Whilst the game doesn't really have characters in the traditional sense, it does have a variety of creatures that you will have to face in order to survive.
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Playable Characters
Hominids
The titular ancestors of humankind, who you will control as they stumble their way into becoming humans.
- Ape Shall Never Kill Ape: There's literally no reason to do so in-game, and as they never attack you, it is flat out impossible to kill other hominids.
- Boulder Bludgeon: If sharpened sticks are unavailable they can also whack a hostile animal on the head with a rock.
- Critical Existence Failure: Averted - injuries suffered by the hominids may not kill them, but it is possible to suffer ailments from them, such as broken bones and being poisoned.
- Took a Level in Badass: Basically one of the central mechanics of the game. Starts the game being a virtually defenseless prey animal constantly living in fear of being eaten, whose only options are either running away or hiding in the trees. Eventually, they become the most dangerous animal in the wild.
- Uniformity Exception: The hominids are the only creatures who change species as time progresses, whereas other creatures are the same species for the duration of the game.
Irascible Threats
Giant Warthog
Metridiochoerus
A prehistoric wild pig. The first irascible threat animal encountered in the game.- Butt-Monkey: With the exception of mambas and careless hominids, it will get killed or eaten by any animal it gets into a fight with.
- The Goomba: The first irascible animal encounter in the game, which can't kill a Hominid if the hominid fails their action commands, but will injure them.
- Killer Rabbit: Just like in Real Life, they're aggressive enough that they will attack if they feel threatened, and can easily catch a careless player off guard.
Miocene African Otter
Enhydriodon dikikae
A large prehistoric otter. Often found near bodies of water- Aquatic Mook: They're primarily found around the water, like most otters. They are also much more deadly in the water than on the land.
- Butt-Monkey: With the exception of mambas and careless hominids, it will get killed or eaten by any animal it gets into a fight with.
- Killer Rabbit: Don't let their size and appearance fool you, they can easily catch a careless player off guard.
- Instakill Mook: Downplayed. They cannot kill a hominid on land, only injuring them, but should they successfully attack a Hominid on the water, they will drown it for a One-Hit Kill.
- Playful Otter: Averted Trope. They're not playful at all, but will viciously attack any hominid that gets too close.
Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus gorgops
A very large and aggressive herbivore found near bodies of water.- Angry, Angry Hippos: They're extremely territorial and aggressive, and will not hesitate to destroy any other animal that gets too close to them.
- Aquatic Mook: They're primarily found around the water, like most hippopotami.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Will brutally kill or scare off any predator that dares try to face it. Not even crocodiles or machairodus are capable of winning against it.
- Instakill Mook: Will one-shot any animal they come across, including Hominids who fail their Press X to Not Die command.
- Lightning Bruiser: Despite their obese appearance they're extremely fast on land and in water.
- Neck Snap: Appears to do a mix of this and crushing their opponents' head with their massive jaws when finishing them off.
- The Worf Effect: The only animal that can kill it is the hominid, aka you.
- Xenophobic Herbivore: Though they don't eat other animals, they do not hesitate to brutally kill any animal that gets too close.
Miocene Elephant
Stegotetrabelodon syrticus
The largest animal in the game by far, encountered in the Savanna biome.- Cruel Elephant: One of the most aggressive and dangerous animals in the game.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Will brutally kill or scare off any predator that dares try to face it. Not even machairodus are capable of winning against it. The only creature that gets a Curb Stomp Cushion is the crocodile, which bites its trunk for a bit before being gored and tossed away.
- Finishing Stomp: Often stomps on it's opponents to finish them off.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Also quite fond of using its tusks to kill its opponents.
- Instakill Mook: Will one-shot any animal they come across, including Hominids who fail their Press X to Not Die command.
- The Worf Effect: The only animal that can kill it is the hominid, aka you.
- Xenophobic Herbivore: Just like the hippopotamus it won't hesitate to kill any animal that gets too close.
Crawling Threats
Eastern Green Mamba
Dendroaspis angusticeps
Small green snakes with a venomous bite.- Adaptational Wimp: Not only is their venom poisoning unable to directly kill a hominid, they also get bodied by any other non-hominid animal they come across — even Warthogs and Jackals.
- Butt-Monkey: They will always get killed and/or eaten by almost any non-Hominid animal, even the Miocene African Otter and the Warthog. They can even be killed by an unarmed Hominid. The one animal they survive against is the African Buffalo, which still scares them into retreating.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Often on the receiving end of one, being killed/eaten/intimidated by almost any animal they encounter. These can even be killed by an unarmed Hominid. The only time they ever get the upper hand is against a Hominid who fails to dodge or counterattack, and even that doesn't kill.
- The Goomba: Green Mambas are one of the first hostile animal encounter in the game. They can't kill a Hominid if the hominid fails their action commands, but will poison them. They're weak to the point where they can even be killed by an unarmed Hominid, and the other early-game animal in the Warthog will kill them.
- Poisonous Person: They can bite and envenomate Hominids, causing an Interface Screw and lowering life expectancy.
