Studio Wildcard, the developers behind Ark: Survival Evolved, today announced that on December 12, 2017, the game's second expansion, called Aberration, will launch on Xbox One, Steam, and PlayStation 4.
Survivors will wake up on the Aberration, a derelict, malfunctioning Ark featuring an elaborate underground biome. What's different about this map is that extreme radiation and environmental hazards require increased attention. You have to be careful where you venture and build. Exploring the world is also more treacherous because the caves house new challenges and creatures like the Rock Drake and Lantern Pug.
According to the developers, the intense radiation of Aberration has led to incredible genetic mutations, resulting in new creatures with amazing abilities. The Rock Drake is a camouflaging, chameleon-like creature which can clamber up walls and glide through the air. The Lantern Pug can illuminate the dark caves. The grotesque Cave Crustacean and Reaper Queen are good for taking out enemies.
As you may know, Ark: Survival Evolved is all about gathering resources and crafting. Aberration adds more than fifty unique new items. You can protect yourself with hazmat outfits, explosive rounds, railguns and much more. Gathering resources is also easier because now you can use fishing baskets, gas collectors, and other tools.
Environmental hazards are a new problem to contend with and players will experience everything from earthquakes, radiation exposure, and gas leaks. One of Aberration's greatest challenges is a collection of monsters called the Nameless. These creatures have been infused with a mysterious substance called Element that makes them incredibly powerful and deadly. However, they're all controlled by a master which only the most skilled survivors can face in the deepest depths of the map.
Aberration will be available as a standalone expansion pack for $19.99 or as part of the Ark: Explorer's Edition. Since its launch into Steam's Early Access program in June 2015, over twelve million survivors have experienced the game. This is quite an achievement despite the fact that the game has performance issues and other problems on Xbox One. It even suffers from extreme screen tearing on Xbox One X.
Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!