Did you know that Ark: Survival Ascended, a game all about surviving on a prehistoric island inhabited by dinosaurs, has added Power Rangers-themed content of all things? I didn't until I woke up this morni?ng, and it may just be the most bizarre gaming crossover of 2024.

I suppose it does make some sense since the crossover is specifically with the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers team, whose giant Zords took the form of prehistoric creatures, like a tyrannosaurus rex and a saber-toothed tiger. It's also a mod that's completely free to download, letting you dress your character up as one of the five original Rangers, complete with unique animat??ions, and there are even optional skins for your weapons and specific dinosaurs, turning them into the Dinozords. Sadly, the Green Ranger and his Dragonzord are absent.

The image of roaming around the world with these giant robot dinosaurs while dressed as a Power Ranger is admittedly amusing, but watching the above trailer only makes me think there's untapped potential in a big budget Power Rangers game. Imagine getting to run around Angel Grove fighting monsters with fun fighting moves and over-the-top weaponry. Then hopping into you?r Zord or the Megazord itself for large-scale monster battle??s.

It wouldn't even need to be open world; I'd happily take something more linear or mission-based so long as it had a lot of cool flair and tight combat. In my head, I'm picturing something akin to PlatinumGames' sorely underappreciated Transformers Devastation (if you know, you know). In fact, Platinum's expertise with action games makes it a perfect fit for the series. It even made The Wonderful 101, which drew a lot of influence from Japanese superhero media like Super Sentai, the source material for Power Rangers. I'm not even that big of a Power Rangers fan, but I'd be all over a PlatinumGames-made Power Rangers title.

While it may not scratch that exact itch, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind (which launches later this year) looks like it could be the next best thing. Announced at Summer Game Fest, this retr?o inspired beat 'em up is one big love letter to the original show??, featuring co-op gameplay, some astounding pixel art visuals, and first-person Megazord fights.

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Oh, look. It's been a picosecond since the last Steam sales event. No doubt many of you took advantage of the last one �the Endless Replayability Fest. Well, don't put your money away just yet, as we're already onto the next one??.

Beginning yesterday, the Steam Open World Survival Crafting Fest (and breathe) offers discounts on a series of well-known and slightly l?ess well-known games from, well, Open World Survival Crafting games. You've got until Monday, June 3 at 10 a.m. PT to choose from what I would say is a ?pretty good list of titles.

Take a quick look on the sales page to see for yourself. Want 30% off Sons of the Forest? Of course you do. How about 33% off Project Zomboid? An odd number, but sure! Or maybe you want to get Stranded Deep, Valheim, or Subnautica for 50% off each. Even Palworld is there, at 10% off the regular asking price.

Summer lovin'

These events seem to come around more often these days. However, we're not quite at the big Steam Summer Sale just yet. That begins in a few weeks. You can keep an eye on the SteamDB countdown i?f you really want to see exactly when it's scheduled to begin.

Crafting and survival games feel like they shouldn't be as popular as they are. But as we can see here, there are still so many offerings,?? largely from more independent studios. A lot of them are pretty decent as well, in my experience.

There are definitely more than a few in the sale that I'm keen to try out; Sons of the Forest, Project Zomboid, maybe even Enshrouded. Can I afford all these games??? Check back with me lat??er.

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Forget about Wyverns and Phoenixes, finding an Ovis might be your biggest challenge in Ark Ascend: Scorched Earth.

How to find and tame Ovis Fast in Ark Ascended: Scorched Earth

There’s no shortage of rare dinosaurs and creatures in Ark Ascended: Scorched Earth. But prepare to spend a considerable amount of time hunting down the one source of Raw Mutton, which is one of the best forms of meat for taming. And, as far as I’ve been able to ascertain, there are three main locations you can find Ovis in Ark Ascended: Scorched Earth. But be aware, Ovis are uncommon spawns and you might spend a significant ???amount of time hunting one down.

Each of these locations is, perhaps unsurprisingly, near water and is defined by its lush greenery and generally flat terrain. T??his can make Ovis spawns easier to locate wh?ile you’re astride the back of a wyvern or other aerial steed.

The first location is at 70.4, 39.1. I recommend this location first because it’s easy to find, and it’s the largest spawn area for Ovis. To find this Ovis spawn, look for the giant red floating obelisk in the southern and western portions of the map to find a pool of water. It’s around these shores that Ovis can possibly spawn. But the area is absolutely rife with other dinos, so it’s a good idea to kill them if you don’t ?see an Ovis. Doing so?? will give Ovis a chance to spawn, as only a set amount of dinos can be in an area at any given time.

