There is no right way to play, which means there’s no wrong way to play, which means that I have to find the motivation to continue and grow within my own ambition, not in the game’s systems themselves. I can play it safe and stay close to home, or avoid the forest floor by climbing in the trees, but that will limit how much I learn, which in turn limits how much my clan will evolve as generations die and pass on their knowledge and skills. I need to explore beyond my immediate community to gain a better understanding of the world and my place in it, but of course, that puts me at risk of predation, starvation, and other natural dangers. Each item can perhaps be used as a tool, eaten as food, or crafted into an object that gives me a better chance of survival. I can use my “intelligence” by holding down the Y button, which highlights interesting objects around me that can be identified once I move close. The only way to learn more skills and to evolve through the generations is to explore the world, learning about the environment around me and what I can do with it. It’s a good question, and the game itself doesn’t seem that interested in answering it. So why go anywhere else? Why put myself, or other members of the group, in danger? I’m alone at first, but soon I can take direct control of any member of my clan after I link up with a group of hominids that seem to have everything they need, from nearby fruit to clean drinking water. I play the third-person survival game as a young hominid living millions of years ago, or at least, that’s where my experience begins. If I’m going to die either way, I might as well try something new “Good luck,” the opening text tells me, “we won’t help you much.” No shit.Īnd thus begins my strange, frustrating, compulsive journey through a game that I’m not sure I enjoy, but that’s continually intriguing. I have no idea how things would’ve gone if I had tried with the tutorials turned off, and I’m not sure I’d like to find out. The first game from Panache Digital Games - co-founded by former Assassin’s Creed lead Patrice Désilets - Ancestors doesn’t give you much guidance, even when played with the tutorials enabled. The goal of Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey seems to be whatever you’d like to make it.
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