Ankora

Author: Efrain Silva

Adventure, action and story are perhaps the three top words that drive a game like Ankora, made for your mobile droid device and free to install through Google’s store for apps. The tale closely follows the quest of Mûn, the lead female character who has to push her limits in order to survive, and on more occasions than one. What happens is this…..

The fictitious Interstellar Patrol Team 5 holds many great team members within it, and she so happens to be one of them. Recently, she undergoes a tragic accident, causing her spaceship to land on 

Planet Ankora at the very last minute. Call it something worse than an emergency landing. It couldn’t get far worse for her.

Then, she comes to realize that piecing together the many scattered parts of her spaceship is the only real way that she is ever going to get off the planet and make it back home. But different remote locations across the planet carry these pieces. So it’s up to her to track them down, assess the damage, repair (if possible) and then make it back home. Or at the very least, having all the right pieces she needs (and no less than in the right order or construct, as well), she’ll able to send out her own distress signal….using the ship’s rebuilt antenna, which she hopes to build from scratch once again….no pressure.

And it just so happens that a planet like this one has a reputation for being one of the most lonely and harsh to try to survive in, which is why there appear to be very little to no life forms on it….or at least, that’s what she notices as she arrives on it last - minute. And of course, Mûn shares no less the same needs that any human being today does, such as those of hunger, thirst, shelter, sleep, exercise and all else. And her biggest challenges becoming finding a place to shelter herself, being able to cook her own foods properly (not having any real “leftover” rations from before / whatever food she cooks being what she finds there on the planet itself), staying hydrated, surviving the natural elements (like blaring heat or freezing cold temperatures, intense rain and more) and beyond. 

She knows she can’t do it on her own, and thankfully, that doesn’t have to be the case as she gradually befriends others near her who can lend help in an instant. These include the ANKS, mainly, who are a very harmonious, primitive race that has dwelled there for many, many ages prior. To them, Planet Ankora is their only home….and has been for centuries. If there’s anyone who knows the local area and can give Mûn the right advice, at the right time --- you guessed it --- it’s them.

These kind - hearted people resemble many native dwellers of foreign lands, of which we hold much esteem and renown in modern times today. That’s what players connect with the most here, perhaps. They like to get a sense of someone they can connect with, in real life, in any video game persona they encounter….and here, the ANKS are those people exactly. Think of them, in modern times, as the Native Americans with their peaceful ways and good hospitality, or perhaps even the Amish, with their simplicity of life and much concern for other people in place of technology or other modern pursuits. 

The ANKS respectively fall under different tribes: We have the farmers, the fishermen, the craftsmen, and even the hunters & wisemen. And in order to survive, our main female hero quickly finds that what she must do, is first and foremost, learn their culture and their ways in order to better blend in to the environment….and, of course, understand the greater planet as a whole, in every sense. She needs to get a good feel of navigation for where she is “on the greater map”, so to speak, and of where she needs to go.

Throughout the game, as you play in her shoes, you’ll find yourself learning to do all kinds of things the ANKs are known for, such as making tools, preparing special recipes or meals, and even concocting certain potions….with a little guided supervision, of course. Immerse yourself in the 144 quadrants that comprise Andora, each under a different block of space. Get yourself through all kinds of rapid rivers, waterfall impediments, mountainous ruins, rock - blocked passages and so much more.

Some of the most notable tools you’ll quickly learn to craft and add on to your repertoire are those of the hammer, the shovel, the saw, the pickaxe, the hoe, the spear, and even the hunting bow. They each serve a unique purpose. The hammer helps you rapidly build the structures you need; the shovel will allow you to raise or dig any kinds of terrain you encounter; you can gather wood or even stone by using the saw and pickaxe; the hoe is mainly for cultivating and harvesting; and, in case you need to defend yourself (which, believe me, you will….from time to time), you’ve got the nifty hunter’s bow and spear by your side. 

This game is also the Deiland Saga’s 2nd game released. It’s developed in Spain by Chibig, S.L.U, a worthy team of indie - game developers who have a passion for immersing their players in all - new worlds made to inspire awe. They love what they do. The game holds over 35,000 downloads from Android users. 

Final thoughts?

So, basically, if you want a farming and adventure type of game that you can easily play on your phone, set in outer space, then this might be right up your alley. Enjoy the beautiful art, superbly - lined graphics and even the longer - than - ever storyline, which will keep you excited for more as you advance the ranks of the game. Anyone 10 and up can play this family - friendly title. Try it and see.