Black Mamba
Dendroaspis polylepis
Small black snakes with a venomous bite.- Adaptational Wimp: Not only is their venom unable to directly kill a hominid, they also get bodied by any other non-hominid animal they come across — even Warthogs and Jackals.
- Butt-Monkey: They will always get killed and/or eaten by almost any non-Hominid animal, even the Miocene African Otter and the Warthog. The one animal they survive against is the African Buffalo, which still scares them into retreating.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Often on the receiving end of one, being killed/eaten/intimidated by almost any animal they encounter. The only time they ever get the upper hand is against a Hominid who fails to dodge or counterattack, and even that doesn't kill.
- Poisonous Person: They can bite and envenomate Hominids, causing an Interface Screw and lowering life expectancy.
African Rock Python
Python sebae
A large snake that kills its prey via constriction.- Hoist by Their Own Petard: When faced with a crocodile, their lunge attempt will get their head caught in the crocodile's mouth. Sometimes, they might be able to escape, but other times the crocodile will end their life before they can strangle it.
- The Hunter Becomes the Hunted: On both the giving and receiving end with Machairodus - luring one into the other will inevitably result in one ending up dead.
- Instakill Mook: Will one-shot any Hominids who fail their Press X to Not Die command.
- Sinister Suffocation: Like most constrictor snakes, it kills Hominids and other animals it comes across via strangulation.
- Snakes Are Sinister: They're much more dangerous than either Mamba, and will instantly kill any hominids who fail to dodge or counterattack.
Centipede
Scolopendra cingulate
An absolutely massive centipede, and the main threat in caves.- Animals Not to Scale: This centipede is the size of a python. Normally, it doesn't get much bigger than a worm.
- Creepy Centipedes: Oh hell yes! This creature is absolutely terrifying, in no small part because it is far bigger then it has any reason to be.
- The Hunter Becomes the Hunted: On both the giving and receiving end with Machairodus - luring one into the other will inevitably result in one ending up dead.
- Instakill Mook: Will one-shot any Hominids who fail their Press X to Not Die command.
- Poisonous Person: They can bite and envenomate Hominids, causing an Interface Screw and lowering life expectancy.
- The Worf Effect: Perhaps the only straight example in the game - it will usually kill a Machairodus, though sometimes the Machairodus will win.
Predators
Bateleur Eagle
Terathopius ecaudatus
Large raptorial avians that will attack Hominids who stay on their nests or other high areas.- Airborne Mook: One of two flying enemies in the game.
- Feathered Fiend: Large, avian creatures that are certainly not friendly to any Hominids.
- Instakill Mook: Will one-shot any Hominids who fail their Press X to Not Die command.
- The Hunter Becomes the Hunted: One of them is shown killing a hominid in the introduction scene, and they can indeed kill hominids who fail to avoid their attack. Later on, Hominids with spears can hunt and kill them, reversing the roles of predator and prey.
- Mama Bear: They're often encountered around their egg-filled nests, and will swoop down to attack Hominids that stay around them.
Crocodile
Crocodylus thorbjarnarsoni
A prehistoric crocodile and extreme threat for those who wander too close to the water.- Aquatic Mook: They're primarily found around the water, like most crocodiles.
- Curb Stomp Cushion: The only animal that can deal a semblance of damage to the Miocene Elephant by biting on its trunk... before the elephant gores it with its tusks and throws its lifeless body aside.
- The Hunter Becomes the Hunted: On both the giving and receiving end with Machairodus - luring one into the other will inevitably result in one ending up dead.
- Instakill Mook: Will one-shot any Hominids who fail their Press X to Not Die command.
- Never Smile at a Crocodile: You really don't want to meet one of these things unprepared.
- The Worf Effect: On both the giving and receiving end with Machairodus, with the deciding factor being whether the crocodile is on land or in the water.
Machairodus
Machairodus
An early sabertooth, and the namesake of the group.- Cats Are Mean: The most aggressive predator in the game - beware encountering it while injured.
- Event Flag: Every time you perform an evolution leap or a generational change, this will cause one to eventually spawn near your current Hominid.
- Instakill Mook: Will one-shot any Hominids who fail their Press X to Not Die command.
- Super-Persistent Predator: It takes a long time to get these cats to stop chasing you.
- The Worf Effect: On both the giving and receiving end when facing crocodiles and pythons. It doesn't stand a chance when facing off against an elephant or hippo though.
Miocene Pelican
Pelagornis
Large avians that will attack Hominids who stay on their nests or on the shoreline.- Airborne Mook: The other of two flying enemies in the game.
- Feathered Fiend: Large, avian creatures that are certainly not friendly to any Hominids.
- Instakill Mook: Will one-shot any Hominids who fail their Press X to Not Die command.
- Non-Indicative Name: The Pelargonis is not a true pelican, despite the name.
- Super-Persistent Predator: Once you've caught the attention of one, it will not stop swooping at you to hunt you down until either you or it dies.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: To the Bateleur Eagles found in the more inland areas, having a similar attack pattern and even a similar kill animation.
