Avatar DLC Hands-On: How The New Movie Sets Frontiers Of Pandora’s World Aflame

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Released in 2023, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora successfully captured the spirit of James Cameron’s Avatar films. Rather than simply retelling the movie’s story, the game’s developer, Massive Entertainment, created a new adventure set in a different region of Pandora.

Frontiers did a great job bringing the detailed and beautiful world of Pandora to life as an interactive experience and delving into the culture of the Na’vi. However, the game didn’t always feel fully connected to the Avatar films. Now, with the upcoming release of ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash,’ Massive Entertainment is working to better align the game with the movie universe.

With the release of the new movie, a major expansion called From the Ashes is now available for the game. This expansion features a story that connects directly to the film and significantly changes the game’s version of Pandora. The developers collaborated closely with the filmmakers at Lightstorm Entertainment to create a more unified experience between the movie and the game.

In an interview, Aoife O’Friel, narrative director for From the Ashes, explained that her team worked closely with Lightstorm to match the increasingly dark tone of the franchise. From the Ashes reflects this shift, sharing that same darkness and a sense of seeking revenge.

Both the ‘Fire and Ash’ and ‘From the Ashes’ stories focus on the Mongkwan, also known as the Ash people – a fierce Na’vi clan known for attacking others. In the movie and series, they ally with the RDA, the human military, and Miles Quarritch, the main villain. These stories take place shortly after the first film, as the RDA attempts to expand its presence on Pandora, now with the help of this powerful Na’vi group.

In the new ‘From the Ashes’ story, you’ll encounter Na’vi as enemies for the first time, alongside the human soldiers, aircraft, and mechs of the RDA. I recently played about three hours of it and found that fighting the Na’vi adds a real challenge. Unlike previous enemies, they have similar abilities to you, making combat more difficult in Frontiers of Pandora.

A new protagonist

In Frontiers of Pandora, you played as Sarentu, a Na’vi who was taken from their family as a child and raised by humans, ultimately fighting against the RDA. Now, From the Ashes offers a different perspective, letting you play as So’lek, a character with a mysterious background who you’ve already gotten to know and help in the first game.

The story starts with a new attack by the RDA and Mongkwan forces on the hometree – the home of your friends and allies – and they set the surrounding Kinglor Forest ablaze. Many of the resistance fighters from Frontiers, including the Sarentu, are left scattered and presumed dead. As So’lek, you must find and protect these survivors.

Before the events of the game, So’lek’s entire clan was destroyed by the RDA, and he’s been seeking revenge ever since. Over time, he’s found a new family with the survivors and resistance fighters of Sarentu. This latest attack hits him hard, bringing back painful memories and contributing to the more somber tone of the new ‘From the Ashes’ content.

So’lek is an experienced warrior, older and more world-weary than the main character. Unlike him, So’lek isn’t discovering the world for the first time, so he’s less curious and more focused on a single goal: protecting his family. This makes his story much more serious and centers on the lasting impact of past trauma and his determination to avoid repeating it, according to O’Friel.

The destruction in the game world makes those feelings even stronger. After investing so much time in a place like Kinglor Forest, seeing it burned is a harsh reminder of the RDA’s cruelty and dramatically alters the game. These ruined areas no longer offer the materials you need for crafting essential items like ammo or health packs, which completely changes how you explore and fight RDA patrols. You’re forced to be much more careful and strategic in your approach.

I got to play a preview of the new expansion, and it was awesome! It included two early missions, and I spent about an hour exploring. The first one had me infiltrating a new RDA base built right into the Aranahe clan’s hometree. I decided to go in stealthily, hoping to find out what happened to some missing resistance fighters. It was cool because, like in the original game, you can still use quieter Na’vi weapons like bows to take out enemies without causing a huge alert. But now, playing as So’lek, you can also sneak up on a lot of enemies and take them down with his knife – a really nice, quiet way to clear a path!

