User reviews

The setting, action, fight scenes, and characters are great, but everything they do right they follow quickly by attempting to virtue signal which feels like a betrayal to the existing fanbase.

The main character's flashbacks give nothing to the current storyline outside of trying to place her in a saintly position which makes her a less relatable character. She's a scientist at the top of her field, a professor at a prestigious university, she is a Lesbian who lost her partner to a foreign conflict, a first nations person from Australia and an activist with a criminal record. The list goes on and on and on and on, but none of it, not even her sexuality is at all important to the current events they put just as much effort into presenting how horrible the world is just for it to be completely overshadowed by how horrible the Ark is.

I don't know, I'll keep going because it is well made. It just seems like too much for zero narrative reward.

I wanted to learn about this world and - more importantly - what the heck was going on?? None of that got explored in the first half of the season, and instead we were incessantly fed political commentary that was as trite as it was overbearing.

The most interesting characters were Rockwell and Nervus; I was disappointed with the rest - especially with how much they stereotyped John and Meiyin Li. And Helena, oh boy, is easily one of the worst Mary Sue's I've ever seen. When you have a character like this, it would at least be appreciated if you quit putting them in peril all of the time - there's no suspense - and it takes up screen time that could be better utilized.

Interesting premise, underwhelmingly delivered. Beautiful animation (in later episodes) but that's not enough to hold someone's interest.

FYI, I played them game. I 'know' what's going on, but I do not see how anyone else can possibly hope to keep up.

5/10.

I loved the idea of these people getting sent to this strange dinosaur filled island from all these time periods, but the show doesn't really do a lot with that idea. The bulk of the series seems to be focused on this native american group that I just didn't find very interesting for long. Loved the idea at first, but I think they should have included more interesting characters from different time periods and locations. I found myself staring at my phone and losing track of what was happening far too often. I think there is still potential there that the show could tap into, so I'm not going to give it a totally negative score, but I think after these first 6 episodes I don't plan to watch any more to find out. It's too bad, because I do think the animation is great, and I like that they seem to have attracted so many big name actors. Although maybe some of that money should have been spent on better writers.

I am on episode 6, and so far every main characters, you'll witnessed why they are whom they are, and why they act the way they do. I've seen worse story arch's than this one, is this one unbelievably good? In short no, but it captures that essence. It keeps my attention and i am looking forward for the rest. If you are a fan you will love this. As for Animation the art reminds me of the last air bender. Story doesn't seem weak in my perspective, how every i don't criticize as much as most do since i am not the one whom produced it, only played the video game, so taking a video game that sorta has a story background and turning it into an animation with induvial character's and stories is a feat itself, why i rated this a 9 is because little kid in me always loved dino's and experiencing ark video game and plus watching this gave me nostalgia. Worth the watch.

At the time of writing, IMDB has only 3 reviews: 2 are 10/10 praising everything, and 1 is 1/10 with complains based mostly on the perceived show's agenda. I would say the latter is a bit more honest, although main character being a lesbian woman of color is definitely not something that detracts anything from this show. I would even say, that inclusivity in this scope was done right: it's simply neither here, nor their, which is the whole point of inclusivity, in my opinion.

The show has quite a few problems, that may not necessarily be because of the agenda, although I do see, why it may feel that that's the root cause. For example, that 1/10 review complained about white men being shown as villains. That is somewhat true: in the 1st episode we see, I think, 4 men, if counting those with lines, and 2 of them are definitely villains, with a goal to conquer. But you need to keep in mind, that they are from times and places, where this was kind of normal, especially, when talking about the Roman guy. Roman Empire would not be as big as it got to be, if there were no people like that.

The problem with these characters is that they are... Flat. It does not look like they have anything to them besides desire to conquer and dominate, and the desire is there just because, and not because of some deep reason. In fact, the Roman guy is also shown relatively stupid (albeit not a complete idiot), which kind of contradicts an image of an actual Roman conqueror. Those were smart, arguably had more smarts than brawn, often time resorting to politics rather than actual war, despite what Hollywood wants us to believe.

There was also a kid, which did not mean much, and a soldier from 1944. The soldier seemed to be the most interesting character, to be honest, because he was shown first as somewhat rude, but then also not as avert to kindness, too. I mean, he did try to help the girl, too, although did not get a chance to do that properly, partially to the fault of that girl.

That's where I do agree, that modern agenda may be taking over a bit. Not because strong female leads are bad, no, because this particular character just does not make sense. She tried to off herself, before she appeared on the island. She had no idea, what happened, where she was, what were the rules of this new world... Nothing. She sees a human, and the first thing she does is give him attitude towards his joke (or probably half-joke).

