Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey

 PC
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 71 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 71
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 71
  3. Negative: 6 out of 71
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Feb 28, 2020
    40
    The game has an original setting and at first attractive environment. Unfortunately for players, millions of years are truly dragging, and the sluggish gameplay makes the struggle for survival a struggle for your own sanity. [Issue#298]
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  2. TheSixthAxis
    Sep 27, 2019
    40
    Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey promised so much, but it ultimately isn’t any fun to play. The lack of direction, the clumsy controls and unwieldy mechanics make this a huge missed opportunity that just doesn’t hang together as an experience. The DNA of a great idea may be here, but it needs a significant amount of evolution before it can become realised.
  3. VG247
    Sep 18, 2019
    40
    It’s initially interesting, but its bundle of ideas and systems stumble between clever and stupid, intuitive and clunky. Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey needs more time to evolve.
  5. Gameplanet
    Sep 9, 2019
    40
    Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey is a wonderful idea that fails to deliver on almost every level. While it can be breath-taking to look at, it is a tedious chore and needlessly unforgiving. I applaud Patrice Désilets and his team for attempting something new and fresh, but great ideas alone do not make for great games.
  6. Metro GameCentral
    Aug 28, 2019
    40
    A tiresome and unforgiving survival game that purposefully makes things as difficult and repetitive as possible, while offering very little in the way of entertainment.
  7. GameSpot
    Aug 26, 2019
    40
    As it stands, investing in Ancestors' journey demands too much effort for too little reward.
This publication does not provide a score for their reviews.
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In Progress & Unscored

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  1. Eurogamer
    Aug 27, 2019
    Ancestors is ambitious and clunky and not much fun - and it's often quietly thought-provoking too.
  2. Kotaku
    Aug 27, 2019
    Some cool ideas, and the way you can climb all over trees is great fun...The endless repetition is soul-crushing.
  3. Mashable
    Aug 27, 2019
    Traditional definitions of "fun" don't apply, and so following some kind of guide to "win" is missing the whole point. Ancestors is constantly challenging you to mess around, and to derive pleasure from the thrill of fresh neurons snapping into existence. You're immersed in the chaos of a pre-human world from the very first moment, and the biggest wins to be had are those you create for yourself.
  5. Polygon
    Aug 26, 2019
    It’s a refreshing experience, and I have a feeling that some players are going to give up quickly — I can’t say I blame those that do — while others will become obsessed with trying to figure out what the hell is going on, even if there is no extrinsic reason to push each generation past a certain point. It can also be distressing how little agency the other hominids exhibit until I take over, and how little instinct we seem to have in general. If I don’t take the lead in making babies or gaining territory, the clan becomes an inert group of hominids that are more or less waiting to die.
  6. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Aug 26, 2019
    Ancestors is a mish-mash of ideas, some good, many awkward and poorly executed. Down another evolutionary branch, this might have been a solid ape sim about swinging from branch to branch and raising a family of hominids across the eras. But here, even the sometimes pleasing “floor is lava” tree-swinging can’t be saved from the slavering jaws of those clingy context-sensitive menus, nor the mess of barely explained HUD elements, nor the obnoxious video filters.
  7. Vice
    Aug 26, 2019
    Ancestors might not be for me, but there’s no doubt it has conviction. I can respect that.

Awards & Rankings

42
#42 Most Discussed PC Game of 2019
54
#54 Most Shared PC Game of 2019

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 282 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 129 out of 282
  2. Mixed: 43 out of 282
  3. Negative: 110 out of 282
  1. Destinylver
    Aug 29, 2019
    4
    So to all those who want to love this...I'm right there with you. But despite wanting to love it...I can't and it doesn't deserve your love.So to all those who want to love this...I'm right there with you. But despite wanting to love it...I can't and it doesn't deserve your love.

    It was bad enough that it's an epic store exclusive but whatever but to be launched in this buggy broken at times state is unacceptable even in an era where this is all too common. But let's imagine it works.

    Ancestor is a survival game. But while game a like the forest or subnaitica are amazing in scope and ambition and follow through. Ancestor reaches for the sky but much like your ape the gsme reaches, misses and fall.

    Graphics: they aren't terrible but in 2019 with a kick ass pc they're pretty bad. Almost last gen at times. Also there is little variety. The ui and menus are be at though. But the cut scenes are a night mare and you can't skip them...and they repeat...a lot. Lots of graphical glitches. Clipping and texture and pop-up issues. Average.

    Sound: Great but much of its really quiet and they use audio gimmicks for gameplay which aren't obvious. Overall good.

    Gameplay: what could have and should have been amazing is pretty poor. Repetitive, boring, uninspired, lazy and disappointing. At times it's ok and shines and you see what you imagined but then it sabotaged itself. It's like the game hates or doesn't care about the player. Traversing is ok though hit and miss. Fighting is really clunky. You do the same thing again and again. And then you die and loose too much. There are other areas outside of the forest but it takes too long and by the game and you don't feel you've achieved much. Overall: average to poor with moments of what could have been.

    Lastability: 50 hours if you're insane. Otherwise you'll be board after 7 and not 7 good hours. 7 hard awkward annoying hours and then a little fun and it goes no where for the next 20. Overall long enough but what's the point if it's no fun.

    Value : play a demo and have a blast. Wait for a sale. Watch an hour of twitch eitherway as this game is very niche.

    I just want to repeat that the devs really screwed all the people who were excited and supportive. It could be fixed if the sorted out the dying and mating and combat and added some more monsters. Also resolved all the bugs etc. But they didn't care about us when they launched this early access game so don't hold your breath. I'd be angry at the devs but they screwed themselves and their wonderful idea the worse.

    4/10 (5 If you love monkey /ape or homoids? sex ;)    … Full Review »
  2. leageno
    Aug 27, 2019
    10
    It's a challenging game, if you don't like survival games what are hard then don't buy it. if you like a challenge and your creative or wantIt's a challenging game, if you don't like survival games what are hard then don't buy it. if you like a challenge and your creative or want to learn to be more creative then buy it.

    don't try to be a one-man army the game is fairly realistic, if you try to survive on your own and don't use teamwork of your clan its much harder, remember to stock up on useful items or ask your clan to hold useful items as you bring them with you so if one of you get hurt it can be quickly fixed.

    I would say bring 4 people, give 2 of them weapons and the other 2 medicine plants for bleeding and poison. you can also bring a fix for broken bones but it's not as life-threating unless you are trying to run from something.

    personally, I love a hard game that others struggle to excel at. I and my friends like to play the game to kill any time we have when we bored or need to relax or something.    … Full Review »
  3. atilander
    Aug 27, 2019
    1
    After some hours of doing the same thing over and over, a tiger appearing magically from nowhere (it doesnt matter if u move to a new place heAfter some hours of doing the same thing over and over, a tiger appearing magically from nowhere (it doesnt matter if u move to a new place he just appear again every few minutes).
    Its boring, buggy and really very bad done. Feels like an Early Access game in all aspects. A waste of money and as usual i cant review the game on the store to warn other users. I give it a 1 because at least the game runs...    … Full Review »
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