Our second location is at 70.9, 38.1. Go here, and you’ll find yourself at the southernmost shore of the river that runs through Scorched Earth. On both sides of the riverbank here, it’s possible to find an Ovis. But I rank it as the second-best place to try to find an Ovis because it has low dinosaur spawns. That might be a positive, as there’s less chance that a carnivore will attack any Ovis before you can swoop in and find it. But it also means that you’re less likely to find your coveted lamb on these sh??ores.

The third uncommon spawn point for Ovis is at 49.7 75.6. This spawn point is just beneath the giant floating green obelisk, and it’s very similar to our first location. The big difference is that the spawn area is slightly smaller than the red obelisk. But it does have some positives. There aren’t a significant amount of carnivore dinos here, beyond a smattering of Thorny Dragons. And its open area means that you can quickly determine whether there’s an Ovis in the area. It’s also pretty close to a beginner-friendly metal farm.

Once you see an Ovis, it’s important to note that they’re passive and nonviolent. But they’ll run if attacked, and dinosaurs love attacking them. Long-range weapons like bolos are great for immobilizing Ovis before they can get too far. But tranquilizer darts will do just fine, too. Once you’ve immobilized your sheep, you’ll need to feed it Sweet Vegetable Cake, which will require some rare ingredients, including Giant Bee Honey. So, be well-prepared unless you just want to kill the Ovis for some quick mutton. To feed the Ovis, you’ll need to approach it while it’s unconscious, and then open its inventory with the interact button. Take the Sweet Vegetable Cake from your inventory and drag it onto the Ovis. It will eat the Sweet Vegetable Cake and officially become your new lamb. But if that all sounds too tedious, why not grab some Artifacts and fight the boss instead?

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If you want to fight a Manticore, you've got to go on a little scavenger hunt first. Here's how to find all the Artifacts in Ark Ascended: Scorched Earth.

All Artifact Locations in Ark Survival Ascended: Scorched Earth

So, Ark Ascended: Scorched Earth has three Artifacts. And getting them is no easy task! We’ll tackle the easiest and mo??st approachable ?Artifact first: the Artifact of the Destroyer in the Ruins of Nosti.

How to find the Artifact of the Destroyer in Ark Ascended: Scorched Earth

To get to the Ruins of Nosti, head to the coordinates 78.3, 76.1. These coordinates will take you to the largest building out in the desert ruins. And inside of this building will be a grand set of stairs ?leading you deep into ??the earth.

Before you dive in, it’s worth noting that there are plenty of things that want to kill you in this cave. Primarily Mantises, Titanboas, Arthropluera, and Onyc. Be prepared to get swarmed. And it’s not a bad idea to have a Lesser Antidote on hand i??n case you contract Mega Rabies.

Once you’re suited up, head downstairs. Follow the blue flowers, then the yellow flowers, down the path. When you’ve reached the bottom of the stairs, you’ll encounter some large crystals and, finally, our first fork. It doesn’t matter what path you choose. They both lead ??to the same point. The left path will get you there faster, but the right path is ??prettier.

You’ll then reach the main chamber, which is mass??ive and full of crystals. Jump across the broken stone bridge to reach the ruins in the back of the chamber. There’s really only one place to go now, and it’s a small back chamber containing the floating Artifact and the Scorched Sword Skin. We’re one third of the way there!

How to find the Artifact of the Gatekeeper in Ark Ascended: Scorched Earth

The Artifact of the Gatekeeper will take us to the Old Tunnels cave, located at the coordinates 58.9, 47.8. There are two ways to get to this cave. The easiest way is to use a flying mount to get above the cave ??near the cracks just above it. Drop down, and you’re home free.

But it’s also possible to reach this cave from the river entrance at 55.9, 51.3. Just remember to take the first left at the fork and follo?w the trail uphill. This will give you a vantage point to grapple your way across.

The Old Tunnels cave is difficult not only because it has swarms of enemies, but because it’s very vertical. Having a Grappling Hook will make your life much easier. There’s also a chance you’ll encounter a Rock Elemental in one of the chokes, so having grenades on hand isn’t a bad idea either.

