Info about Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey:

Official game description:
  
Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey is a third-person open world survival game where you Explore, Expand, and Evolve to advance your clan to the next generation in this exhilarating new adventure from Panache Digital Games.  
Embark on the most incredible odyssey known to humankind: human evolution. Spanning from 10 million to 2 million years ago, begin your journey, before us, in Neogene period Africa. Explore a beautiful yet ruthless world, from swinging through tree branches in the jungle to stalking prey across the golden savannah grasslands. Decide what attributes to learn and hone in order to pass down knowledge to future generations, from crafting tools to enhancing evasive tactics against predators. Just like real life, make sure to eat, drink, and sleep to stay alive and have the energy to face any danger that may come your way.  
Grow your clan and find strength in numbers as you progress through critical evolutionary stages of human evolution. Your choices will write your clan’s story and determine if you can survive your evolution.
Explore Ruthless Africa
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Explore the never-before-experienced world of Neogene Africa starting 10 million years ago at the dawn of humankind. From the tops of tree canopies overlooking lush jungles to the golden grasslands of the savannah, traverse a beautiful yet unforgiving landscape. For every breath-taking view, beware of the weather, predators, and other dangers that threaten your survival.  
Expand Your Territory and Grow Your Clan
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Increase your chances of survival by uniting new members of your species and giving birth to future generations. Control different clan members, form bonds to create families, and work together to intimidate predators during expeditions. Conquer fear as you explore unknown locations in order to expand your territory.  
Evolve Through Multiple Generations
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See the physical and intellectual evolution of the first hominids as you explore, learn, and survive. Spanning from 10 million to 2 million years ago, play as one of the first hominids and evolve over the course of millions of years during key stages in human evolution. Make crucial discoveries and hone physical abilities that will be passed down to future generations such as Ardipithecus ramidus and Australopithecus.  
Choose How You Survive
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Evolution was not written in stone. Your decisions shape how you will overcome obstacles, increase your species, and what knowledge will pass on to future generations. Focus on specific attributes or choose a more balanced approach to survival. Your clan’s ability to survive will be directly impacted by your choices, making each player’s experience unique.

Release date: Aug 27, 2020

Categories: Survival, Exploration, Open-World Exploration, Crafting, Evolution simulation, Clan Management, Generational progression system, Environmental Interaction

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Needs Improvement; summary: The game suffers from poorly explained mechanics and a lack of in-game guidance, leading to a heavy reliance on external resources like wikis and tutorials. While some users enjoy the exploration and discovery aspects, the overall experience is marred by the need to constantly refer to external guides for basic information.
- Steam Deck: score 60; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game has significant issues with controller support, gameplay mechanics, and stability. Users report difficulties with controls, unintuitive processes, and frequent bugs, leading to a frustrating experience.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Stunning visuals and graphics (weight 0.29): The game is praised for its beautiful and detailed graphics, stunning visuals, and overall aesthetic appeal.
- Unique and innovative mechanics (weight 0.27): The game features unique and innovative gameplay mechanics, including survival, evolution, and crafting systems.
- Encourages learning and exploration (weight 0.21): The game promotes independent thinking, problem-solving, and self-discovery through its mechanics and gameplay.
- Rewarding learning curve (weight 0.16): The game has a steep learning curve that rewards patience, persistence, and curiosity, making the learning process engaging and satisfying.
- Cool and creative concept (weight 0.13): The game's concept of evolving from monkeys to humans and its unique storytelling are highly appreciated.
- Immersive and relaxing experience (weight 0.12): The game is highly immersive, beautifully crafted, and offers a relaxing and intellectual experience.
- Addictive and fun gameplay (weight 0.1): The game is described as fun, exciting, and addictive, offering an enjoyable experience once understood.
- Sense of progression (weight 0.08): The game offers a satisfying sense of progression and discovery, reflected through a skill tree that unlocks new capabilities.
- Variety of activities (weight 0.07): The game offers a large and varied map with diverse fauna and flora, providing many activities and goals.
- Worth the price (weight 0.06): The game is considered worth the full price, providing a valuable and rewarding experience.

