Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey flings us back 10 million years to the origins of humanity. Announced a few years ago by Assassin’s Creed creator Patrice Désilets and his team as Panache Digital Games, we’re only now getting a look at it in action.
The trailer shows off four phases of our ancestors’ development. In the first part, ten million years ago, there’s a single ape swinging through the trees before getting devoured by a snake. A couple of million years later, a group of apes are being chased by a crocodile, but they make it to the trees in time and escape. We jump forward to four million years ago to see an ape with a baby on its back using a primitive weapon to kill boars. Finally, just shy of three million years ago, a band of hunters encounter and kill a huge saber-toothed cat. Nice job.
It’s an open-world survival that unfurls as our ancestors evolve, gaining new physical skills and tools. Knowledge can be passed down through the generations, and you can choose what attributes the species keeps. You get to decide how they evolve intellectually and physically, making specialised survivors or a balanced tribe. The tribe can also grow and swallow up territory, while new members can be controlled and form familial bonds.
Check out the new Steam page.
Ancestors is due out next year.