To actually get to the Artifact, you’ll need to follow the trail downhill. When you reach the first fork in the road, the choice you make doesn’t matter. The green path on the right will take you to a slightly lower area of the next chamber, while the lit path on the left will take you to a slightly higher area. You can easily access both levels, so you’re not missing out on anything. Follow the path left, going deeper into the cave. When you reach the giant blue alien obelisk, turn right. You’ll see the path right below the path you used to get here.

Follow this path and you’ll find yourself at the second fork. Take the left path if you want to get to your objective as fast as possible. Otherwise, take the right path if you want a lootbox. I found a blueprint for a Flare Gun and two cooked ??meat in mine.

Continue down the left path until you reach th??e drop. Here, you’ll need to make a jump across to the island with the tree on it. This is where the grappling hook or a flying mount come in handy. Cross the chasm, then follow the trail.

Eventually, you’ll reach a stone arch about halfway down. It’s here that the Artifact of the Gatekeeper is nestled. Interact with it to get the Artifact, along with the Scorched Spike Skin.

How to find the Artifact of the Crag in Ark Ascended: Scorched Earth

I find this cave to be the hardest to find. Head to coordinate 28, 29.2, and you should see the entrance while looking southwest toward the cliff wall. It’s totally possible you’ll stumble across this cave naturally if you’re checking out the best metal farm in Scorched Earth, however.

Head inside the cave and follow the trail that snakes down on the right side. You’ll quickly stumble across water, which makes this cave one of the better bases. Follow the stream, and you’ll reach a new corridor, marked with blue mushrooms. Take this corridor, then follow it until you reach a giant ribcage. Here will be your first fork. It doesn’t matter which path you take, but the left path will get you there faster.

Keep left, and you’ll eventually reach the last chamber which will contain the Artifact of the Crag and the Scorched Torch Skin. And that’s all three artifacts! Now, you just need a variety of talons, which can be harvested by killing wyverns. Or, if you’re not done spelunking, you can check out the rest of the caves in Scorched Earth. Including a brand new lava c?ave!

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Studio Wildcard's ARK: Survival Ascended launched on October 25, and though it currently sits with a?? mixed reception on Steam, it has been gobbled up by players worldwide.

On launch day, it shot up to number one on the Steam sales charts, surpassing heavyweights like Counter-Strike 2 and Apex Legends. It sits in 5th place as of November 1, just behind Cyberpunk 2077. The publisher, Snail Games, revealed that ARK: Survival Ascended ??has also been very popular on YouTube where it was the number one live game on the site.

A similar situation unfolded on Twitch. On launch day, fans watched over 5.6 million minutes of the game, which equates to a whopping 10.7 years. It was also among? the top 6 games on the site, gathering 129K concurrent viewers on launch day.

Unfortunately, console players will have to wait a while before they can play. This is because critical issues in the multiplayer version were identified, and they would have major implications for the console versions of the games. Consequently, the ports have been delayed to November.

ARK: Survival Ascended is a remake of the popular 2017 game ARK: Survival Evolved. If you're looking for a survival video game filled with prehistoric ??animals, this is the franchise you nee??d.

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Today's Xbox showcase debuted new footage and releases for games headed to Game Pass and Series X|S devices, including Ark, Like A Dragon, Alan Wake 2, and more.

New reveals for other games, like Robocop: Rogue City, The Final, and Ikaro: Will Not Die, wer?e also featured at the show. While they aren't all brand-new titles, we did see gameplay reveals and demonstrations for games planning a 2024 launch, and even a few coming up soo?n. For a full list, keep scrolling; we've included the TLDR plus the Xbox Showcase trailer.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth adds Animal Crossing

Release Date: January 26, 2024
Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam, Windows), PS4, PS5
Yakuza can, and will, get all of us into the series someway, somehow. During today's Xbox Partner showcase, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku debuted footage from Like a Dragon: Infinite Welath's DonDoko Island getaway mode. It's like Animal Crossing, just not for the small children in your ?life. Anyway, the island looks to maintain the endearing series humor, and I dig it.

First look at Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater

Release Date: TBD
Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC
The 2004 PlayStation 2 MGS3 is back, almost 20 years later, as Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. The Xbox showcase delivered Konami's first in-engine look at the remake in Unreal Engine? 5. It's drastically different from the game I played as a child, but if you asked me to describe it back then, it'd probably be something this dramatic and intense.