But maybe this was first reaction, due to stress? No, not really. She was giving attitude to everyone. Instead of being weary of people riding dinosaurs and shooting arrows, she behaved... Almost cocky. And she even tried to "poison" her captor right away, in order to run away, because... She likes dinosaurs.

Like, really, that's her main characteristic. The main thing, that in the end makes her say "I will survive", even though she intentionally took too many pills before this. I was a fan of dinosaurs when I was a kid, and I would be fascinated to see them up-close, but in her situation, I (and probably most humans) would first think of how to survive. And not try to domesticate creatures around me. Which, by the way, is not how things work. A wounded animal will not bond on you just because you pulled out an arrow out of its side. It will definitely not run back to you, while you're in a place with dangerous predators.

It's not just unrealistic behavior of both humans and animals, that makes this show mostly bad. It's pacing is all over the place: it started really fast, but then it slowed down to almost a crawl, and then suddenly became fast again, when it was a great time to give some more exposition. I guess creators wanted it to feel "edgy". Animation is also inconsistent in quality, relying heavily on blur in certain shots.

The storytelling is bad, too. It relies heavily on flashbacks, which are thrown into us in small chunks every few minutes of the episode. It would have made way more sense to show all those flashbacks in the beginning of the episode, all in one chunk, and then start the island story-arc. Something that's been proven to work time and time again with lots of isekai stories. This could have allowed for proper pacing, too.

In the end, I do not recommend this to anyone, really. Unless, maybe you want something running in the background, or you find main character so hot, you just can't resist. I get that, but for me it's not enough. I have lots of other stuff to check out.

This is a high quality series, well thought, written, developed, produced, acted, animated, scored & created.

Quite graphic, scared the girls in the house which was surprising seeing they can be quite horrifying themselves.

Fantastic in almost every way.

Only complaints are those you've been barraged with all your life for all the insecure reasons people scorn each other.

Watch a few episodes, decide for yourself. My wife & I were impressed & will continue to watch additional episodes.

Good show, easily binged, wonderfully visual & imaginative

I'm willing to bet, DoDo's tasted just like chicken.

SALUTE!

M. M.

I had played Ark Survival Evolved a few times years ago, and was excited for this series when it was announced at the 2020 Game Awards. With about 4 years of radio silence, I mostly lost hope in the project, especially considering its limited shadow release. I went in expecting it to be perfectly mediocre.

I am glad to say that is not the case. The animation is stunning, and the direction is always interesting. The score and audio design is not perfect, but still very well done. The violence is reminiscent of shows like Invincible, but it never feels overwhelmingly brutal.

As for the actual story and characters, I was less sold on, at first. I liked Helena as the main character, her voice acting is great and her character is written very well. Most of the other characters are great, too, but I didn't really care about most of them for a few episodes. I'm happy to say the latter half of the season really helped build that up.

The story itself is exactly what you'd expect from Ark. It's nothing special by itself, but it is quite enjoyable. There's nothing at all wrong with it, it's just not completely unique at times. The emotional moments DO hit quite well, and it is really easy to put yourself in Helena's place.

I'm excited for the next part of the show. I would more accurately rate this at about a 8.5, but when you have to do whole numbers, I round up. I thoroughly recommend this show.

I had high expectations for this animated series after falling in love with Ark Survival and its story, and spending countless hours in its world. Unfortunately, the series felt flat and bland compared to the game's many ups and downs and the sense of danger in the world of Ark. I just couldn't feel it in the show. Honestly, it feels like another disappointment, similar to the MCU lately.

One aspect that particularly stood out to me was the lack of development in the characters. In the game, the characters are complex and multi-dimensional, with rich backstories and motivations. In the show, they felt like cardboard cutouts, with little to no depth or nuance.

Additionally, the show's pacing was slow and plodding, failing to capture the sense of urgency and danger that permeates the game. The animation was also subpar, with stiff character movements and dull, uninspired environments.

I was also disappointed by the show's failure to explore the world of Ark in any meaningful way. The game is full of mysteries and secrets, but the show barely scratched the surface.

I hope there will be a spin-off or remake that makes use of the world of the ark to its fullest.

Overall, I was disappointed by the Ark Survival animated series. As a fan of the game, I had high hopes for a faithful adaptation, but the show fell short in many ways. I hope that a future spin-off or remake will be able to do the series justice.

In conclusion, while the Ark Survival animated series had some promising moments, it ultimately failed to deliver on its potential. With underdeveloped characters, slow pacing, and subpar animation, the show felt like a disappointment. I hope that future adaptations will be able to capture the magic of the game in a more meaningful way.

I am a HUGE fan of survival games and I fell in love with ark, and I've been playing so much of ASA and when I the series finally came to be, I was hooked by the first episode. I love how they portrayed Edmund Rockwell and I'm so happy David tenant reprised his role from the games. I also love how more menacing Edmund is in the series. In the games he is a friend of Helena's, then turns crazy when he tries to experiment more and more with element, but in the series he is portrayed as an already evil hearted man. I also really enjoyed general Nervana and how he and Helena speak in ancient Latin, something that the games don't speak of. A fun and entertaining show that sticks very close to the original material.

