PlayStation 2

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar orientiert sich stark an der jüngeren Käufergruppe, trotz USK-Freigabe ab 12. Dabei bietet es solide Actionkunst, gepaart mit erfreulich viel Rollenspieleinschlag wie etwa dem Levelsystem, den ausbaubaren Techniken oder den zahlreichen anzulegenden Gegenständen. Erwartet dennoch nicht zu viel Anspruch: Das Spiel ist recht simpel und die Levels meist vorhersehbar gestaltet. Besonders Fans finden zu ihrer Lieblingsserie aber eine gelungene Umsetzung und erfreuen sich an vielen bekannten Details und der Geschichte zum Nachspielen. Alle, die Avatar nicht kennen oder einfach nicht in die Zielgruppe passen, sollten aber besser zur Konkurrenz greifen.

The plot in this game, unfortunately, follows the same story as in the GBA and DS versions, so if you've played any of the versions of this game, you'll already know the story behind the game. The environments are different though, and the objectives are not fulfilled the same way, so the game is an engaging experience anyway. Add to that the fact that the console version is a fairly lengthy game, although not as long as most RPGs, and you've got a game that is worth a look for fans of Avatar. My one complaint would be that THQ could easily have utilized cooperative multiplayer in this game as they have in such games as Tak: The Great Juju Challenge and Nicktoons: Battle for Volcano Island, but that is a minor gripe. Overall, if you are a fan of Avatar, seriously consider getting this game.

As far as kid's games are concerned, the console version of Avatar is a pleasant surprise in terms of genre. Instead of settling for a simple action adventure, the game's developers decided to go for a full out hack-and-slash action-RPG, something not often seen in kid's games. The result is an occasionally fun title that might appeal to fans of the show, but a large number of flaws keep it from greatness. The end result is a children's game with a number of interesting elements and a surprisingly deep character development system. Unfortunately, a large number of problems and a relatively short length make it hard to justify this as more than a rental.

Avatar: The Last Airbender zabrakło ostatecznego szlifu. Jako proste action RPG przeznaczone dla młodszych graczy – w szczególności fanów serialu – powinno się jednak sprawdzić doskonale. Do diabła, sam dałem się wciągnąć w klepaną walkę i zasuwanie po lokacjach w poszukiwaniu melonów i zamrożonych żab, a bycie dwunastolatkiem dawno już za mną. To chyba niezła rekomendacja…

In the end the game is fun to play... for a while. I certainly wouldn't recommend this title to any adult or teenager but if you know someone who like Avatar, I'm sure they'll like this game as well.

Avatar: The Last Airbender isn't so much a bad game as it is one that's disappointing because it fails to capitalize on its many interesting concepts. Even though it's geared toward kids, the game is so watered down that even they won't find it challenging. The RPG elements are underdeveloped and the fighting quickly becomes tedious due to its simplicity. The failure to include co-op multiplayer support of any kind doesn't help either. Just being able to play with one friend, much less three, would have made the whole experience more fun. Toss in some unfriendly design choices and lots of backtracking, and you're left with a game that's just not that much fun to play.

While somewhat faithful to the cartoon, Avatar: The Last Airbender for the PS2 fails to capture the true essence of the show’s characters in a game that’s short and uninspiring. Sure kids will get a kick out of playing as their favorite characters but the beat ‘em up action just grows old the more you play. Sorry, Avatar fans, but this isn’t the game we’ve been waiting for since the show debuted.

Bien que cette adaptation du dessin animé se destine aux plus jeunes joueurs, les développeurs ont eu la bonne idée de ne pas chercher la facilité en s'essayant à une sorte de hack'n slash. Le côté RPG est suffisamment accessible pour ne pas rebuter les enfants, de même que le niveau de difficulté qui permet d'avancer sans trop d'efforts. Dommage que l'action soit aussi approximative et les quêtes aussi conventionnelles, car on s'ennuie un peu trop rapidement.

Avatar: The Last Airbender gets a passing grade, but unlike the fun and entertaining television show, the game falls well short of greatness. As a straightforward beat-'em-up, the title seems to have the right formula, including solid control and a surprisingly intuitive character upgrade system. It even includes a strong selection of levels and characters. But the game rarely represents the Nickelodeon show well, sometimes lacking satisfying collision detection during combat, featuring sparse voice work and facial animation, and omitting a multiplayer mode altogether. In the show, the Avatar's primary power is that he can fly. He's an Airbender and he can take to the skies. In the game, he rarely leaves the ground.

Avatar also falls victim to two other glaring issues. The lack of multi-player in any form, especially one that already includes a party system of multiple characters, is nearsighted. Other issues can easily be forgiven when in a decent game with friends - that's an inexcusable oversight. The second is the sloppy feel to the combat. If the numbers indicating how much damage has been dealt didn't appear over an enemy, there would be little way to know a hit had landed. It feels as if the collision is suspect, even though it's nearly perfect. Limited animation on the cell-shaded models only increases the looseness of fighting. Likely rushed to find its way to store shelves for a holiday season, Avatar is close to becoming an enjoyable franchise. Basic game play shows potential, yet also seems unfinished. If the inevitable sequels can build on this base, Avatar could end up as a series for both the key demographic it's reaching for and the growing audience for fans of action RPGs.