The initial mission mainly introduces key villains from From the Ashes, including one of three Na’vi warlords you’ll pursue throughout the game. You’ll also encounter Major Bukowski, whose voice you’ll hear throughout the hometree base. The developers describe Bukowski as similar to Jake Sully, but one who remained dedicated to the RDA. He speaks the Na’vi language, understands their culture, and feels some sympathy for them, yet ultimately remains loyal to humanity.

Battling the Mongkwan

The mission ends with So’lek fighting a Mongkwan raider to try and save a fellow Na’vi resistance fighter, though unfortunately, no other survivors could be rescued. Na’vi enemies are significantly faster and tougher than even the RDA’s strongest mechs, making them feel like challenging mini-bosses or even full bosses – they’re the most dangerous opponents encountered in Frontiers so far. The raider is equipped with human weapons like assault rifles and grenades, so staying mobile and carefully choosing when to attack is crucial.

Defeating the raider triggers a cutscene where the remaining Na’vi is killed, and So’lek wins the fight. This unlocks a new ability called Warrior Vision, which sets So’lek apart from the Sarentu. Think of it as a powerful ultimate move: So’lek charges it up by attacking or being attacked. When activated, enemies glow on the screen, and So’lek deals extra damage while taking less damage himself, letting him powerfully overwhelm opponents.

So’lek’s anger quickly leads to a full-on battle against the entire RDA base. He uses his Warrior Vision to pinpoint and swiftly eliminate enemies. The fight introduces new threats, including RDA mechs equipped with flamethrowers, and another skilled Mongkwan raider. This ramps up the chaos and difficulty of Frontiers of Pandora’s already dynamic combat – it’s intense facing a fast Na’vi warrior while the RDA forces are closing in. However, thanks to So’lek’s Warrior Vision, speed, and powerful weapons, the mission ultimately ends with a complete RDA defeat.

The Frontiers of Pandora expansion enriches the Avatar universe by letting players connect with various Na’vi clans and characters. In contrast, the From the Ashes update introduces Na’vi as adversaries, a change that demanded a new approach to development, according to O’Friel.

As a huge fan, I was totally blown away by the Mongkwan! They’re unlike any Na’vi we’ve ever seen. We always pictured the Na’vi as peaceful and connected to nature, but these guys are… destructive, chaotic, and just really brutal. It was shocking to see how far they’d go to get what they want. And in ‘From the Ashes,’ we finally get to fight against Na’vi for the first time, which is a huge deal! The writers really wanted to explore why the Ash Clan acts the way they do, and how their motivations from the movie – like spreading their fire and going against Eywa – could drive the gameplay.

The Mongkwan are a stark contrast to So’lek. While the Na’vi generally believe using human technology goes against the will of Eywa, the spiritual force connecting all life on Pandora, the Mongkwan willingly embrace it. This is because their clan has lost connection with Eywa and even feels anger towards the deity. So’lek’s use of human weapons is more about practical need, but his fellow Na’vi still look down on it.

O’Friel explained that the story also delves into So’lek’s background and his clan, the Trr’ong, who suffered heavy losses in the Battle of the Hallelujah Mountains (seen in the first Avatar film). We see So’lek struggling to maintain his cultural identity. Interestingly, he uses human weapons, which goes against Na’vi beliefs, but his motivation is different. He doesn’t want to disrespect Eywa; he genuinely believes using these weapons is the most effective way to fight the RDA. It was fascinating to compare So’lek’s internal conflict – choosing weapons for strategic reasons – with characters like the Ash, who embrace these weapons knowing they are forbidden. Exploring these contrasting perspectives on Na’vi culture was a really enjoyable part of the process.

Saving the mastodon

The second mission introduces So’lek to the hunt for the Beast, a powerful warlord among the three who are causing trouble in the area. A great feature of Frontiers of Pandora is that it doesn’t rely on obvious quest markers. Instead, it encourages players to really explore the world, using their Na’vi Vision – a special sense similar to detective vision – to discover clues and find their own path.

