I recently watched “Ark: The Animated Series” on Paramount+, and it was an experience that left me with mixed feelings, but fascinated by the world they have built. Based on the popular video game Ark: Survival Evolved, the series is a true immersion into a world of dinosaurs, futuristic technology and faction struggles, mixing elements of epic science fiction with human drama. The protagonist, Helena Walker, an Australian paleontologist, is catapulted into this surreal world after the tragic loss of her wife. The series explores her journey of survival and her struggle to find herself in an alien world.
This aspect of her personal history is a central part of her emotional background. In the story, Helena is deeply affected by the loss of her wife, who presumably died before the main events of the series. This element adds depth to Helena's character, highlighting her grief and personal journey as she tries to survive in this hostile world, filled with dinosaurs and strange technologies.
The fact that Helena is a woman married to another woman is significant not only for the plot, but also for the inclusive and progressive representation the series offers, exploring themes of love, grief and survival in a science fiction context.
What immediately struck me was the world-building. Visually, the series is a feast for the eyes: detailed animation and breathtaking environments that bring to life an island full of prehistoric creatures. This is something that really makes the series stand out, similar to other video game-related animation productions such as Castlevania, but with its own unique style, which does not try to recreate the aesthetics of the 3D game, but opts for a well-groomed 2D animation. It reminded me a lot of the more mature animated series like Primal, for the way it makes the most of the island's creatures as silent, powerful protagonists.
One of the most intriguing aspects is the variety of characters from different historical eras: Helena finds herself interacting with a Roman centurion, Nerva (played by Gerard Butler), and with Meiyin Li, a Chinese rebel of the Yellow Turban Rebellion. This mix of historical figures gives an epic tale flavor to the plot and enriches the narrative with a strong sense of cultural and strategic conflict. It is a concept that I found extremely fascinating: a sort of “battle royale” between different eras and cultures, all united by the need to survive in a world where advanced technology and dinosaurs coexist.
However, the plot, while engaging at the beginning, tends to slow down as the episodes progress. After a powerful introduction with moments of tension and discovery, I felt like it lacked a bit of momentum, especially in the second half of the season. The relationship between Helena and Meiyin, for example, promised to be one of the most emotional and meaningful aspects of the series, but was only explored superficially, leaving me wanting more. It's one of those series that captures you at the beginning with its potential, but struggles to maintain that intensity throughout the episodes.
The voice cast is impressive, with names like Michelle Yeoh, David Tennant, and Vin Diesel, but that vocal power can be a bit distracting at times. As I watched the series, I realized that some of the voices were so iconic that they made me lose touch with the characters they were playing. This doesn't take away from their talent, but it did take my attention away from the plot at times.
In short, “Ark: The Animated Series” has all the makings of a cult series, especially for fans of the game. It has a fascinating world and a story that touches on deep themes such as loss, regret, and survival, but at the same time it fails to fully develop its narrative potential. If you are a fan of dinosaurs, epic stories, and science fiction, it is definitely a series worth watching, even if with some reservations about the continuity and narrative pacing. I hope that the next episodes will explore the characters more and give a more satisfying closure to their stories.
During Thursday night's Game Awards, two major announcements were made for Ark the adventure game for survival against dinosaurs. Gamers can expect a full sequel to Studio Wildcard's debut title in 2017 Ark: Survival Evolved, nicknamed ark II, while a completely new audience will learn about the prehistoric world of the game through ARK: The Animated Series - both projects with the voice of action star Vin Diesel.
Ark: Survival Evolved takes players to a beach on the shores of a mysterious island strewn with high-tech and populated by primeval creatures. Players use their wits to kill or tame dinosaurs, birds and mammals in order to win over other humans online and hopefully escape.
The animated series will explore the story of the game character Helena. A modern-day Australian biologist eager to study the wildlife of the Ark of the Island, Helena discovers that something is wrong with the island and its inhabitants.
The impressive vocal cast for Ark: TAS, revealed in the first teaser trailer, also includes Elliot Page, David Tennant, Michelle Yeoh and Jeffrey Wright, as well as Gerard Butler, Russell Crowe, Devery Jacobs, Madeleine Madden, Debora Mailman, Zahn McClarnon, Malcolm McDowell, Ragga Ragnars and Karl Urbano. The series is expected to debut in 2022.
Look at the first pictures from ark II on official Twitter feed.
Ark: The Animated Series – Technical data
Gender:
- Action-adventure
- Dramatic
- Fantasy science fiction
Created by:
- Jeremy Stieglitz
- Jesse Rapczak
Based on:
Ark: Survival Evolved by Studio Wildcard
Film script:
- Marguerite Bennett
- Kendall Deacon Davis
Main cast:
- Madeleine Madden
- Gerard Butler
- David Tennant
- Michelle yeoh
- Zahn McClarnon
- Devery Jacobs
- Jeffrey Wright
Composer:
- Gareth Coker
Country of origin:
United States
Original language:
English
Number of seasons:
1
Number of episodes:
6
Production:
Executive producers:
- Jeremy Stieglitz
- Jesse Rapczak
- James Baldanzi
- Jay Olive
- Mark Diana
- Doug Kennedy
- Russell Crowe
- Gerard Butler
- Alan Siegel
- Vin Diesel
- Samantha Vincent
Producer:
- David Hartman
Assemblers:
- Danielle Wieczorek
- Matt Hanchey
Episode duration:
24–47 minutes
Production houses:
- Lex + Otis
- Studio Wildcard
- Tiger Animation (animation)
TV network:
Paramount +
Exit date:
March 21, 2024 - present