Common complaints:
- Game is confusing and lacks guidance (weight 0.4): Many players find the game confusing due to unclear controls, mechanics, and lack of proper tutorials or guidance. This leads to a steep learning curve and initial difficulty in understanding what to do.
- Repetitive and tedious gameplay (weight 0.27): The gameplay becomes repetitive and tedious over time, especially towards the end. Players note a lack of variety and monotony in the gameplay mechanics.
- Unintuitive and clunky controls and UI (weight 0.21): The controls and UI are often described as unintuitive, clunky, and awkward. Players struggle with the control scheme and find the UI non-informative and difficult to navigate.
- Game is frustratingly difficult (weight 0.15): The game's difficulty is a common complaint, with players finding it frustrating and challenging. The steep learning curve and lack of clear guidance contribute to this frustration.
- Game lacks variety and depth (weight 0.15): The game is criticized for its limited crafting options, lack of multiplayer or co-op modes, and lack of engaging combat mechanics. Players also note the lack of true evolution mechanics.
- Technical issues and bugs (weight 0.13): Players report various technical issues, including bugs related to clan AI, climbing mechanics, and overall game performance. Some players even find the game nearly unplayable due to these issues.
- Clan members' AI is unintelligent (weight 0.12): Clan members' AI is criticized for being unintelligent, not performing basic tasks like eating, drinking, or sleeping on their own, which adds to the game's difficulty and frustration.
- Game is too complex for beginners (weight 0.06): The game's complex dynamics and mechanics can be overwhelming for beginners, contributing to the steep learning curve and initial confusion.

Gameplay feedback:
- Steep learning curve (weight 0.22): The game features a steep learning curve where players learn new skills through discovery, practice, repetition, and trial and error.
- Open-ended exploration (weight 0.18): Players engage in exploration-based gameplay, using their senses and experimenting without a map to discover and adapt to the environment.
- Survival and evolution theme (weight 0.18): The game is a survival and evolution simulation, focusing on the themes of human evolution and the challenges of surviving in nature.
- Realistic and immersive gameplay (weight 0.14): Gameplay is designed to be realistic and immersive, which can be confusing and stressful but offers a deeply engaging experience.
- Generational progression system (weight 0.12): Progression involves evolving through different species and generations, leading a clan of primates through various stages of evolution.
- No hand-holding mechanics (weight 0.1): The game does not hold the player's hand, requiring them to discover mechanics and learn through their own actions and failures.
- Predator interactions (weight 0.09): Players must deal with predator encounters, including combat and avoidance, as part of the survival mechanics.
- Clan management (weight 0.06): Players must care for and build their clan, managing the behavior and well-being of clan members.
- Environmental interaction (weight 0.06): Players interact with their surroundings and environment, using their senses to navigate and manipulate the world.
- Crafting and weapon systems (weight 0.05): The game features a crafting system, including weapon crafting, which is part of the progression and survival mechanics.
- Tree climbing mechanics (weight 0.05): Movement in treetops and climbing trees are part of the gameplay mechanics, adding to the immersion and survival aspects.
- First-person survival genre (weight 0.04): The game falls within the first-person survival genre, combining exploration and survival elements in an open-world setting.

Performance notes:
- Frequent bugs and crashes (weight 0.12): The game is reported to have numerous bugs that affect gameplay and cutscenes, making it difficult to play. Additionally, there are issues with crashes and performance hiccups.
- High system requirements (weight 0.11): The game is reported to be heavy on PC resources, requiring better hardware to run smoothly. Some players experience performance issues even on high-end PCs.
- Mixed graphics feedback (weight 0.1): Opinions on the graphics are divided. Some players find the graphics beautiful and enhanced, while others criticize them as not great, outdated, or inconsistent.
- Control and visibility issues (weight 0.08): The controls are described as awkward and difficult to manage, with some players comparing it to drunk driving. There are also reports of poor visibility and nauseating camera movements.
- Graphical and sound glitches (weight 0.06): There are reports of various graphical glitches, including floating skeletons and visual inconsistencies. Some players also mention potential bugs with sound cues.
- Unusual technical issues (weight 0.03): Some players report unusual technical issues such as the game reinstalling itself after uninstallation and causing PC shutdowns.

