The world of Avatar: The Last Airbender has become a fan favorite, and it went on to spawn a sequel series with Avatar: The Legend of Korra that has become almost equally beloved. In the next couple of years, the world of The Last Airbender will be expanded upon further through animated films and TV shows that are in the works. However, while the series has been a hit in the TV show landscape, it has always seemed to struggle in the realm of video games.
In 2014, PlatinumGames played around in the universe of The Legend of Korra. At the time, the studio was best known for its work on Bayonetta, and many had no idea what a Platinum-led Avatar game would look like. The game was far from a critical success, but its gameplay still had something to offer for fans of the TV series. Since 2017, the title has not been available to purchase on digital storefronts due to licensing issues. Now that it has been eight years since the game released and PlatinumGames has improved its craft, maybe it is time for the studio to take another trip to this fantastical world as its popularity rises again.
PlatinumGames' Legend of Korra Was Decent Fun
The Legend of Korra was a third-person action game that gave players control of the legendary Avatar Korra. It told a brand-new story surrounding the Avatar between the second and third seasons of the show. She is stripped of her powers by a chi-blocker at this time, and must fight back against a chaotic entity named Hundun as she recovers her bending abilities. The story was heavily criticized and many elements the game were lambasted by critics, but the combat offered a decent amount of fun for fans of the franchise.
Players were able to control Korra and her various bending abilities as they beat back enemies. Each element had its uses, and they looked like they came straight from the TV show. Waterbending specialized in ranged attacks, earthbending was useful for powerful attacks, firebending featured fast combos and ranged abilities, and airbending featured attacks that hit multiple opponents. The player could also enter the Avatar State and unleash powerful attacks that involve every element. While it was not perfect, this combat helped make players feel like they were the Avatar.
On top of its lackluster story and fun combat, there were a couple of side modes that players could participate in. Legend of Korra introduced pro-bending matches to the world of Avatar, and the game let players actually participate in those. Players could control the Fire Ferrets and do battle against another team of three using the same pro-bending ruleset the show had. Players could also play through an endless-runner mode where they rode Naga and fought back foes.
PlatinumGames Deserves Another Shot
Since 2014, PlatinumGames has released some high-caliber games like Nier: Automata and Astral Chain, considerably improving its craft. Currently, the studio is working on Bayonetta 3 and Project G.G, but it should be given the chance to explore the world of Avatar again. When upcoming projects near release, there will most likely be a resurgence of popularity for the IP. There should also be a new wave of video games set in the universe, and PlatinumGames should be one of the studios leading the charge.
The studio has already shown it can make a decent Avatar game, now it just has to make a great one. The title could follow Aang or Korra on an adventure set in-between seasons, or even during the gap between The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra. It could also follow a past Avatar like Kyoshi or Roku on adventures of their own, or serve as a more direct tie-in for the upcoming films. If PlatinumGames wanted, it could even tell a unique story following an Avatar that fans have never heard of. Whatever the case, the studio deserves a second shot at the universe.
PlatinumGames delivered one of the better Avatar-themed games, so while The Last Airbender needs to have a strong video game presence, now is the time to give it that. The world of Avatar: The Last Airbender is about to get a lot bigger, and there has never been a better time for the industry to deliver on quality tie-in titles.