycliffs | |
| Molly | A strange girl who appears to be a Na'vi, but seems different. She wears human clothing, has an unusual physical appearance, and speaks Na'vi with a bizarre accent. | Skycliffs | |
| Electric Drone | This modified patrol drone emits a powerful electrical charge to neutralize any intruder it finds. | Skycliffs | Health Upgrade (375) |
| Dr. Ossman | Doctor Anthony Ossman is an expert within the Avatar program, but he also researches Pandoran animals. More specifically, he is making great progress in finding ways to alter their behavior. | Skycliffs | |
| Link Room | A room where human minds are transferred into genetically modified Avatar bodies. The "drivers" remain asleep in a chamber while their Avatar bodies are out on the field. | Distant Forest | Health Upgrade (375) |
| Site 32 | Dr. Ossman's primary research site on Pandora. Here he conducts valuable animal research and oversees operation of the Avatar link chamber. | Distant Forest | Health Upgrade (375) |
| Oxygen Pod | Humans can survive Pandora's toxic air if they keep their breathing masks supplied with oxygen. The Na'vi have observed humans using oxygen pods to refill their masks out in the field. | Distant Forest | |
| ? | ? | ||
| Control Panel | The Na'vi are often confused by the amount of effort humans go through to lock their doors and deactivate their machinery. Humans use small cards with control panels to bypass these security systems. | Highcrags | |
| ? | ? | ||
| Digger | A massive bulldozer used for heavy bore-drilling. It has a squat build and a solid armor shell to protect it as its digs for unobtanium, but the control system inside is quite fragile. | Highcrags | |
| ? | ? | ||
| Moving Platform | Pandora's magnetic field causes large rock islands of unobtanium to float mid-air. The humans have attached devices to some of them to control their speed and direction. | Dusk Valley | Health Upgrade (375) |
| Ravenous Plant | Dr. Ossman's research has agitated one of Pandora's deadliest plants. It whips with long tendrils and spits toxic spores. | Defeat the Ravenous Plant in the Boneyard | |
| ? | ? | ||
| ? | ? | ||
| ? | ? |
TBA: Power Box
Reception[]
The game received mixed reviews. Cheat Code Central gave it 3.2/5 and complimented its basic gameplay, finding it "surprisingly compelling" and felt that some of the logic puzzles near the end of the game are quite a challenge. They criticized that the levels can drag at points and feel repetitive, however, and disliked the clunky inventory system which requires players to press tap the screen twice instead of once in order to use it.
Gallery[]
|
See the image gallery for |
References[]
- ↑ In an MTV interview, James Cameron stated that the colonization of Pandora began 35 years before the first film and Lungoray died in 2152. Throughout the Nintendo DS game, the player sees much of the colonization has begun, with laboratories and the like already built on Pandora.