Summary

• Ark: Survival Ascended has much better graphics and utilizes Unreal Engine 5, making the game's visuals, textures, dinosaurs, and lighting look better than in Ark: Survival Evolved.
• In Ark: Survival Ascended, players can access in-game mods directly from a menu, making it easier to enhance their gameplay experience compared to going through the Steam Workshop. This feature is also available on Xbox and PlayStation consoles.
• Ark: Survival Ascended introduces several quality-of-life improvements, such as a customizable camera with a zoom feature that provides a wider view of the battlefield and improved inventory controls with a new item hotbar.

Though Ark: Survival Ascended has the same core gameplay loop as Ark: Survival Evolved, there are some differences between the two titles. After all, though it has undergone a series of major updates and expansions since it was launched, Survival Evolved is now nearly a decade old, having been released in 2015. The multiplayer dinosaur survival game has remained wildly popular, and Ark: Survival Ascended updates the game to the much more powerful Unreal Engine 5 while including the expansions for Evolved, including Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, and more.

Many have wondered what the major differences between the two titles are. In of core gameplay, the games are almost identical, but there are a few QoL enhancements and enough major changes that make Ascended better than Evolved in a few key ways. Though it's still up for debate whether ASA is actually worth getting for those who already own Ark: Survival Evolved, ASA's recent inclusion into Xbox Game gives subscribers a way to try the game without purchasing it outright.

15 New Creatures & DLC

Controversial Bob's Tall Tales

One of the most obvious differences is the introduction of two new creatures via the Scorched Earth update for Ark: Survival Ascended in the form of the Fasolasuchus and Oasisaur, with the latter coming under fire for being part of a paid DLC called Bob's Tall Tales. The reason for the upset is that most believed that ASA would include all of ASE content without considering the fact that a new DLC might be released for ASA.

The Oasisaur is in the world to everyone who plays ASA, but can only be tamed by those with the paid DLC.

News of a new DLC being added to the game, and costing $29.99 no less, created an understandable stir for those who felt caught off guard. The Oasisaur is a pretty powerful base dinosaur, leading to accusations that the new addition is pay-to-win.

14 Better Character Customization Options

You Can Still Create A Monstrosity

Overall, the character customization options in ASA are a big step up from ASE. Ark Survival Evolved included a character customizer with fairly limited options, leading to many characters looking the same. As a result, many in the community took to creating horrid beastly-looking creatures with tiny skinny arms or stunted short legs and massive bodies.

While it's still possible to create a monster in ASA (and many people do), the character creator was expanded, dividing each section's sliders into different tabs and giving more options to adjust throughout. While it's still not the most expansive character-creation engine out there, the number of things that can be adjusted gives players more options.

13 General QoL Improvements

ASA Is Less Frustrating To Play

There have been significant changes to overall gameplay mechanics that improve the quality of life generally when playing. New trackers, an improved UI, changes to baby dinos, and updates to creature abilities make certain aspects of ASA feel like a much more streamlined experience over ASE.

Additional changes and improvements to movement mechanics also make the game feel different in certain respects. Even though ASA still has its fair share of bugs, these overall improvements are much needed, and enhance the overall experience.

12 Ark: Survival Ascended Has Much Better Graphics

Ascended Uses Unreal Engine 5

Ark: Survival Evolved runs on a custom version of Unreal Engine 4.5, which seriously limits the game's graphics and immersion. While it's still more than possible to create absolutely legendary monstrosities in Ark: Survival Ascended via the game's custom character creator, virtually every aspect of the game's visuals has been improved.

The Ark 2 will also run on Unreal Engine 5.

Ark: Survival Ascended utilizes Unreal Engine 5, which makes textures, dinosaurs, and lighting look better. It's a huge step up from ASE and should give people an idea of what the Ark 2 will likely look like.

11 Creature Pathing Improvements

There's Still More Work To Be Done For Ark 2

Although ASA still has a long way to go in of creature behavior and AI, there is a noticeable improvement over the fairly abysmal creature and dinosaur AI in Ark: Survival Evolved. As the bad AI became part of ASE when it came to taming or capturing larger creatures, it certainly did a lot to break immersion.

Creature AI in ASA still acts in unexpected and sometimes confounding ways, but general pathing improvements enable the creatures to at least get around structures and obstructions. This is most noticeable when leading tamed creatures, as they are more likely to not get "lost" in the new version.

10 In-Game Mods List

New Dinos In The Main Menu

Many people enjoy the additional dinosaurs and other enhancements provided via mods, and Studio Wildcard took note of this by integrating a mod list directly into the game. In Ark: Survival Ascended, using mods is as easy as accessing a menu in the game rather than going through the Steam Workshop. This feature also enables people on Xbox and PlayStation consoles to utilize mods in their games.

This is a massive step-up and improvement to anyone who plays Ark on their console, as previously in Evolved mod was limited to PC. Considering this is the main way to add new and unique creatures, it helps expand what the game has to offer.

9 More Customizable Camera

Zoom Has Been Added

While it is a minor feature, the fact that Ark: Survival Evolved has a fixed third-person camera limits visibility on the battlefield. This could cause serious issues in large conflicts, specifically when riding dinosaurs, as it limits the FOV for the character.

Ark: Survival Ascended now comes with a zoom feature that gives people a wider view of the battlefield and the world around them. This also extends beyond PvP or multiplayer play, with the new camera angles and the new photo mode, benefiting people who like to play solo or single-player Ark.

8 New Cave Systems & Loot Locations

Scorched Earth Updates

There have been a number of pretty significant changes to the Scorched Earth DLC in ASA, which change a few major things in big ways. Both Desert Loot Crates & Beacons have had their locations switched in the new title, making reliable loot locations available in ASE not available in the updated game.

In addition, new caves found in Scorched Earth add new areas to explore or build a fortified base in. With one located in the Wyvern trench area, and the other cave located in a watery oasis, both locations are unique and interesting enough to explore.

7 Streamlined Inventory Controls

New Item Hotbar & Fast Inventory

A new change that enables people to access their full inventory via the hotbar rather than manually entering the inventory screen is a much-welcomed changed in Ascended. People can now access several pages in their hotbar, which will help a lot with building, as different pieces can now be selected quickly.

Similarly, shoulder pet inventories can now be accessed much more easily using the radial menu. These small QoL changes might not seem like much, but they will cut down on the time spent in inventory screens.

6 Improved Map

Waypoints And Coordinates

The map in Ark: Survival Ascended has seen a few updates. In addition to being able to keep it open while running around, there are more intuitive map controls. It's now possible to enter the map menu inside the inventory, zoom in and zoom out, and add custom map markers and waypoints.

In ASE, the map was, at times, confounding and buggy, hampering the overall experience and making something as locating a base or items and gear frustrating. Ark: Survival Ascended updated map goes a long way in helping people identify important locations.