When it comes to video games created to tie into movies, most are rather disappointing compared to the franchise that they are trying to connect to. Later this week, Ubisoft will publish Massive Entertainments Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora on December 7th for PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X|S. Thankfully, this is not the first Avatar game to be created; the last game was decent to play at the time but was not memorable. Now Massive Entertainment looks to create a vibrant world that will immerse players into Avatar’s World and lore. One key focal point of the game is the Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora soundtrack.
For those who don’t know, Massive Entertainment is the studio behind Tom Clancy’s The Division and soon-to-be Star Wars Outlaws. Before the game has even launched, Ubisoft has revealed that the game’s soundtrack will be available on Music streaming platforms and YouTube after launch. For those who want to see if the music will suffice, they can check out the Official Main Theme, The People’s Cry. The theme is pretty and has a great atmosphere, but it is not something that I would out of my way to search for.
Ubisoft’s Announcement
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s Official Soundtrack is arriving December 8. In the “Behind the Music” video below, Music Supervisor at Ubisoft Music Simon Landry and Massive Entertainment’s Audio Director Alex Riviere explain how the 49-track-strong soundtrack came to be.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s Official Soundtrack is scored by Emmy-nominated composer Pinar Toprak (Captain Marvel). “My goal is to create a score that resonates with people’s hearts and minds, that will stay with them,” Toprak explains. “It’s such a stunningly told, beautiful story, I want to make sure that the audience is engaged in that. The music has a part in that storytelling.”
Riviere continues: “Music direction-wise, the goal was first and foremost to stay true to the foundations of James Horner’s original Avatar soundtrack and then expand on it”. Landry adds “Pinar really understood the Avatar DNA and what makes the Avatar music so memorable and iconic.”
As Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s Western Frontier is made up of vastly different regions with distinct clans and biomes, Toprak made sure her score reflected the tone of each one through unique musical themes. Riviere explains: “Our goal has been to create an interactive and seamless experience, and to enable an emotional bond to the world and its characters through the soundtrack and its themes, which evolve depending on where you are and what you do in the game”.
There’s also the overarching theme of becoming Na’vi, which is reflected in the score through the growing use of woodwinds, percussions, and a Bulgarian choir.
“The music of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is truly unique,” says Landry. “We have succeeded in blurring the frontiers between videogame and cinematic experience. I really hope it will connect with fan expectations.”
Personally, if the audio directors did a great job, it could rival Skyrim’s soundtrack. Hopefully, the team is a big fan of the movie franchise and has moved away from the original game’s vision. Hopefully, fans will enjoy what the team has put together. We can’t see the musical score being disappointing, because then they would have to face the wrath of James Cameron.
Are you excited for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora or are you currently waiting to see how it turns out? Is there a music soundtrack that really stands out to you? Let us know your favorite one.
