ARK: Survival of the Fittest

About

"ARK: Survival of the Fittest" is a multiplayer online survival arena game, where participants are stranded on an island and must fight to be the last person standing. The game features a range of dinosaurs and other creatures that can be tamed and used in battles. Players must gather resources, craft items, and form alliances to increase their chances of survival.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,256 reviews

gameplay26 positive mentions

optimization18 negative mentions

gameplay
98 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
63%
10%
The gameplay of "Ark: Survival of the Fittest" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a significant departure from the original mechanics that made the game unique. While some find the fast-paced, battle royale format enjoyable and addictive, others criticize the game for its imbalances, simplified mechanics, and lack of strategic depth, leading to frustration and a sense of loss regarding the original gameplay experience. Overall, the game is seen as needing further refinement to better align with player expectations and the legacy of the Ark franchise.
- “Addictive gameplay, more so after the 2023 revamp.”
- “I think it is a fun fast-paced battle royale game with a bunch of different mechanics.”
- “The semi-relaxed gameplay allowing one to play at their own pace, the discovery of new species of dinos, the optional PvP element, and the amazing graphics are what made me fall in love with Ark.”
- “It's terrible, it strips away every mechanic that made SOTF unique.”
- “This is an absolutely horrendous game, major game imbalances with shoddy gameplay mechanics. You may live until the very end until a hacker camps in the zone or the final circle is spammed with grenades. Save your time and do not play this hype grab that will die in a month.”
- “This new SOTF is another game completely which some might prefer, and that's okay, but personally it no longer serves as a free demo of Ark. Additionally, the new UI and gameplay mechanics are clunky and don't work very well, so I can't recommend it.”
graphics
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
42%
8%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the stunning visuals and artistic design, particularly in comparison to similar titles. However, several users report performance issues, noting that the game demands a high-end PC to run smoothly, often requiring lower settings to achieve playable frame rates. Overall, while the graphics are considered impressive, they can hinder gameplay for those without adequate hardware.
- “Amazing graphics, love the idea of PvP battles in Ark. I hope to see more content and some new added creatures special only to Survival of the Fittest!”
- “One of the best graphics I've ever seen!”
- “The semi-relaxed gameplay allowing one to play at their own pace, the discovery of new species of dinos, the optional PvP element, and the amazing graphics are what made me fall in love with Ark.”
- “Why were the default graphics absolute potato?”
- “The game has a terrible framerate unless you lower your graphics settings a lot.”
- “Worst game I've ever played, due to the graphics demands.”
optimization
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many users reporting persistent performance issues, bugs, and low frame rates even on high-end systems. Despite its potential and enjoyable gameplay, the lack of updates and necessary optimizations has led to frustration among players, particularly those using mid-range hardware. Overall, the game is deemed poorly optimized, especially for an early access title, and requires significant improvements to be taken seriously in the competitive gaming scene.
- “It does need some optimization and bug fixes, but still amazingly fun if you like arena-based games.”
- “While the optimization could be a little better, it still keeps me entertained.”
- “With a few optimization patches and tweaks, this game would be quite fun and intense.”
- “Company, badly optimized, same bugs for years. This game is an absolute scam and you shouldn't play it even if you had it for free.”
- “Another con is the bad optimization. I have a friend that has a Titan and an i7 6700k and gets really bad frequent frame drops.”
- “I recommend not getting this game if you don't have a proper PC. This game is not optimized well and takes up a lot of space.”
music
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
71%
14%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing strong dislike for the main menu music, describing it as obnoxious and cringe-worthy. While some appreciate the in-game soundtrack and the changes made to the intro music, others find the fan-made tracks distracting and wish for a return to the original's musical elements. Overall, the soundtrack is noted to be well-produced, but the menu music significantly detracts from the experience for many players.
- “Soundtrack 10/10”
- “Really one amazing game fun to play love how they changed the intro music to the game.”
- “They spent more time and money on the soundtrack than the bugs in the game.”
- “Ok, funny story: I haven't actually played the game because I can't stand the godawful music in the start menu, and I can't find a way to turn it off.”
- “Also, the main menu pop music is really obnoxious, especially when you spend most of your time waiting in the menus.”
- “It is like music that would be in a tween made-for-TV show.”
stability
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and performance issues that significantly hinder gameplay. Many users experience frequent crashes, lag spikes, and unresponsive behavior, making it difficult to enjoy the game fully. While some players acknowledge that improvements are being made, the overall consensus is that the game remains poorly optimized and frustratingly buggy.
- “Ark simply will not run on my Mac Air (2017); every time I launch it, it glitches and gets stuck, and if I ever successfully try to create a game.”
- “It glitches out during fights all the time, so even a really low-level dino can kill you because it's glitching around you and you can't hit it.”
- “Random lag spikes, freezes, and constant terror of crashing and minimizing.”
humor
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
93%
11%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it consistently funny, especially in interactions and chaotic lobbies. Many reviews highlight amusing moments, such as playful banter and absurd situations, contributing to an entertaining experience despite the game's declining player base. However, some users express frustration with elements like the music, which detracts from their enjoyment.
- “The lobbies are hilariously obnoxious.”
- “This game is so funny :d”
- “They took turns laughing at me and pelting me with arrows.”
- “You're not funny!”
- “You're not funny!”
- “You're not funny!”
story
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
67%
17%
The game's story is minimal, with some players noting a lack of narrative depth, while others mention the survival aspect as a central theme. One user humorously critiques the game's music, expressing a strong aversion to it, which detracts from their experience. Overall, the focus seems to be more on gameplay mechanics than a cohesive story.
- “The end of my story.”
- “End of story.”
- “Not only are you playing a survival game, and need to worry about food, water, and a hostile environment, but you are dropped in there with many other players, all of whom have the mission of killing you.”
- “☑ no story”
- “The end of my story”
- “End of story”
grinding
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
19%
75%
Players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game, noting that while it lacks traditional elements like farming and crafting, it requires significant time investment to unlock features such as guns and progression systems. Some find the grinding to be excessive, particularly in ranked play, while others appreciate the fast-paced nature of the game and are willing to engage in grinding for potential rewards. Overall, the consensus is that while grinding exists, it can detract from the focus on PvP gameplay.
- “There's no farming, crafting, leveling, or player versus player combat; instead, everyone just tames big hordes of dinos, and whoever has the most wins every fight.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “To unlock guns, you must spend a majority of the match grinding.”
- “It's still a really cool game, but I want the main focus of the game to be the PvP, but unfortunately to win you have to do mostly grinding.”