Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is mechanically sound and plays very well, yet neither the single player offerings or presentation are up to par.

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is a great fighting game that has something for long-time fans of the Avatar franchise and fans of more hardcore fighting games. It isn't always putting its best foot forward in some respects, but that doesn't stop the core experience from being enjoyable. The game is an incredible homage to the Avatar series with fighters that really embody the essence of the character without sacrificing too much to gameplay. That gameplay is also crisp and engaging to learn from start to finish. It's still missing some modes and difficulties, and doesn't offer too many ways to play, but that can be improved, hopefully. Whether you're a fan of the series or a fan of fighting games, you'll find something to love about Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game.

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game will likely disappoint fans of the show and fail to ease a new audience into the genre. At the same time, it's also a very good and refreshing fighting game. Instead of bringing Avatar fans into the FGC, this game is likely to make a sizeable portion of the FGC into Avatar fans.

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is one of the best fighting games of the year so far. Its beautifully animated, hand-drawn 2D art style, diverse roster of characters across the Avatar series, and captivatingly in-depth system mechanics make it an absolute joy to learn and play, both with friends and online opponents as well as in the game’s singleplayer offerings. Its unbridled, uncompromised love for the source material, focus on element bending as a form of combat, and unique take on the lore also solidifies it as the best Avatar video game adaptation—a leap in quality so high you’d think an airbender was behind it. There are no tricks here, though; Avatar Legends is an exhilarating, deeply exciting fighter because it transparently radiates a love for the series and fighting games so potent that it effortlessly becomes a master of all its elements.

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is a fascinating new way to explore the franchise, seeing the classic characters face each other in battle. The fast-paced 2D action is enjoyably dynamic, and the developers managed to make each character feel unique while also having enough universal gameplay elements so that the learning curve isn’t too hard for any of them. The only things that keep it from greatness are some kinks here and there that can hopefully be fixed in the future.

The potential of Avatar Legends is immense. This is a gorgeous 2D fighting game that excels as both a throwback to the bygone era of sprite-based fighters and a faithful adaptation of the beloved cartoons it’s based on. It’s got some of the most satisfying movement of any 2D fighter I’ve played, combos routes that are challenging but immensely rewarding to learn, a 12 character roster that feels way bigger than it actually is thanks to the clever support system, and flexible combat that allows for a ton of creative expression. The lackluster story mode and complete absence of some basic options like difficulty settings for the CPU certainly make Avatar Legends hard to recommend to casual Avatar fans, but for fighting game fans looking for something with “the sauce,” Avatar Legends is about as saucy as it gets.

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is a budget package, but Gameplay Group International clearly knew exactly where to target in order to make one of the best Avatar video games out there. While the more casual or novice player may not get much out of Avatar Legends, I do think even the most fly-by-night of Avatar fans should consider the game at least. On the flip side, this is one of the strongest fighting game entries this year, with some titillating ideas waiting for players to discover and exploit. While the game is in good hands, I can only hope that, along with the Year 1 DLC, they also expand it to support offline and solo options.

The highest compliment that can be given to Avatar Legends is how it never feels like it compromises its systems.

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is a rock-solid fighter that manages to honor a beloved IP without compromising any of the sensibilities needed to succeed in this genre. The characters are interesting (even if the game could use more), and the skill ceiling feels incredibly high. Like the Avatar, a long journey lies ahead for players eager to master the elements.