I forced myself through 2 episodes and that was all I could take. And let me say it was a truly unbearable two episodes. Could of been great but was ultimately hot garbage. The only descent thing was some of the big name actors to voice the characters but obviously half of them didn't read the script or did it while covid wasn't strong and they were stuck at home. My son and I love the game and have played it for years. Beat on done just about every aspect of it and I couldn't even watch it with him. This had so much potential but just like the DLC, this company, and the majority of the fan base it's toxic manure.

I am giving it a rating of 3 stars, and let me be clear that it only gets that much because of the Ark survival story implementation.

There are some major flaws that cannot be overlooked. The product is filled with cringe-worthy moments, stereotypical and clichéd characters that are nothing but annoying specially with that voice acting, and an overbearing sense of forced feministic themes.

This series falls short in so many areas and it's extremely disappointing to see. The heavy focus on the points above in the making made it drift away from the world of Ark.

Frankly, I won't watch any continuation of it if it'll be made of the same demonstration style.

Nor was I aware of the game until I read some of the reviews, though I have to wonder if many of the performers who are also producers are fans of the game?

Just as a tale, it comes over as a cross between "Lost" and the Jules Verne classic "Journey to the center of the Earth" (choose your own favorite version of that one ! ), adding in the sub plots of how each character died to get to this clone of the "Savage Land" from Marvel comics.

As an animated adventure, it's reasonably well told, enjoyable to watch, a little gruesome from the violence level, though there's some predictability to the plot.

There's sure to be plenty of hate for the choice of a female protagonist and standard 'older white male' antagonist, ignore it, these characters could be any gender or colour skin and still work.

There's the odd line of fan service in-joke dialog too.

Overall I think the 7 to 8 out of 10 rating is well earned (the 1's and 10's are clearly the outlier scores that don't match the curve. Haters gonna Hate, and all that stuff.

It'd be nice if there's a season 2 in the works, and not just the teaser.

If you liked any of the programs or stories that this references, you'll probably enjoy this one too.

The animation and voice acting is good.

Though it is a bit to cartoonish for my taste.

One time its shockingly brutal but the the next scene theres silly elements. Its just a weird mix, which is just too much of a contrast for me.

Most of the times the main character seems to just not act believable for the situation shes in.

Also the show mixes in the backstory of the main character into the story, which sadly is the flat stereotype used in every show today.

Some dinosaurs are just too smart and too tame what makes everything even less believable.

Overall the unreasonable way characters and dinosaurs behave killed the interrest in the show for me.

If you like good fantasy stories with gore and good voice acting then this is for you! If you are a homophobe or misogynist then this might not be for you.

The 2D animation is fine, nothing special, but it takes what could be generic "He-Man" type stories well beyond the next level. There is gore and people die, so this is not for the little kids.

This show is based on a game, which I have never played. I cannot say how well this represents the game, but that really should't matter to anyone else. The world they live in is interesting and provides a wealth of material.

The voice acting is top notch. Michelle Yeoh, David Tennant, Gerald Butler, and the rest all take this seriously and also elevate this show well above most animated shows.

If you get a chance, look at the ratings for each episodes. You'll see large spikes at 10 and 1, and the rest skew high. All the 1 votes means there are people who just want on hate the show. They are not reviewing the show itself, but they hate what it represents. Whenever this happens you should watch the show and judge for yourself.

As an avid gamer playing thousands of hours in Ark survival open world, collecting all the notes and pricing the story and lore together, it was full of mystery, adventures, danger and most of all Fun.

This animated series puts things in perspective, the story told by the creators themselves. A rich storyline well told, making hours of gameplay worth every second. I love the universe the creators has made and leveas open to allot of possibilities and hopefully one day a full fledged feature film franchise. There are so many avanues to explore in the whole of the ark universe, and the Ark lore to explore and develop. Thanks Wildcard.

As a fan of the Ark games and lore. This show does it justice. Yes, they changed some things but this show really takes on the embodiment of what Ark is. I would assume most players would agree with that.

The voice acting is incredible. The writing could be better but still enjoyable. 10/10 I'm happy I have something that can watch along side Invincible.

I'm definitely looking forward to part 2. They're things that they revealed at the end of part 1 as fan service that I am really excited about. Ark has such an amazing story I suggest you watch because I promise you if they tackle that story right, it will only get better and better.

