Ark: Survival Ascended’sAberrationexpansion pack is out now, bringing a wide variety of new features to the game. Most prominent is the introduction of a new, expansive map, consisting of various layers of cave passages flooded with mutating radiation and strange new creatures. However, there are also plenty of new plants to grow, new recipes to craft, new tools to use, and, of course,new dinos to tame.
Aberrationis thethird DLC map released forASA, and one of the largest yet -not just by surface area, which is indeed significant, but also by new features introduced. Although a re-release of the map of the same name for the original version of the game (Ark: Survival Evolved),Aberrationincludes some surprises for returning players, too. Here’s a look at everything players can expect from theAberrationexpansion pack.
Everything In Ark: Survival Ascended - Aberration’s New Map
An Expansive Cave Network & A Radiation Hazard
Perhaps the most notable change made inASA’sAberrationDLC is the fact thatthe entire thing takes place on a new map - the titularAberration. This consists of an enormous network of multi-layered, criss-crossing cave passages that can make navigation difficult - use of a GPS is strongly recommended. Since it’s mostly located underground, many ofAberration’s main features and major regions are themed accordingly. To that end, players can find a mushroom forest and a river valley within its fertile lands.
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Aberrationalso includes a large region full of bioluminescent plants and creatures, divided up into four major regions: a set of Crystalline Swamps, a Hidden Grotto, the Luminous Marshlands, and the Overlook. With their combination of glowing plants and animals and large water features, these make for very visually impressive sights - but the beauty ofASA’s shiny scenery can be a distraction from the powerful enemies who can spawn here.
Aberration’s third and final underground region is set on the banks of an elemental river. Bathing the deep caverns in a bright purple light, the river is both gorgeous and deadly. Between that environmental hazard and thehordes of powerfulASAcreatureswho lurk there,this is generally considered the most dangerous region ofAberration.
Finally,Aberrationalso includes a small above-ground region called The Surface. This is the easiest place to find Oil, and also the only place on the map where Supply Drops will spawn. However,players can only safely explore The Surface region at night, as the ground is covered in magma during the day. It’s all too easy to drop a full inventory of items here, and they can sometimes be lost permanently depending on when and where they’re dropped.
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Besides all that,players will also need to deal with a distinct environmental hazard as they exploreAberration: radiation. Part ofAberration’s map is rife with deadly waves of radiation, and like other poisons, radiation cannot be cleansed. Players will have to plan ahead when traversing this harsh terrain - hazard suits are basically necessary. Some creatures, like Aberrant Megalosaurus, are also immune to radiation, and can be mounted in order to climb over it.
New Dinos & Other Creatures In Ark: Survival Ascended - Aberration
Glowing Dogs, Climbing Dragons, & Reapers
In order to navigateAberration’s dark passages, players will need reliable sources of light. Torches may suffice, but often aren’t enough -instead, there are a wide variety of glowing creatures availableto cast reliable light on large cave walls. One of the most reliable is the Bulbdog, a small, canine creature who can ride on the player’s shoulder. A Bulbdog will consistently project light onto its surroundings, which can be incredibly useful not only in navigation, but also in debuffing some of its deadliest dinos.
And speaking of shoulder pets,players can also tame little web-spinners called Cosmo Spiders inASA: Aberration. These big-eyed arachnids can automatically collect webs from bigger, more hostile spiders, which they recycle into ammunition. Webs can also be used to pick up items from far away, or even to performSpider-Manstyle swings acrossAberration’s deep canyons.
As for larger creatures,players may attempt to tame Rock Drakes inAberrationin order to quickly scale its large rock walls. Basilisks are tamed from Rock Drake eggs, but also have some serious combat abilities, and can deal large amounts of damage while also inflicting Torpor on enemies. Basilisks can also burrow into the ground, which allows them to use a kind of stealth mechanic to get past enemies and scope out large areas.
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Like Basilisks, some creatures inAberrationhave unique taming procedures, including what may be theweirdest mechanic inArk. The Reaper is probablyAberration’s most powerful creature, but in order to tame one,players will need to find a Reaper Queen and allow it to impregnate them. Sometime later, they’ll give birth to their own Reaper, and once it grows up, they can begin riding it into battle.
TheYi Ling is a new creatureintroduced in theAscendedversion ofArk. It’s a fan-designed dinosaur who was selected for incorporation after winning a fan poll. Yi Ling uses its feathers as its primary method of attack: it fires them into enemy humans or creatures, then “activates” them to deal large amounts of damage at once and refill its feather ammo stores. These feathers can also slow enemies on impact.
New Items In Ark: Survival Ascended - Aberration
Resources, Equipment, Tools, & More
Players will have plenty of new materials to pick from as they exploreAberration’s map.Fungal Wood can be gathered from large mushrooms, and used almost anywhere regular old wood can be in crafting basic tools and structures. It can also be used in crafting more uniqueAberrationmaterials, including Climbing Picks, Karkino Saddles, and Portable Rope Ladders. Since the entirety of the map is basically one large cave, players can collect three different types of multicolored gems (red, green, and blue), along with the purple Element ore, which can be used in a variety of different crafting recipes.
Aberrationalso includes several different types of consumable mushrooms, each of which has different effects. Aggeravic Mushrooms offer immunity to poisons found in fertile biomes, like that secreted by red mushrooms. Aquatic Mushrooms provide immunity to poisons found in Bioluminescent areas, specifically the kind emanated by Freezing Spores. Ascerbic Mushrooms work against Element poisons, and Auric Mushrooms against Torpor.
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Players will also need to employ a number of new tools to surviveAberration, including the five-piece Hazard Suit. This will protect them from radiation, allowing them to traverse irradiated areas and collect the rare materials inside without taking damage. They’ll also benefit from crafting Climbing Picks, which will allow them to scale the high rock walls found within the cave. Glider Suits further help navigate the map’s highly vertical areas, while Glow Sticks and Charge Lanterns help illuminate the dark. Charge Lanterns can also be used to shoot powerful beams of light that weaken enemies.
There are also several options for getting up and down steep surfacesquickly inAberration. Besides using creatures to scale walls, players can build elevators or craft ladders to quickly climb vertically.
In the new expansion pack,players can collect the Aberrant skins for their helmets and swords. Other cosmetics include a fun set of cutesy helmets and masks: these depict a Bulbdog, chili pepper, dinosaur, and otter.
Those are all the major new creatures, items, and mechanics inASA’sAberrationDLC. However, there’s a ton more to discover in the expansion itself; players will have to dive in and explore themselves to find absolutely everything. However, asAberrationmight be the biggest DLCArk: Survival Ascendedhas seen yet, they might get lost along the way.
Ark: Survival Ascended
ARK: Survival Ascended is a reimagined version of the 2017 action-adventure survival MMORPG by the developers at Studio Wildcard and Grove Street Games. Built in Unreal Engine 5, players will return to ARK to build tribes, fight and tame dinosaurs, and brave the elements as they battle to survive in a unique sandbox where crafting and resource management is essential.
