Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey

great game... Most fun ive had in a single player game in a long time

this game has a huge learning curve as it has no tutorial but with the power of redit this game is peak.

This game lives rent free in my head. I really hope the studio produces another unique banger to follow up on this style of game play. Sure, the controls take some getting used to but I feel the game is supposed to be that way. It makes you feel fully immersed as you are learning alongside your characters for the entire duration of the game. You need to master certain things like tree climbing as our ancestors did, it's not just mashing buttons and I love it.

I was definitely left wanting more, in a good way. A sequel couldn't come soon enough. I hope they build upon the crafting system and add some form of shelter building. The combat was really unique and I had fun with it but once you master it things can begin to get repetitive. If there is a follow up on this gem I think they have built the foundations here for making one of the most immersive and entertaining games of all time.

Also very polished, for the level of detail and the density of the forests you don't need a super-computer to run it. Also in my personal experience I came across little to no bugs. Some things I thought were bugs turned out to be myself just doing something wrong during the long journey of learning how to use my monke hands and brain.

The game is not a fast pacing (at least for me) and rather realistic in that. There is some grind that is understandable since the evolution and learning come with repetition. Controls are not quite right with keyboard. Main difference here is that you are playing for a clan of monkeys, not for a single one. They die sometimes and it is okay. Mechanistic are supposed to be learned, sometimes in a hard way. I'm checking with the internet to learn if i've stuck.

Nice game, would play when bored. Its a bit slow story wise and frustrating sometimes. Otherwise good!

Hear me out ok...
This game is AMAZING; Between the environment and the skill building and everything in-between this game nails it. That being said, there is a massive memory leak issue or some form of corruption that happens at a certain point in the game. It's like the game cannot handle all the monkeys, the tools, the piles of items, the enemies, the ambient fruit/vegetation, just everything. Numerous playthroughs have ended with hard crashes. immediate FPS drops and system chugs when viewing the MASSIVE (in a good way) neuron tree or when I go to tell multiple monkeys to mimic my actions.
I don't understand why items don't refresh after an evolution leap to let the backlog of memory breathe. I swear this game crashes 99/100 times because it's trying to remember a specific chunk of basalt I picked up to defend myself with across the map quite literally 1,000,000 years ago lol.
It is impossible for me to justify recommending a game that literally breaks the further you go and the more you do. Which is a crying shame, because Monke is Life.

Fun game, but I only understood how the neural network worked at the end of the game (if there was a tutorial, I didn't read it)

What the actual f*ck is this game? It doesn't explain what you're supposed to do, and the gameplay is so janky that when it DOES give you instruction, you'll sit there pressing the same button over and over again while nothing happens.
I wanted to like and get immersed in this one but holy hell is it bad.

One of the most immersive gaming experiences I have had. The lack of maps, tutorials or any real instructions at all, may turn some people off. I loved it. (after a few deaths, restarts...etc.) You are playing as an ape and trying to evolve to a more modern human. Keep in mind, the game-play represents 10 million years and you evolve with one clan, picking up mutations and the like along the way. Worrying about a single member dying isn't recommended unless you are advanced and going for deathless. True achievements has the best guide I've ever seen for this game if you need help. Bur try it for a few hours at least without any guides... that I think is how the developers intend it.
Save scum pro tip: You can initiate an auto-save by accessing and leaving the evolution screen at a rest area after making one. So... if you rage quit you will have a nice spot to return to.

OK. I got through the walkthrough. Spent a little time trying to figure out what exactly to do.
Got the whole clan wiped out in the first 2 hours of gameplay.
Probably the second worst purchase I've made on steam.

fun game, also very educational, im glad it isnt too expensive.

This game was different in a good way definitely worth picking it up.

I played the game originally at launch on ps4. Around 2 years ago I built my new pc and this was one of the first games I bought but never played it because I just got done with it on PS. So here we are in 2025 and I'm finally getting back around to the PC playthrough.

I had forgotten just how remarkable this game truly is. It's a masterpiece in its own right. I feel like it could stand the test of time. Even the graphics still look amazing. Much better on PC than ps4 lol.

I won't continue with a huge winded review. It's simply a 10/10 rating and definitely in my top 10 favorite games of all time. If you haven't played it and like survival exploration games than I'd highly recommend it.

