5 Best Games Like Ark Survival Ascended

These are games that align with the open-world, base-building playstyle offered by Ark: Survival Evolved and are a must-try on PC.

5 Best Games Like Ark Survival Ascended
An image showing multiple games (Image via Author | Deltia’s Gaming)

Ark Survival Ascended is an open-world survival game where you tame dinosaurs, build bases, and fight huge end-game bosses. There are numerous crafting options available, including bases, and it features a complex taming mechanism. You knock out dinosaurs with tranquilizer arrows and then feed them their preferred food until they become loyal companions.

Base building involves placing foundations, walls, and crafting stations. The game also supports extensive multiplayer capabilities, accommodating up to 70 players. Below are a few alternatives that offer a similar gameplay experience if you’re tired of Ark.

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1. Conan Exiles

Screenshot from the game: Conan Exiles
Screenshot from the game: Conan Exiles (image via Funcom)

Conan Exiles is very similar to Ark Survival Ascended, apart from the inclusion of dinosaurs; this is a brutal survival game set in a barbarian world. You start with nothing in the desert and then must gather plants, fiber, and stone to survive. Just like Ark, you get to manage hunger, thirst, and temperature while avoiding sandstorms. Base building is also very similar; you place foundations, craft walls, roofs, etc. Depending on your visual preference, you may find the structures in Conan Exiles better than in Ark.

2. Rust

Screenshot from the game: Rust
Screenshot from the game: Rust (Image via Facepunch Studios)

Rust is also very similar to Ark in terms of PVP and base raiding. You spawn with nothing on an island and must gather wood, stone, and metal to build your base. There are no dinos here, but very aggressive real players, who will keep hunting you down until you have a base and can protect yourself. The game is highly thrilling for gamers seeking that survival adrenaline rush. In place of caves and dinos, there are scientists and other hostile mobs, ready to gun you down the moment they see you. Overall, it’s a jam-packed game that’s absolutely worth trying.

3. Valheim

SS from valheim
Screenshot from the game: Valheim (Image via Iron Gate Studios)

Valheim is outright the most challenging alternative to Ark. Over here, you explore procedurally generated worlds filled with monsters and forests across several biomes. One thing is for sure: watch out, trolls in the dark forest, and draugers in the swamp. In the early game, these will make you alt + f4 if you don’t have good gear, and you don’t know what your objectives are.

Another interesting aspect of this game is its attempts to destroy your base, sending you various mobs in a random cycle, depending on your encounter and progress. It’s a thrilling alternative, but it’s not just another survival game where you can rely on friends to do base and run around.

4. The Forest

Screenshot from the game: The Forest
Screenshot from the game: The Forest (Image via Endnight Games Ltd)

The Forest takes a distinctly different route compared to Ark. This is more of a survival horror game with base-building elements. You crash-land on an island inhabited by cannibalistic mutants who become more hostile as the game progresses. The base building mechanics involve chopping down trees for logs and then constructing defensive walls, shelters, and traps

Moreover, the crafting system is also unique; it’s realistic and utilizes combinations such as stick, rock, and rope to create an axe. The mutants learn your behaviour patterns and adapt their hostility towards you accordingly. The game also features a day-night cycle, and as expected, nighttime is the most dangerous. Overall, it’s a breath of fresh air if you want to try out something new from Ark.

5. Grounded

Screenshot from the Game: Grounded
Screenshot from the Game: Grounded (Image via Xbox Game Studios)

Grounded also takes a different approach to ark. Over here, you are shrunk down to ant size in a suburban backyard. What you do is gather plant fibers, dewdrops, and bug parts to craft tools and shelter. The combat part involves fighting massive spiders, ants, and beetles using your own crafted weapons. The base building mechanics involve the use of grass planks, acorn sheels, and mushroom bricks. Lastly, you also get to enjoy all of these with up to four players. Overall, it’s a unique alternative to Ark and is definitely worth trying out.

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