I was excited to see how many great actors were involved in this project. However, I'm afraid that is not going to save the show. After the first episode, I was already shaking my head in disappointment. Is this an animated version of Riverworld? A reimagined version of Riverworld? By reimagined I mean the inclusion of a strong female lead character. In the book and the SyFy min-series a male character is the lead and is married to a woman. However, this strong female lead is a doctor of paleontology and is married to a woman. She does some amazing things on her first day in her purgatory (some call it this). Things that maybe a Navy Seal with a medical degree might be able to do. I don't care if the lead is male or female, just make the knowledge and abilities they possess cogent with the character. I know Trinity wasn't the lead in The Matrix franchise, but she kicked butt and flew helicopters, and we know how this happened for all of the characters in the films. It was uploaded directly into their minds. This show is left lacking.

As someone with well over 1500 hours in Ark:SE, I was eagerly awaiting this show for a couple of years. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint! I have watched the currently released 6 episodes and can't wait for the next part!

I love all the characters, and seeing so many familiar names and faces from the in-game explorer notes was really enjoyable. They have a really good mix of different cultures, ages, genders, etc. Making for a wide array of backstories, motivations, personalities, and relationships. I have seen some complaints about Helena's character, but I like her as a heroine because she's not perfect by any means. She's traumatised, she's sensitive, and she's still learning her strengths. If she was a perfect saviour from the get-go, there wouldn't be a show! Excited to see her grow and develop with the others.

The villains have real motive, and are shown to be complex in their own right with their backstories, and we'll only see more of this in part II with Rockwell, I think. Having a variety of different villains working together or apart makes for some interesting stakes and plot twists.

I also really liked the animation style. It gave me a nostalgia for a lot of my favourite cartoons growing up. Proper 2D animation is rare these days, and it definitely felt like the right medium to tell this story. There are some great fight scenes, lots of animated emotion, and lovely landscapes that truly make me feel like I'm on the Island. It was also unexpectedly gory, not holding back on blood and guts. I feel like that was the right choice for such a violent setting, and I respect how they committed to the rawness of life on the Island, and for warriors.

I enjoyed the pacing of the flashbacks that some others seem to have complaints about. We are learning about these characters, what lives and deaths brought each of them to the Island and what drives them. I think each flashback came at the right time and gave us new insights into their choices and feelings. I enjoy good character work, especially since the main draw of this show for me is to flesh out my understanding of those who left us their stories in the explorer notes in-game.

And of course, the reason most of us are even here...does it feel like Ark, the game we all know and love (to hate)? I am happy to say that between the sound effects, the settings, the dino types and the tasks we seem the employed in (mining dodics & ankys anyone?), and the dramatic appearances of certain dinos (no spoilers!), I felt right at home in the world of Ark: The Animated Series.

The one thing that at times detracted slightly for me was a few lacklustre voice performances, but they were in the minority among some truly great performances (David Tennant & Gerard Butler's come to mind).

Lastly, it's a shame to see people reviewing this poorly because they feel like it has a 'political agenda' they don't agree with -- will there ever be a time when diversity doesn't have to 'political', and we can just enjoy the fact that not every story features the same kind of main character? Why is it ever a bad thing to see a mix of cultures, colours, genders, sexualities etc. On screen? It makes zero sense to me that people would be upset about this. Just enjoy all the wonderfully complex facets of humanity -- it's a show about /people/, that's all. Oh, and dinos of course.

Overall, a really fantastic adaptation, considering that it's not the first game most people would consider for a character/story rich television adaptation. But I think the animators, actors, and creators have put a lot of heart into the stories they're telling here and it shows. There are enough Ark easter-eggs and mechanics to keep players-turned-watchers interested, and enough intrigue, development, and stakes to seal the deal. Super excited for later this year when we get more!

The new ARK: The Animated Series seriously missed the mark on so many levels, it's infuriating. They've butchered Rockwell, turning a brilliantly complex character into a laughably one-dimensional villain. This isn't just a minor oversight; it's a catastrophic blunder that strips the story of its richness. And who are they targeting with this mess? The narrative is too simplistic and unengaging for adults, but then it throws in jarringly inappropriate and unnecessary sexual content and excessive violence, making it unsuitable for younger viewers too. The whole thing feels like a confused mishmash of ideas, lacking clear direction or understanding of its audience. It's not just disappointing. It's a bewildering letdown that fails to capture the essence of what made the original game so captivating.

The show is amazing. Not the best defiantly but it is very good. I've been playing Ark since before Scorched Earth in 2016 and as such a huge fan of the games I can confidently say that the animated show is better than I could've expected

The show really stays true to the game from big things like map areas, creatures or characters to small things like the salutes, artifacts and music. This is a show for the Ark fans while still being enjoyable for people who haven't played the game much or at all

Looking at the trends of video game adaptations into shows and movies this is a top tier piece of media compared to many other shows and movies. The animation is energetic and vibrant. The writing is catching and the direction is engaging.