What is ARK: Survival Evolved?
ARK: Survival Evolved has been out for a little under a year now, and it has made a pretty big impression on the gaming community. In ARK: Survival Evolved, players find themselves on an island, and they run around and gather resources, research technologies, and build shelter with the intention of surviving as long as possible. The greatest threat that you’ll encounter on this island? Dinosaurs. The game hasn’t left early access yet, which means that it isn’t entirely finished yet. Still, there’s a lot of content there, and the game has seen a lot of popularity over the last few months.
However, ARK: Survival Evolved isn’t perfect. There are a couple of issues with glitches and optimization. Some users just generally feel like the development team isn’t quite as active as they could be. Maybe you’re one of those users, maybe you’re getting bored with the game, or maybe you’re just looking for something a little different. Regardless, if you’re reading this, it’s because you’re looking for an alternative to ARK. I have managed to dig up a handful of games that exhibit certain traits and qualities that I think a fan of the original concept may appreciate.
Top 5 Games Like ARK: Survival Evolved In 2024
Without further ado, here’s a list of the top five best games like ARK: Survival Evolved.
5. Atlas
Atlas is made by the developers of Ark: Survival Evolved. In fact, it was built with the very same engine. Given that, it’s probably the closest that you’ll ever get to the original game. Instead of dinos, however, there will be various watercraft, from warships to rowboats.
The main draw of the game? Nautical exploration. The map is mostly the ocean and it’s dotted with hundreds of tiny islands for you to check out.
The PVP system is also just as great as Ark’s, with the water full of players looking for potential raid targets. For example, you can equip your ship with cannons so that you can attack from afar. Or if you want, you can just ram into enemy ships. Either way, the combat is loads of fun.
4. Conan Exiles
Conan Exiles is based in the mythology of the Conan the Barbarian series. Developed by Funcom, it’s a survival sandbox game that can be played on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. Basically, the gist is that you’re one of many exiles to be cast out into the wastelands and you must overcome the odds by learning to thrive.
As it is, the wastelands are divided into several distinct biomes from the cold tundras to the sandy dunes of Gandahar. As expected, each area features its own personality as well as dangers. For example, one misstep can easily put you in the path of a vicious sandbeast.
Not only is the game fast-paced, but it has a considerable base-building system as well. If anything, things will only truly start once you get involved with the different humanoid tribes that called the wastelands home.
3. Grounded
Grounded is unique in that it’s set in your very own backyard. The context? You’ve been shrunk down to the size of a rock. Now, you must try to stay alive in a world where ants are the size of lions and the grass is as tall as trees.
Similar to Ark, you can do more than just fight the critters you encounter. For example, you can ride on them. That’s right, they’re mountable. If anything, it’s just like riding a velociraptor in Ark, except it involves fewer wings and more legs.
Base building is another area where the game shines. You can lay down a blueprint, plan out your base and once you’ve got all the necessary materials, you can work on putting it all together. It features an amazing co-op multiplayer mode as well so you can easily play with your friends.
2. The Isle
The Isle is a survival game where you play as a young dinosaur—one that must fight and hunt to survive. Available for PC and Mac, the game is fairly simplistic in that you choose a species of dinosaur to play as, after which you eat plants or other animals to survive. You must also avoid your natural predators as you explore the land.
There are also updates that allow you to mutate your dino, giving them special physical traits and skills that allow for deeper specialization. The developer Afterthought LLC, has also revealed that they plan on implementing humans into the game sometime in the future.
What’s more, is that there’s no map like a traditional game; you must rely on your senses alone to survive. For example, sniffing will allow you to highlight animals, footprints, and water sources nearby. You can also play with friends and alert each other of nearby predators.
While the game is still in Early Access, it’s still a lot of fun, especially if you team up with friends. If anything, it’s definitely worth it if you’re a fan of dinosaurs.
1. Eco
Eco is another survival game. Instead of fighting creatures, however, you’re battling the elements to stay alive. Another big thing is that you must work with other players to develop and research technologies to save mankind as a meteor is on a collision course with earth. Ultimately, the goal is to do so without destroying the environment—thus the name of the game.
And the game environment itself is so much more than a visual sandbox; it’s an ecosystem with thousands of animals and plants that live in balance with one another. In other words, everything you do in the game can change the environment permanently.
To see how your actions affect the environment, you can use the world map, which appears as a globe that you can spin and rotate.
