The Avatar fighting game is out – here’s what early reviews say

Timed to coincide with the release of Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender on Paramount+ on July 25, 2026, the long-awaited Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game launched on July 23 for $29.99 ($49.99 for the Deluxe Edition) – and players have already jumped in. According to SteamDB, the game has reached a peak of more than 12,000 concurrent players. Its reception, however, has been more mixed, with just 73% of more than 900 Steam reviews currently being positive.

As the name suggests, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is a classic one-on-one fighting game focused on defeating opponents with punches and elemental special attacks while avoiding as much damage as possible. Players can choose from 12 characters drawn from Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, each featuring their own unique movesets and gameplay mechanics. In addition to standard attacks and powerful Super Moves, the game introduces a Flow mechanic. Depending on the direction used, Flow triggers different actions such as dashes, jumps, evasive maneuvers or attacks, with each character using the system in their own way. Alongside online and offline versus matches, the game also includes Story, Arcade and Training modes.

Excellent combat, but lacking content

IGN Germany has already reviewed Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, awarding it 8 out of 10. According to the review, the core combat is the game's biggest strength. IGN praised its fast, flexible fighting system and satisfying combo mechanics. The reviewer also highlighted the faithful presentation, noting that the hand-drawn 2D animations are so authentic they are nearly indistinguishable from the original animated series.

There are drawbacks, however. IGN describes the combat system as highly complex, meaning Avatar fans with little experience playing traditional 2D fighters may find it overwhelming. The 27-chapter Story Mode is also said to drag on, while there is relatively little single-player content beyond Story and Arcade. Other criticisms include limited training features, the inability to adjust AI difficulty and online lobbies restricted to just two players.

Early Steam reviews paint a similar picture. While players generally praise the core gameplay, many criticize the lack of gameplay options, broken combo trials and online features that have yet to become available. Overall, the foundation appears solid – but it remains to be seen how developer Gamplay Group International will build on it in future updates.