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Avatar: The Last Airbender has proven to be perennially popular since it first debuted in 2005, but outside its two main animated series, the franchise often struggles to find its footing. Avatar video games are especially dodgy. Most have been released to especially tepid reviews, even when big-name studios are responsible. Aang's newest outing, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, is off to a great start, though.
Reviews are still rolling in, but Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game currently holds a more than respectable Metacritic aggregate score of 81 (for its 10 PC reviews; six PS5 reviews have it at an 80 on that platform). It's not quite on par with some of the titans of the fighting genre, but it's a great score, especially compared to other licensed fighting games. Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game may end up being the best-received The Last Airbender game yet, though player consensus will have to wait until after its full release tomorrow, July 23.
Developed by Gameplay Group International, the classic 2D fighting game has an aggregate score on par with our own review of Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game. Screen Rant gaming critic Matthew Danielson praised both its depth and onboarding, calling its tutorials "innovative" in a way that lets even genre newcomers come to understand its complex combat. An original Avatar story even makes the game approachable to those who aren't interested in its competitiveness, though "the Story Mode is likely the weakest part of Avatar Legends."
A review from IGN drew similar conclusions, calling Avatar Legends "the game Avatar: The Last Airbender has deserved," and "one of the most fun fighting games" the reviewer has ever played. They go on to say that everything surrounding its core fighting gameplay, including the single-player story, is sadly lacking in comparison. The consensus seems to be that Avatar Legends is a unique and commendable fighting game focused on mobility, making it great for PvP, but is undercooked outside of that.
When it comes to fighting games, though, tight controls and good competitive balance will go far. Story modes in the genre often end up being little more than extended tutorials—you won't find the same level of technical skill as you do against other players. Avatar Legends' depth was also praised in its most glowing review, from SteamDeckHQ. And for those who own Valve's handheld, the verdict on its performance calls it a "flawless experience on Steam Deck."
Fighting games seem to be ever-increasing in popularity, and by all accounts, Avatar Legends is a worthy genre entrant. It and the upcoming Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls have a lot of the fighting game community's attention at the moment (though Marvel Tokon being unavailable in many countries may not help its chances). Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game may not be perfect, but it may be the best video game yet based on The Last Airbender.
