GamerTake
ARK: Survival Ascended

ARK is reimagined from the ground-up into the next-generation of video game technology with Unreal Engine 5! Form a tribe, tame & breed hundreds of unique dinosaurs and primeval creatures, explore, craft, build, and fight your way to the top of the food-chain. Your new world awaits!

Current Players: 22677
Developers: Studio WildcardGrove Street GamesInstinct Games
Publishers: Studio WildcardSnail Games USA
Release Date: Oct 25, 2023
Price (USD): $44.99
unique gameplay
improved graphics
addictive loop
mod support
paid mods
new content
performance issues
poor optimization
frequent crashes
old bugs
cash grab
The reviews present a mixed sentiment towards Ark: Survival Ascended. While many players praise the unique and engaging gameplay involving dinosaur taming and survival, the severe optimization issues and persistence of old bugs sour the experience for many. The game's visuals are often highlighted as stunning, but come at the cost of high system demand, leading to frequent crashes and performance problems. The addition of new content through mods and DLC has a reaction, given the controversial cash grab perception. Overall, while the game's core premise remains addictive and enjoyable, the technical issues and questionable business practices limit its potential.

Positive Points

  • The game offers unique and enjoyable dinosaur taming and survival gameplay, which many players find engaging and fun.
  • Graphics have been significantly improved with Unreal Engine 5, making the visual aspects of the game stunning when settings allow.
  • Players appreciate the increased ease of installing mods, which adds new dimensions to gameplay.
  • The gameplay loop is often described as addictive, with many players returning for the challenging survival and crafting systems.

    • Negative Points

  • The game has severe optimization issues, causing frequent crashes and poor performance even on high-end PCs.
  • Many players report old bugs from Ark: Survival Evolved remain unfixed, and new bugs detract from the experience.
  • Updates require excessive disk space, leading to difficulty in maintaining the game on many systems.
  • Frequent mentions of poorly managed and dishonest development processes, with criticisms aimed at Snail Games.

    • Mixed Points

  • The addition of new content and mods is appreciated, but the presence of paid mods and DLC creatures is controversial and seen as a cash grab.
  • While graphics are praised, the performance suffers on all but the highest-end PCs, leading to a mixed reception of this aspect.
  • The sense of community and multiplayer options are a draw for some, but constant issues with server stability bring frustration.

    • Common Themes

  • A recurring issue with optimization and performance, leading to crashes and poor gameplay experience.
  • The addictive nature of the gameplay, despite the presence of numerous bugs and optimization issues.
  • Criticism of the game's business model, especially concerning paid mods and new DLC in an already expensive game.
  • The nostalgia and passion players have for the original Ark: Survival Evolved, often finding ASA to fall short of expectations due to lingering issues.
    • Updated 5/17/2025, 12:01:15 AM UTC
    Leave feedback for this summary