“Avatar Legends: the Fighting Game” has been here for almost a month and fans have mixed impressions of it, with some praising its combat style and devotion to the original series, while others complain of its difficulty and lack of story. Here’s a breakdown of fans’ first impressions of the game. 

An Overview of Game Mechanics:

Avatar legends uses a fast based combat system with simple mechanics that could combine in difficult combos: it uses four main attack buttons, light, medium, heavy, alongside a unique flow button which allows you to cancel attacks and turn them into new movements. Its strategic and requires you to wait and pay attention to where your last attack landed or not, and wherever attacks do/do not land is based on the opponents position. Different characters also have very heavily differing playstyles depending on their bending element. Attacks must be well timed and planned based on everything said.

What The Critics Have to Say:

Despite all of this others claim it could be one of the best fighting games in a while. While it is difficult for some players, that is what makes the game fun: it takes a lot of practice to really get a feel for the mechanics. Reviewers have also praised how different each element and character’s fighting styles are, noting that mastering one does not translate to mastering another, keeping the game fresh even after dozens of gameplay hours. The consensus so far seems to be that the steep learning curve is intentional, rewarding patience and repetition, and that’s part of what’s earning it comparisons to some of the more respected titles in the fighting game genre. 

How the Game Accommodates Casual Players

While the game does not have traditional “easy”, “medium”, “hard” modes it accommodates players who have difficulty with such mechanics through trail and practice modes dedicated to certain every character, mechanic, and combo. There is also an adjustable CPU difficulty in arcade mode which allows you to scale down the opponent’s difficulty so you can practice under realistic match conditions. An open sandbox is also available with technical tools, real-time frame data meters, and programmable dummy behaviors. The game also features other accommodations such as a flow button that simplifies dodging, beginner friendly characters, autocombos, and skill based matching with other online players. 

How the Game Will Evolve Over Time:

Exciting additions are coming to the game after the year one mark passes. The main of which are the 5 DLC characters: Ty Lee, Lin Beifong, Bolin, and a community-voted character. The right to vote for the last character will be given to those who buy the deluxe version of the game. They can choose to vote between king Bumi, Kuvera, Tenzin, Asami, and Amon. The voted character, along with the four others will be given to people who bought the deluxe edition of the game as a reward of their support.

The game is officially out as of July 23rd, and the full version is available on PS5 and steam. Play it now to test it yourself!