Ark Nova

About

In Ark Nova, players design a modern zoo and support global conservation projects, using cards to build enclosures, accommodate animals, and increase their zoo's appeal and scientific reputation. With 255 unique cards available, players must strategize and upgrade their actions to create the most successful zoo and collect the most conservation points. This digital adaptation of the award-winning 2021 tabletop board game brings the challenging and scientific management aspect to a wider audience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 86 reviews

stability3 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Great adaptation of the board game with beautiful graphics and a smooth user interface.
The AI is challenging and offers a decent experience for solo play, making it enjoyable even without human opponents.
The game is nearly bug-free for an early access title, with a variety of modes and challenges that enhance replayability.

AI opponents are slow, and there is no option to speed up their turns, which can make gameplay feel tedious.
The UI can be cluttered and confusing, with important information often hidden behind multiple tabs and pop-up windows.
Lack of online matchmaking and ranked play can lead to unbalanced games, making it less appealing for competitive players.

graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The graphics are generally praised for their beauty and clarity, with many users expressing pleasant surprise at the quality, especially for a digital board game. While some noted minor disappointments, the overall consensus is that the visuals are satisfying, with smooth animations and high-quality sound effects enhancing the experience.
- “The art is beautiful, the graphics are great, and I haven't noticed any sort of bugs.”
- “The graphics are prettier than I was expecting.”
- “Game flow is smooth, graphics are clear and pleasant, animations are beautiful and perfectly timed so they don't hamper you as you play, sound effects are crisp and of great quality, and you also get great background music.”
- “The graphics are also a minor disappointment.”
- “Digital versions of board games are usually kind of ugly; that's just part of the nature of translating a game played with cardboard tiles into a medium that is capable of sophisticated graphics.”
- “It is still a digital board game, so the graphics quality isn't a top priority, but I actually think it looks pretty decent, especially for an early access version.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The gameplay in Ark Nova's early access release is praised for its smoothness and improved user interface compared to the board game, enhanced by a helpful three-step tutorial. Players appreciate the developer's responsiveness in addressing issues through patches and updates, contributing to an overall satisfying experience.
- “Developer is pretty good at responding to issues and posting patches and updates to fix bugs, improve UI/scaling issues, and overall gameplay.”
- “My thoughts on the Ark Nova early access release so far: overall, the UI is wonderful, making the gameplay much smoother and faster than the board game.”
- “Incredibly smooth gameplay and satisfying sound effects.”
- “The gameplay feels unpolished and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “There are numerous bugs that disrupt the gameplay experience, making it frustrating at times.”
- “The mechanics are clunky and not intuitive, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant optimization issues, particularly related to memory and performance, even on powerful gaming PCs. This has led to unexpected slowdowns during gameplay, suggesting that the game's optimization may not be adequately addressing resource management.
- “One substantial issue is some sort of memory/performance problem I experience in every game I play against AI.”
- “It could be just an issue with my machine, but since I have quite a powerful gaming PC that handles high-performance video games just fine, I would expect it to be able to handle a card game.”
- “It seems to be an optimization or memory problem.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Players highlight the game's strong replayability due to its engaging multiplayer options, including a non-attack mode and various gameplay variations, which keep the experience fresh and enjoyable even after multiple sessions.
- “Fun multiplayer with non-attack mode and variability makes it very replayable.”
- “After playing a few games, I can see the allure of this game and the high replayability it has to offer.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making it feel repetitive after just a few playthroughs.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to return, as side quests feel uninspired.”
- “While the multiplayer mode is enjoyable, the single-player experience offers little variety, leading to a lack of replayability.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
Despite the common expectation of early access games being riddled with bugs, this title has been noted for its impressive stability, launching with minimal issues. This positive reception highlights a significant achievement for the developers in delivering a nearly bug-free experience at release.
- “It being nearly bug-free is a welcome surprise considering it just came out.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, which is impressive for a new release.”
- “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it allows me to fully immerse myself in the experience.”
- “Most early access games are buggy dumpster fires initially.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality, complementing the smooth gameplay and beautiful animations. Players appreciate the crisp sound effects and the engaging background music that enhances the overall experience.
- “The game flow is smooth, the graphics are clear and pleasant, and the animations are beautiful and perfectly timed, enhancing the gameplay experience. The sound effects are crisp and of great quality, complemented by an excellent background music score.”
- “The background music perfectly complements the gameplay, creating an immersive atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
- “The sound design, including the music, elevates the overall experience, making every moment in the game feel dynamic and exciting.”