You’ll first realize something’s wrong when you find a massive trail carved through the jungle – it’s where the RDA brought in their large equipment. As So’lek follows it, he discovers the RDA has been capturing animals, though the reason remains a mystery.

You’re close to finding the answers. The trail leads to a large RDA facility – a Laser Ore Processor. Getting inside presents a choice: you can force your way through the front, battling mechs and turrets, or take a more subtle approach. I prefer the planning and excitement of stealth, so I look for a hidden side entrance and quietly eliminate any nearby mechs to clear the way.

Unlike the Sarentu, who can hack into RDA technology in Frontiers of Pandora, So’lek can’t hack anything. Instead, he needs to sneak into the base using a knife he took from a Mongkwan raider. This knife can disable machines, including RDA mechs, by short-circuiting them. However, a broken pipe is spraying water all over the door controls, so before he can get inside, So’lek has to find and shut off the water valve.

After finally getting inside, it becomes clear what the RDA and the Mongkwan are up to: they’re working together to create robotic, weaponized versions of Pandora’s dangerous creatures. As you venture further in, you’re ambushed by a large group of Hell Hounds – new robotic enemies in this expansion – which are known for their surprise attacks from behind and electrically charged bites.

Soon, you’ll encounter the biggest danger inside the Laser Ore Processor: a massive Fireback Mastodon that the RDA has rigged with machines to make it incredibly aggressive. They’ve attached mechanical devices to its feet and back, letting them control it remotely and force it to attack. Watching this huge creature charge towards you feels like facing a giant, quick, and furious construction crane.

The fight is a bit like a game of keepaway – So’lek’s priority is to liberate the animal, not injure it. This means you’ll need to avoid its massive tusks and lure it into breaking support pillars to stun it, giving you time to destroy the devices attached to it. While you’re doing that, RDA soldiers will try to intervene, but you can use the mastodon’s own power against them if you’re fast enough to keep clear of its tusks. As the battle goes on, So’lek detaches more and more of the mechanical parts, eventually leading to the mastodon breaking through a wall and forcing you to pursue it into a new area.

Okay, so the second part of this fight gets really interesting. It’s less about just shooting and more about figuring out how to get onto the mastodon’s back to finally free it from all the tech stuck to it. Basically, you gotta wait for the beast to smash through walls and pipes – that creates this makeshift climbing route all over the place. And of course, while you’re doing that, the RDA soldiers are trying to take you down with rockets and everything, so it’s a chaotic climb!

One of the best parts of the new update is the ability to play in third-person. When Frontiers first launched, it was a first-person game, but the ‘From the Ashes’ expansion lets you switch perspectives. This gives you a wider view of your surroundings, which is helpful for both fighting and navigating the environment. Playing as So’lek in third-person also lets you appreciate his size – you can really see how much bigger he is than humans and how he barely fits in certain spaces. This viewpoint also feels right for the story, as you’re now following So’lek, a fully developed character, from a slightly more detached perspective than you did with the Sarentu.

While playing, third-person perspective felt a bit disconnected and awkward. The Na’vi characters move too quickly and smoothly, allowing for sudden, unrealistic changes in direction while running. The game was initially built for a first-person view, where this agility feels more believable and allows for exciting movement, like quickly scaling walls. Although third-person offers better awareness of your surroundings and simpler platforming, it makes you feel less connected to the game world.

Essentially, From the Ashes feels like more of the same enjoyable open-world gameplay from Frontiers. During the preview, I explored the expansive world, taking on RDA bases, and even encountering a mini-boss called Mongkwan while trying to disrupt their operations. The best parts of Frontiers – the large open world and the thrill of playing as a powerful, agile, ten-foot-tall alien – are still present and fun in this expansion.

From the Ashes expands on the world of Frontiers of Pandora with a brand new story, character, and challenges, all of which are great additions to an already solid game. Even after just a few hours of playing the 25-hour expansion, it reminded me why I enjoyed the original game, while also offering enough new content to make it feel like a fresh experience.

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2025-12-05 11:42