Ark: Survival Evolved
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Genres: Action, Fighting, Open World and Simulation
Released: August 2017, updated in 2018. Added to this library 4 months ago, last updated 10 weeks ago.
Overview
This game offers hunting-and-harvesting gameplay in a primal setting. Although not as polished or streamlined as a game like Horizon Zero Dawn, this is a more ambitiously open world where you can choose your own way to survive. With crafting and building, like Minecraft but with realistic visuals, this is a game where you step into your own monster movie.
The game offers additional expansions to bring new maps, hazards and enemies:
- Scorched Earth expansion pack
- Aberration Aberration expansion pack
- Extinction expansion pack
- The Center map
- Ragnarok map
- Valguero map
- Crystal Isles map
This game is good if you want to inhabit another world, take on baddies with fists and guns, play with people on different systems or survive the night.
Commitment
Cross-Play: You can play people on different systems: PC and Xbox One.
Costs
You can purchase Scorched Earth and Aberration expansions to add maps, creatures and hazards. The third expansion, Extinction, is available through a battle pass.
You will need PlayStation Plus to play online with PlayStation 4. You will need Xbox Live Gold to play online with Xbox One. You will need Nintendo Online to play online with Nintendo Switch.
This game is free with Xbox Game Pass.
Ratings
This game has been rated ESRB TEEN.
Users Interact: The game enables players to interact and communicate with each other, so may expose players to language usually associated with older rated games.
Accessibility
System settings: Nintendo Switch has some built-in features, including a lockable zoom, that can be used on all games. Windows has extensive accessibility features. Some, like colour correction, work with games. Lots of accessibility software can be used with PC games, from voice recognition to input device emulators. PlayStation 4 has a range of accessibility settings. Some are system only, some work in games (invert colours and button mapping). Xbox One has a wide range of system features including some that can be used on all games, like the excellent co-pilot mode... read more.
Similar Games
The following games address a similar topic or offer a similar way to play. They are good options to play after Ark: Survival Evolved, and also offer a range of alternatives for different age ratings.
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Ark: Survival Evolved is in These Lists
In addition to the similar games listed above, which have been linked to this game specifically in the database, you may find games with a similar theme to Ark: Survival Evolved in the following lists:
Matinee Fisticuffs and Shootouts
Inhabit Another World
The games in this section invite you to spend time in spaces that have a sense of place, life and character. Worlds that hold history and lore in their landscapes, flora, fauna and inhabitants; environments that respond to your presence and invite you to restore them to their former glory.
Free With Xbox Game Pass
You cannot play games you install when your Xbox Game Pass expires, although you do keep any games you have purchased at a discount with your membership. You will need to purchase any in-game extra content in addition to the subscription, although some games include this content for free.
- Xbox Game Pass £7.99/month
- Xbox Game Pass Ultimate including Xbox Live Gold for online play £10.99/month
- Xbox Game Pass PC £7.99/month
Play With People On Different Systems
These games are a good way to extend the list of friends and family that you can play with. It also makes it less critical which system you have in your home, even if your friends have a different one.
Survive The Night
Whether this is as simple as closing the door to keep the zombies out in Minecraft or as complex as crafting food, clothing and medicine to cope with the freezing blackness of The Long Dark these games are exhilarating as they pose a strategic puzzle with personal consequences.
Many of these games offer an open world in which to survive, which opens up more ways of preparing for and then making it through the night time. This, of course, leads to another day where you need to spend time and resources wisely while exploring your surroundings.
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