'Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game': Azula and Sokka Gameplay Details Revealed
Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game has seen a marketing blitz over the past few days, with the announcement of the game's surprisingly low $29.99 price tag, the entire 12-character base roster, and its gameplay modes. Following all that up, developer and publisher Gameplay Group International is highlighting fan-favorite characters Azula and Sokka from the original Avatar: The Last Airbender series.
In a post to PlayStation Blog by Geoff Mendicino, brand manager for Gameplay Group International, Mendicino broke down the gameplay mechanics of both Azula and Sokka, despite there being very little footage of the two characters so far, as well as how the developer balanced gameplay styles between bender and non-bender characters.
"Each character’s bending style translates seamlessly into the fighting game format, with even shared elements expressed in distinct and dynamic ways," wrote Mendicino. He continued, writing, "Some bending styles, however, are impossible to overlook. Azula’s is one of them. Ruthless, unpredictable, slightly unhinged, and yet, incredibly precise, we knew we had to get her just right."
Azula features her signature blue flame and lightning attacks and is balanced with two different stances: Focused Mode and Firelord Mode. In Focused Mode, Azula focuses on setting traps and zoning the opponent out. Those traps can also be ignited with Azula's flames, making her a precision, thinking-person's character.
In her Firelord Mode, Azula abandons that tactful mind in favor of overwhelming aggression and becomes much more like a rushdown character. Her basic character movement is also altered, reflecting her current state of mind.
Sokka is one of the only non-bender characters on the roster, so he has to rely on his tools, wits, and improvisation. "To reflect his eccentric personality, Sokka plays very differently from the rest of the cast. He can cancel many of his normal moves directly into powerful Flow options, allowing players to constantly reposition and keep opponents guessing," wrote Mendicino. However, there is a downside. "The tradeoff is that Sokka cannot chain his normals into C attacks like the other fighters, meaning players must rely on mobility, timing, and creativity to stay ahead," Mendicino continued.
Sokka seems to rely heavily on tricks to keep the opponent guessing, while Azula focuses on two different states of mind to keep the opponent under her control--both styles are very fitting of their characterizations from the beloved anime.
Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game releases on July 2 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.