Bro they call this shit humankind's odyssey while you play as a monkey the entire game. I get the whole we came from monkeys thing but there's no evolving in this game. its just a monkey simulator

awesome game.there is one thing i would like to fix is with the mimic thing.we should be able to tell them to put items in one pile.

This is one of the best Exploration/Survival games i've ever seen, a very unique idea that i cant relate to any other game. This game is a masterpiece, beautiful, engaging, and very well crafted.

dont buy it if you get bored easily, controls are wonky. Better off watching someone else play on yt

Not a game for everyone.

Every little interaction in this game takes forever to accomplish.

I love this game. I see others complaining that it is laggy or slow but I have a cheap barely held together pc and it plays beautiful. It is set up more for controller but you can switch it in the settings so the tutorial tells you the correct buttons on pc. The development of your tribe is very satisfactory. Learning to handle different situations is very rewarding. Is the game difficult? Yes. Is it enjoyable when you finally figure out how to not die constantly? Very.

Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey is one of the most unique and ambitious survival games ever made, offering an experience that feels truly different from anything else in the genre. Its concept—evolving from early primates to the first stages of human civilization—is nothing short of brilliant, and when everything clicks, it’s an exhilarating journey of discovery, adaptation, and survival. But while the game’s potential is undeniable, it’s held back by clunky controls, frustrating mechanics, and a lack of essential tools that make progression feel more tedious than rewarding.

One of the game’s strongest aspects is its open-ended evolution system. Experimenting with different skills, adapting to new environments, and slowly passing down knowledge to future generations is incredibly satisfying. The game doesn’t hold your hand, which makes every breakthrough feel earned. Learning to use tools, mastering movement, and figuring out how to avoid predators all add to the immersion, making it feel like you’re truly guiding your lineage toward survival.

However, the controls are where Ancestors starts to stumble. Movement often feels awkward, especially when climbing trees or trying to navigate the environment with precision. Jumping between branches is unreliable, leading to frustrating falls that can injure or kill your primates. Worse yet, dodging predators—one of the game’s core survival mechanics—feels laggy and unresponsive. Timing a dodge properly is more about luck than skill, and since death means losing a valuable clan member permanently, these unfair encounters can be infuriating.

The lack of a map makes things even harder, and not in a good way. While exploration is meant to feel organic, the reality is that it often just leads to wandering in circles. The game encourages you to mark landmarks and use memory-based navigation, but without any clear guidance, getting lost is a constant struggle. For a game that requires you to manage an evolving clan, the absence of even a simple tracking system makes survival unnecessarily frustrating.

Despite these flaws, Ancestors remains an incredibly engaging and thought-provoking experience. When it works, it’s one of the most immersive and rewarding survival games out there. But its rough edges—particularly the frustrating controls, laggy dodges, and lack of a proper navigation system—can turn that excitement into sheer aggravation. If you’re patient and willing to push through its flaws, there’s a fantastic game underneath, but it’s one that often fights against itself.

I am so sorry but the game runs like *ss... i just got a new gaming PC that can run literally any game on the market, and the game runs like molasses... every button press feels like i have to break my bones for it to do what it should...
not sure why, i wanted to like it but i can abrely move... focusing on things takes up to 10 seconds... and before i let the button go it has memorized AND forgot it int he same move... why... how...

Unbelievably laggy. I couldn't even play. I'm sure it's a good game I've heard good things about it but I have a great PC and it can't even run it.

I played long enough to make my apes smart and strong so I don't really understand complaints saying "The game won't tell you what to do" well, it's your journey, you decide to do whatever you want. It's all up to you to figure out and discover something. You just don't have the patience.
At first I was also confused as well. What am I gonna do? I can't do this? so maybe that? Nope, I can't as well. I fell from a tree and died. Got attacked by anaconda and died. I was bleeding dunno what to do and died. It keeps happening but hey, at least I learnt something new. Now I can kill anaconda that killed me before, even the sabertooth. I know what to do if my apes bleed, have broken bones, get cold etc. My apes only died from old age. You will learn it slowly. Just like the monke.