Ark: Survival Ascended gameplay footage

Available Now
Xbox Series X|S, PS5
Ark, one of the earlier go-to survival games, is getting a top-to-bottom remake. This Unreal Engine 5 version adds cross-platform modding and major overhauls to the dino adventure you're familiar with. New creature intelligence, physics, lighting, and rendering systems aim to deliver Ark, plus all of its DLC, in a modern, upgraded experienc?e.

Alan Wake 2 launch trailer featuring Saga

Release Date: October 27, 2023
Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC (Epic Games Stores)
We're close to Alan Wake 2's big day with just two days left. Today's Xbox Preview showcase?? delivered one more tease to hold fans over until it's time to revisit the writer's horror story. In the latest footage, we get a glimpse of Saga Anderson's side of the tale and a few monsters that I really nail the whole demonic-ex-smoker v?ibe.

Still Wakes the Deep

Release Date: 2024
Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass, PS5, PC (Steam)
I can't believe it's taken us this long to get a game about a hellish oil rig �it seems so obvious now. The studio behind Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, The Chinese Room, is working on a horrifying, first-person action game delivering just that. The lates??t trailer is an eerie tour through the colla??psing oil rig full of distant screams and nerve-wracking dives.

Dungeons of Hinterberg

Release Date: 2024
Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass
Dungeons of Hinterberg appeals to the cottagecore, Zelda lover in me. Another look ??at this action-adventure RPG show?ed off combat, cozy hangouts, and how you'll grow relationships as Luisa. Developer Curve Games cheekily calls it a "slaycation," as you'll balance dungeon challenges with socializing in the Austrian Alps. It's a striking one, with its vibrant, almost coloring-book-style art and charming designs. My list of cozy games grows longer.

Spirit of the North 2

Release Date: TBD
Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC (Steam, Epic Games Store)
I'll never grow tired of a sad-looking animal game. Once again, Spirit of the North follows a lonely fox (this one's different) and adds a Raven companion to the journey. The original adventure from Infuse Studio was all about atmosphere? and nature in a journey to find your way home. The sequel looks like a lovely return to the same spirit but given the added bene?fit of time and new consoles.

Manor Lords

Release Date: April 26, 2024 (Game Preview)
PC Game Pass, Steam
This city builder goes back to Ye Olde Days. Instead of highrises and bus routes, you'll build the village well and marketplace. The latest trailer shows off Manor Lords' regional divides, wars, and day-to-day life. It may not offer any modern marvels, but it certainly l?ooks like there's a lot to ?do for folks itching to try another city-building sim.

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A little later but also a little cheaper

In a post on their community website, Studio Wildcard revealed that the upcoming remaster of ARK: Survival Evolved has been delayed until October. Officially titled ARK: Survival Ascended, the remastered version utilizes Unreal Engine 5.2?? and offers full cross-pla??tform support.

Delays are nothing new to ARK fans, with the highly anticipated sequel ARK II getting delayed as well just a few months ago.

As disappointing as a delay can be, there is some good news. ARK: Survival Ascended has received a discount on its launch price. The open world survival game will now launch in Early Access at the price point of $44.99. A $5 launch discount will bring the price to $39.99.

[caption id="attachment_390075" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Studio Wildcard[/caption]

Content for ARK: Survival Ascended delayed as well

Unfortunately, the delay affected more than just the remastered game release. ARK: Survival Ascended? had planned on following a content release schedule similar to the original game. It was originally planned to release with The Island map and the first big DLC and map, the Scorched Earth.

Therefore, The Island will release alongside ARK: Survival Ascended but The Scorched Earth content releases will be split up.? The Scorched Earth map will now release in December, with Ragnarok and Aberration moved into Q1 2024. All of the remaining DLC and maps will continue to release beyond t??hat.

[caption id="attachment_390076" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Studio Wildcard[/caption]

Fan frustrations continue

This isn't the first point of frustration for ARK fans. The remaster of ARK: Survival Evolved was originally a bundle with ARK II, increasing the price of the game. However, after fans voiced their frustration with the issue, Studio Wildcard changed course and separated the two games.

Despite the change, some fans are still not happy.  Many thought the Unreal Engine 5 version of the game would be a free update, but instead, it would now have the cost of a AAA game. When you realize the original ARK: Survival Evolved released at $29.99, it's easy to see the cau??se of frustration.

Having received two price cuts, from $60 to $50 and now $50 to $40, perhaps this is a goo?d thing. Who knows, maybe if the delays continue fans will get their wish ??for a free update.

ARK: Survival Ascended will now launch in October on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation ??and PC.

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