On November 30, 2018, the survival game Ark was also launched for the Switch. First of all, that sounds pretty good, because you can actually pass the time in the train or on long car journeys with the survival game. But the portable version for the switch can be compared with the version at all.
To start with this discussion, the game is available as a full version on the Switch. So you have all the game content as well as on the PC. This means that all elements are present, whether the dinosaurs or any structural elements. The DLCs are currently not yet available for purchase on the Switch, and it is not yet known whether something will be planned in the future.
A brief overview: what is ARK anyway?
With ARK, a dream of many has finally come true, namely a world full of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. However, in the beginning the developer made a lot of promises on the PC, of which there wasn't that much at first. ARK started as early access and has been continuously improved. Because even the high-end PCs had no chance to handle this game. The performance was so bad at the beginning that there was a lot of criticism. When the first DLCs came out for the PC, the community was even more shocked. In a game that is not performing well, it is better to rely on DLCs than on improvements to the main game. But things have improved and in 2017 the game was taken out of early access and it should finally be ready. The game then went much better and more DLCs followed with more or less success.
But let's go back to the game itself. In principle, ARK works like any other survival game. In the beginning you have to farm resources and then build your own base. However, there is another aspect to be considered with ARK. The taming of prehistoric animals made ARC what it is today in the first place. Exactly this game content caused a huge hype back then. Because I think since Jurrasic Park everyone wanted to be on an island with dinosaurs. This is exactly what was then implemented in the game with other animal species. So today you can tame the well-known Tyrannosaurus Rex and ride on it, but you can also put on the saddle of a huge Brontosaurus and explore the map with it.
What to expect from the Switch version?
First, of course, you have to note that the switch cannot even begin to replace the hardware and thus the performance of a gaming PC. That becomes clear relatively quickly when you start the game. The loading times are long and actions sometimes start with a little delay. In principle, it can be said that the game's performance leaves a lot to be desired. Again and again small jerks may be manageable at the beginning, but in combat situations or when building they are rather annoying. You shouldn't expect a graphical masterpiece with the Switch version, as I said, the hardware doesn't provide that either.
The world keeps reloading, the textures are muddy and not really a feast for the eyes. However, you have to say the gameplay works, you can do all of that, just like on the PC version. But with a few small difficulties, for on the go and the small switch screen, the font is really very small and in some places hardly readable.
Regarding the control, it can be said that it takes getting used to, but I think that you can get used to it relatively quickly. But if you then see the price of 54,99 € you should think twice about whether you should get Ark for on the go. Actually, all of the game content has been preserved, but you have to make some compromises in terms of graphics and performance. If you don't mind that, you have a good version of the game that you can use anywhere in your hands.
Media for ARK: Survival Evolved
Infobox
Number of players: 1 to 64 players (online)
Age: 16
Playing time: 60+ hours
Difficulty: medium
Long-term motivation: medium to high
Publisher: Snail Games USA
Developer: Studio Wildcard, Instinct Games, Efecto Studios, Virtual Basement LLC
Year of publication: 2018
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Language: multilingual
Cost: 49,99 Euro
Summary
Anyone who can agree the price with the commented review can now play ARK in any situation. Still, I would say that I prefer to stick with the PC version and then prefer other games for on the go. Even though I played ARK on the PC for a long time and found it very good, the portable version didn't convince me.
With all the drawbacks, I find the price a bit high for this game. Even if that's the standard price for Switch games. With the help of the attached pictures, everyone can get an idea of the game for themselves and thus decide for themselves whether the game also suits the Switch.
