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James Cameron's latest epic "Avatar" has been hyped to be the biggest movie event of the year. This means that there has to be a video game tie-in with it. Cameron and Co. have teamed with Ubisoft to introduce the film's mythical world of Pandora.
The story in "Avatar: The Game" (Xbox 360, PS3; $59.99; T for Teen) is a prequel that assumes knowledge of facts not covered in the game.
You control Ryder, a human soldier who is dropped onto the planet of Pandora, where a war has broken out between the humans and the planet's indigenous people, the Na'vi. The humans have developed a program that makes it possible for select humans to remotely control and inhabit the body of a Na'vi.
"Avatar: The Game" is a third-person adventure title, but its main goal is to acquaint you with the visually appealing planet of Pandora and its environments. Cameron has brought to life a stunning and original universe. Many of the wild animals and scenery are like nothing you've seen and makes a good case for seeing the movie. The graphics aren't great, but the rich detail of the environment is plenty for the eye and there's an encyclopedia that can be referenced on the fly to look up vehicles, weapons, animals, plants and history.
The game has two paths that you can follow. You reach a point where you can side with the humans or the Na'vi, each with a different story and gameplay. If you choose the humans, you can use guns and futuristic human machinery. The Na'vi side involves more melee weapons and you can also ride the beasts of Pandora.
As you progress through a story you accumulate experience points that earn better armor, weapons and special abilities. The missions, though, get a bit monotonous. There is a multiplayer mode, but it seems very tacked-on and rushed. The controls don't work well, which makes for a frustrating experience.
One of the standout features of "Avatar: The Game" is that it can support 3-D imagery if you have the right TV set and 3-D glasses.
The game is made strictly for people who can't wait for the movie. I fall into that niche category, so I had a lot of fun exploring Pandora and learning more about the story and the Na'vi. If you're still unsure, your best bet is to wait to see the movie, which opens Friday.
"The Saboteur" (Xbox 360, PS3, PC; $49.99; M for mature) is the send-off for the now defunct Pandemic Studios. Best known for the "Star Wars: Battlefront" series, the company also dabbled in open-world, sandbox-style games. "The Saboteur" falls into the latter.
You play as Sean Devlin, an Irish race-car driver who curses like a sailor, drinks, smokes and has a laundry list of other vices. He is placed in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, where his world is turned upside. A rival Nazi driver kills his family and friends, and he vows to avenge them by going after the regime.
The story and setting are the finest part of "The Saboteur." Pandemic has brought to life a vast, rugged vision of a France oppressed by The Third Reich. Color is drained from the palette to give the game a "Sin City" look, then it is restored as Sean rallies people to rebellion. The graphics, however, are similar to other games that have been out for years.
The gameplay presents some inspired ideas that are poorly executed. Driving is incredibly stiff and just isn't as much fun as it is in similar games. Sean can climb any building, but it looks ridiculous, especially when compared to games like "Assassins Creed" that share this ability.
If the gameplay doesn't keep you hooked, you should stick around for the story and the cut scenes. The writing, while often vulgar, is strong and the voice acting is exceptional.
"The Saboteur" is a classic case of style over substance.
Doug Oster writes a blog, "Growing With Doug," exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.
