ARK: Genesis – Part 1 Review for Xbox One

              Players return to the dinosaur-filled worlds, contested by tribal survivors. If you are unfamiliar with ARK, this is an open world survival game by Studio Wildcard where players can form factions and tame the beasts within the environment, all while battling for control. Or, you can go full Bear Grylls meets Turok.

              This expansion seems to want to create a new sandbox where the biomes from the previous arks are within the same world. That’s not a perfect definition for Genesis, but it feels more like Darwin Project in a multi-biome scenario. We are trying to claim the mantle of Ultimate Survivor, after all. I should disclose, however, these biomes are not connected, and you need to teleport to them via HLNA, our new guide.

              HLNA is a cool little robot, and her personality is a welcome addition to this survival world experience. She acts as a sort of Pokemon index when it comes to creatures and she can liaise us from one area on the map to another. She is part of the UI, but we can still access our tech developments like in the original. I am under the impression that base-building is not the focus in this DLC. You will find that building in some of these biomes is just out of the question, which makes me wonder what the purpose of any of these missions actually amounts to in the end.

              I should also disclose that I was not the realtor and/or prospector in the original game! The biomes are beautiful and deadly, while new creatures lay in wait to remind you that you are an active participant in the food chain. It really hammers that idea of being the ultimate survivor, so perhaps this a more cooperative experience among players. Or if you’re all about the dog-eat-dog type of world … you can set up the scenario to fit your expectations.

              The DLC essentially gives you more direction as opposed to the base game. We actually have a measurable objective in mind in Genesis. If you are looking for a newer experience in some very decently designed locales, then I would highly recommend this for you and your friends. If you are more inclined to play more of the same as found in the base game, then you may find this direction a little less appealing. I would still suggest keeping an eye on its price tag, because if you’re already a fan, this will consume a few hours of your life at best.

I think a fair rating for this DLC is an 8 out of 10.

Check Out the ARK: Genesis Trailer:

For more information, please visit here: playark.com

John Pruitt

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I like to think of myself as the average Joe who grew up alongside video games. I have fun playing strategy games, RPGs, shooters, sandboxes, the whole shebang! Every game provides an experience whether it strikes you as profound, mundane, or someplace in between. I'd like to weigh in my two cents before you spend a single penny.

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