I’ve spent a good amount of time playing Ark: Survival Ascended on console, and while there’s a lot to enjoy, it’s definitely a mixed experience.
First off, the game looks amazing compared to the original Ark: Survival Evolved. The Unreal Engine 5 upgrade is noticeable—textures, lighting, and environments feel more alive, and seeing the dinos in this level of detail is incredible. Exploring the island again with this kind of graphical upgrade really gives the game a fresh feeling, even for returning players.
Performance, however, is where things get shaky. On console, load times can be long, and frame drops are still pretty common, especially in areas with lots of structures or dinos. The game is playable, but it doesn’t always run smoothly, and that can be frustrating when you’re in tense situations.
Gameplay itself is still the same core Ark experience—taming dinosaurs, surviving the wild, building bases, and dealing with other players if you’re on multiplayer. If you loved that loop before, it’s still addicting now. Some of the UI and quality-of-life changes are helpful, but it still feels clunky at times compared to modern survival games.
Multiplayer on console has been hit-or-miss. Server stability isn’t perfect, and joining can sometimes be a hassle. When it works, though, it’s as fun (and chaotic) as ever.