I like the concept, but the controls are frustrating. Specifically the climbing, swinging, etc. My first three deaths were from falling. It says you can grab onto leaves to swing, but I swear it only works 50% of the time. The other 50% of the time you fly through the leaves, grab nothing, and plunge to your death. The survival and discovery elements are cool but there are so many steps to everything and each step takes a few seconds of you holding a button down and then letting go at the right moment. It makes the entire game feel slow, especially when you destroy what your trying to craft. I get wanting the player to experiencing what it was like to discover stuff, but I also get why taking it to this level isn't for everyone. Ill try it again after I've had some time to cool off and start another lineage but for now I would say the game is being held back by it's weird controls more than anything.

This game is wonderful. There are so many places to explore and it feels like danger is around my clan constantly. It takes so.e trial and error to figure out the tools and what you can make, but that's one of my favorite parts. I also can't tell you how many times my poor hominids have died! Saber cats, snakes, falling to death... It's like a real life lesson on genetic drift!

10/10 I love this game and would play a sequel in a heartbeat.

Loved the game so far but where the mods and do wish there was like in later gen you could make a bag and belt somthing carrior more weapon on the back

Very unusual game, you should try it

Input:
Y for intellect, hold Y to concentrate
X to snif, hold X to learn sniffing
B to voice, B in intelect meny to hear
A to jump, to grab
X to learn

Mechanics:
You can choose sex, hud level
You should learn the word around
Have new mutation and teach childrens

holy crap bro i love flippin monkey and apes dude i love this game bro i like swinging in the trees like a monkey dude i love monkeys bro monkeys dude apes and them yes i love this game

17 hrs in and i can say that this game is by far nothing less than interesting. In my opinion it is unique, straight adventure, RPG style. This game is honestly a huge break from Shooters, and big clunky games. Just play it and learn from mistakes. id recommend watching a few you tube videos just to get a grasp on the unique material crafting tree. and just become the king of the area with your mob monkeys. give monkey a stick and you will conquer.

Not very straight forward. I love the aspect of learning everything around you and how bare bones it is. But nothing is explained. Kind of a pain in the ass when you're trying to survive.

When you get attacked, you have the defense capacity of a pancake. Not very good for beginners. For now, I'm glad I only bought this game on sale, not in full price.

Not my favorite game for the meanwhile... I do not recommend to buy this game, even on sale.

It itches a scratch to return to monke. I actually wish there were more games like this - or more to this game. I honestly just love flinging around the trees eating fruit and whatever as a relaxing aspect of the game, and it also hits something primal when you kill big predators with sticks xD

The ai can be wonky if you try to move your clan, or take some other monky friends with you - sometimes they get stuck on trees and you have to go take control of them to get them unstuck, which can lead to death, and there are obviously some other shortcomings, but overall I really enjoyed it, and it's a unique experience.

I'd like to encourage more of these games- even more fleshed out if possible!

Fix your game, lineage crash error every time, its 2025 no reason for that other than lazy development.

Wouldn't recommend. The game doesn't tell you much, Spent an hour trying to build a sleeping cot. Reddit told me I had to analyse an adult monkey and switch with it because child monkeys cant build....gave it another chance..told me to go mate, found one, then it says I have to groom them...with no other direction, i don't want to use Reddit to get through the game

the controls suck other then that its a good concept

It's a good game, the controls are a little weird though and it doesn't give you much help but it's fun

Honestly spore did it better, boring clunky. A guessing game about what the devs wants. Not even fun. if u want a survival game go try something else.

I love it and wish the devs would update it and make more games like this.

No one knows who Robbie Williams in this game either

Great game. They oughta make a sequel, cause it feels like humankind’s journey is not complete yet

Monke

ME APE

me is monke

monkey

monkey good

Never been so immersed in a game before. I'm not a big fan of survival games, but this one hits different. Embrace monkey,

ape

no

Return to monke

Years after release, this game still holds up as a unique experience. It's not infinitely replayable, but it's got enough content to have pulled me into a dozens of hours of enjoyment on a second playthrough 5 years after my first round with it.

Disregard haters (probably just angry predators that couldn't catch ape)

Ancestors plot synopsis:

1. Stockpile sharpened sticks
2. Sniff some rocks (very important)
3. "OOOOAAAA HOOO HOOO AHHH"
4. Climb big tree
5. Conquer jungle with ape gang
6. Acquire neuron activations and become king monkey
7. Die because you ate poisonous berries

Best game ever.

10/10 because peak monkeying requires that you wear tactical assault chimp babies