Ark 2 will feature Dark Souls-like combat and “revolutionary cross-platform modding”, says developer Studio Wildcard, which revealed more of the Vin Diesel-led dinosaur survival game at Summer Games Fest.
Though we are still waiting on actual gameplay footage, Ark 2 is being billed as a third-person, melee-combat action game, specifically described by Studio Wildcard as similar to From Software’s Elden Ring and Dark Souls series. Blocks, staggers, special attacks, and the ability to lock onto and track targets will form the basis of Ark 2’s fighting mechanics, while movement and exploration will be more fluid – seemingly playing as Santiago, voiced and performed by the ever fast, always furious Vin Diesel, you will be able to slide, swing, free climb, and parkour around the game’s alien world, suggesting something closer to Assassin’s Creed or Uncharted.
You’ll also be able to install mods, affecting everything from creature designs, to weapons, and maps, regardless of what platform you’re using. Studio Wildcard explains that support from mod.io – the team behind ModDB.com – means Ark 2 will feature fully stackable mod support, allowing Xbox and console players to tweak and customise their game just like they were playing on PC – and this will even work on unofficial servers. Sharing mods across platforms should bring the Ark community closer together than ever, and as Mr Diesel likes to remind us, it’s all about family.
Ark 2 will also feature crafting, dynamic world events which change the map and pace of play, and a new PvE enemy called the Aratai, who, like Santiago, can tame the dinosaurs and other wild animals for use in combat. In theory, Ark 2 is a game where you can play as Vin Diesel, and have a T-Rex battle with an alien warlord. On paper, at least, we’re very intrigued.
Plus, it sounds like an interesting twist on the original Ark: Survival Evolved. Whereas the first game often prioritised gun combat and the first-person view, Ark 2 seems focused more on melee combat, and getting you to spend more time in third person to really take in the world.
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There should be more gameplay information soon, and hopefully some footage. Until then, Ark 2 is set to release on Steam Early Access, and Xbox and PC Game Pass in 2023.