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended for exploration and science fans (weight 0.14): The game is praised for its scientific accuracy, unique experience, and appeal to those interested in exploration, survival, archaeology, and anthropology.
- Mixed recommendations on purchasing (weight 0.09): Some players recommend buying the game during a sale or with a significant discount, while others do not recommend buying it at all.
- Recommended for thinking and patient players (weight 0.08): The game is recommended for those who enjoy figuring things out, patient and attentive players, and those who appreciate non-handholding games.
- Suggestions for gameplay improvements (weight 0.06): Players suggest changes to neuron advancement and generation, as well as adding new mechanics and features.
- Tutorial and gameplay tips (weight 0.06): Players recommend watching YouTube videos for understanding mutations and the material crafting tree, and some suggest playing without tutorials for a more exciting experience.
- Positive reviews without specifics (weight 0.05): Several players highly recommend the game without providing specific reasons.
- Interest in a sequel (weight 0.05): Many players expressed a strong desire for a sequel, with some hoping for more educational and decorative elements.
- Controller and difficulty suggestions (weight 0.05): Some players find the game better with a controller in certain areas, and there are suggestions for adding an easy mode and a Darwin Challenge Mode.
- Requests for multiplayer and remaster (weight 0.03): There are requests for a multiplayer mode and a remastered version of the game.
- Not recommended by some players (weight 0.02): A few players do not recommend the game without providing detailed reasons.

Other player notes:
- Fan-made maps recommended (weight 0.02): Players suggest using fan-made maps for improved navigation in the game.
- Save scumming tip (weight 0.02): A tip shared among players involves save scumming, a technique to manipulate game saves.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.32): Players experience frustration primarily due to the game's steep learning curve, lack of clear tutorials, and confusing mechanics. Additionally, repetitive gameplay, bugs, and poor controls contribute significantly to this frustration, making it difficult for players to progress and enjoy the game.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.13): Players enjoy the game for its unique and engaging gameplay mechanics, which include evolution and tribe management. The immersive experience, beautiful graphics, and the challenging yet rewarding nature of the game also contribute to their enjoyment.
- Excitement (weight 0.12): The game's immersive and captivating experience, along with its unique gameplay mechanics, generates excitement among players. The sense of discovery, adventure, and the challenging gameplay keep players engaged and eager to explore more.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.07): Players feel satisfied with the game's rewarding progression system, educational content, and the sense of accomplishment from overcoming challenges. The detailed narrative and unique mechanics also contribute to a fulfilling gaming experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.07): Disappointment stems from the game's repetitive and boring gameplay mechanics, lack of content, and poor execution of unique ideas. Players also feel let down by the game's clunky controls and unmet expectations based on positive reviews.
- Joy (weight 0.07): Players find joy in the game's unique and immersive experience, beautiful visuals, and the fun mechanics of evolving and playing as a monkey. The engaging gameplay and the sense of development and evolutionary leaps contribute to their overall positive experience.
- Positive (weight 0.03): Players have a positive experience due to the game's interesting concept, enjoyable gameplay, and relaxing atmosphere. The educational aspects and the 'monke' aspect also add to the overall positive impression of the game.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciate the game for its unique gameplay mechanics, beautiful locations, and intellectual depth. The game's quality, complexity, and the unforgiving world design are also highly valued by the players.
- Interest (weight 0.02): The game's unique idea, beautiful graphics, and immersive world design spark interest among players. The engaging gameplay and the historical perspective also keep players intrigued and wanting to explore more.
- Frustrated (weight 0.01): Players are frustrated by the game's lack of tutorials, unclear controls, and excessive button clicks that perform unknown actions. The game's laggy performance and unskippable intro also contribute to their frustration.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Players feel nostalgic due to the game's connection to childhood dreams of being an evolutionist and the mention of SPORE, a game from their childhood. Replaying the game after several years also evokes a sense of nostalgia.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arises from the game's steep learning curve, lack of clear direction, and unintuitive context commands. Players struggle with the initial understanding of game mechanics and the absence of a gentle introduction.
- Curiosity (weight 0.01): Players are curious about the game's engaging atmosphere and the need to learn and adapt to its mechanics. The adjustment period to get used to the gameplay and the rewarding discoveries keep players intrigued.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Players are enthusiastic about the game's unique project with various activities and evolution mechanics. The great game design and engaging experience contribute to their enthusiasm.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Players hope for a continuation of the game, a sequel, or even a trilogy. The desire for more content and future developments keeps players hopeful and engaged.
- Engagement (weight 0.01): Players are engaged by the game's unique survival and simulation experience, as well as the variety of activities and deep skill tree. The thinking and problem-solving aspects of the game also keep players engaged.
- Excited (weight 0.01): Players are excited about the game's immersive experience and the thrill of exploring without prior knowledge. The unique and captivating gameplay mechanics contribute to their excitement.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Players are angered by the game's softlock issues and the perceived poor quality and value for money. The game's shortcomings and offensive quality contribute to their anger.
- Love (weight 0.01): Players love the game for its incredible concept and execution, as well as the overall enjoyment it provides. The unique and engaging experience contributes to their love for the game.}