ARK: SURVIVAL EVOLVED
Great Game
BUILDING
Our number one reason for enjoying ark was probably the building aspects to the game. This is a survival game, but a huge part of survival is building a shelter! The building system in ARK is rich and complex; mods can be added to add even more to this part of the game.
On PVP servers, how you build your shelter decides how safe your items and dinosaurs will be. You may not want to create a "pretty" structure, but rather focus on the functionality of it. Maybe you add a door that leads to you falling out of the fort (pesky intruders may not like this, but it can be a fun way to save your loot!)
DINOSAURS
Surprised this is listed second? Yeah me too, but make no mistake this is a Dinosaur game if there ever was one! At base server settings it can be quite difficult to tame them, but on custom servers this can be adjusted to be more casual friendly. Our group personally was fine as long as things took only an hour or two for taming, but on official servers something as large as a t rex can take multiple hours.
This makes the game rewarding! It wasn't meant to be an easy game. Again, it's a survival game at its core and these dino's are here to try and make life easier (but certainly not easy).
EXPLORATION
With multiple maps to choose from on each server, there are countless areas to explore on each. Some maps take a more fantastical theme while others may be more plain desert. Each map has hidden awe inspiring areas.
Want a tropical beach getaway similar to Jurassic Park? Got it. Want a fantasy land with dragons all about? Got it. The map options never end with this game.
CONCLUSION
This game is worth every penny. GP Crew started playing this game in pre-release (it had a very long pre-release period on steam) and continued playing it. We even picked it back up years after due to all the added content. After thousands of hours in the game, hosting multiple servers, and numerous dino's tamed (and sadly now gone) this game is never ending.
If you are looking for a game to sink a ton of time in, look no further. This was easily one of our favorites.