Every Dinosaur Confirmed so Far for Ark 2

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

The Game Awards reveals Ark 2, bringing Vin Diesel to the front of the story and showcasing several iconic dinosaurs from the first game.

ARK 2 was recently announced at The Game Awards, and while most players are just surprised and bewildered at Vin Diesel's inclusion in the trailer, the trailer did show off a few of the iconic dinosaurs that will be returning for the sequel. The original ARK is all about taming dinosaurs and using them to make surviving on the Island easier, so it shouldn't be that shocking that fans of the franchise want to know what dinosaurs will be in the game. The trailer didn't confirm too many yet, but there are some that are easy to miss after watching the trailer just once.

For those that didn't see the ARK 2 trailer at The Game Awards, it is looking to be a more story oriented game. Vin Diesel leads his tribe through a pre-historic jungle before they are attacked by what seems to be a rival tribe. While fighting them off, and unexpected guest shows up and makes things more complicated. In the ensuing chase scene, Vin Diesel and a young child run past several other types of dinosaurs, all of which can be assumed to be in the final game. Naturally, anything could change between now and teh game's release so technically nothing is confirmed, but it's a safe bet that these dinos will make the cut.

ARK 2 - Chameleon Flower

The very first shot in the ARK 2 reveal trailer shows an exotic looking flower only to reveal that it is fact some kind of dinosaur. Its long nose looks like a flower just before it blooms, and it is apparently capable of opening its snout to camouflage with other nearby flowers. After it closes the flower on its nose, viewers can see more of the creature's face, revealing chameleon like eyes and a lizard like body. Its tail and back spines are also made to look like leaves, ensuring that nothing can recognize it as an animal.

ARK 2 - T-Rex

The most iconic dinosaur of all, it should come as no surprise that the T-Rex is making its return and had a big spotlight in the trailer. Called just "Rex" in the first game, the T-Rex in the trailer looks to be slightly larger and equally as clumsy. It also features some stylish furs on its neck and along its spine, perhaps in an effort to create a more realistic representation of the beast. That said, scientists still don't know exactly what the king of dinosaurs would have looked like, so this is still just a best guess.

ARK 2 - Prehistoric Birds

Players don't get a great look at them as they fly away quickly, but just before the T-Rex comes bursting through the trees, several pre-historic birds fly away. There was a wide range of avian species in the original ARK, but these seem to be something new. Though it's likely that birds like the Pelagornis and Icthyornis will make a comeback, it seems players will have to deal with new types of flying dinos as well in the coming sequel.

ARK 2 Brontosaurus And Pterosaur

In the last scene of the trailer, two other dinosaurs can be spotted. Vin Diesel delivers his "Lights Out" line and then it cuts to him and the child walking in the open again, this time alone. Right in front of them there are three winged dinosaurs that then take flight. This implies that they are non-hostile, and though they look similar to the first game's Pterosaurs, there's a distinctive butterfly like pattern on their wings that sets them apart. These could just be a unique design added to the dino or it could be an entirely new one altogether. Only time will tell.

Looking further back, players will also notice a variety of long-necked dinosaurs, likely Brontosaurus. These towering herbivores are present early on in playthroughs of ARK, but thanks to their docile nature they don't typically pose a threat. Next to the T-Rex, this is likely one of the most recognizable dinosaurs to the average person, so it makes sense that it would be included in the trailer. From this distance it is hard to tell, but it could also be a Diplodocus, a less recognizable dinosaur but still included in the original ARK. These herbivores are incredibly playful, often pushing players around and dealing more damage than they realize.

ARK 2 Trailer Mural

After escaping the T-Rex and the enemy clan, Vin Diesel and his group find themselves in a ruin full of technology. Of note, the child in the trailer examines a rock with several carvings on it. Though this mural certainly doesn't confirm any dinosaurs, it should be said that there are several on it that didn't show up in the trailer. Aside from the T-Rex and Brontosaurus which already had spotlights, there are at least three other dinosaurs shown that aren't yet accounted for.

On the bottom left, players will notice a Parasaur, a dinosaur commonly found in starting areas and on beaches of ARK maps. These herbivores make great pack mules and mounts, as they can carry a lot and still run relatively quickly. Above it there's a human riding on a Triceratops, one of the best defensive mounts that players can get early on in the first game. Finally, in the top right there is what appears to be a drawing of a Stegosaur, a dinosaur that in the previous game provided great utility for harvesting a variety of different types of resources.

ARK 2 Trailer

The ARK 2 reveal trailer is a visual marvel, and there's a lot going on at any given point. It's very possible that there were some dinosaurs shown that were missed here, and there are some that couldn't be identified with what was shown. Those players that fancy themselves dinosaur experts should also take the time to comb through the trailer and see if there are any other dinosaurs that were confirmed for the game at its reveal.

ARK 2 releases in 2022 for PC and Xbox Series X.

Source: https://gamerant.com/