Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey

Take a look at the ancient past and it quickly becomes clear that the path from prehistoric primates to modern humankind was a harsh and difficult road. Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey gives gamers a firsthand glimpse at how early man came into existence in a deeply moving and engaging way. From the moment the opening cinematic shows the cycle of predator and prey to its transition into the player's first moments in the wild, the game presents an atmosphere that's absolutely breathtaking. It's easy to get lost in the vast splendor of the jungle, and to feel what these early moments of primitive man's evolutionary steps must have experienced.

Survival in prehistoric times was a challenge, and Ancestors doesn't shy away from bringing that challenge to the game. Even with the full tutorials turned on, it makes a point of leaving a lot for players to discover on their own. Picking up on small audio clues, experimenting with the controls, and testing out contextual interactions are all keys to progress, as is gaining an understanding for your overall health, status, and needs. Unfortunately, much of this is left for players to figure out on their own, which can make the earlier moments of developing your clan more than a little frustrating. Since the game's initial launch on PC, and the release on consoles, additional tutorials and goals have been added to make things clearer. That includes being able to tell how members of your clan are from far away to address their health or food needs, and stronger contextual item selection so players are grabbing rocks or other weapons in combat instead of other objects like fruit on the jungle or savannah floor. Eventually, much like the primates learning new skills, you learn more of how the game operates and become much more efficient and effective at surviving and thriving. There's a bit of repetition as you go through your daily life in the jungle, but it's still a fantastic take on prehistory and an exciting, though provoking journey.