In gaming today it is becoming harder and harder to find good couch co-op games.

In fact, it seems our options have dwindled down to MMOs and FTP games. Sure, there are times when it’s nice to play with other people on a single screen while they play with you from a distance. Though it shouldn’t be the only option. We shouldn’t be forced to play with others. Gaming used to be the way to escape other people or at most chill with 2-4 friends at home while avoiding the rest of the planet. I do get it though really, the need for community, companionship and finding like-minded people through the shared love of a game. I just don’t think games should always opt for online multiplayer without giving the option to play good old split screen with a friend or family member, side by side.

This is why in my opinion Ark survival is one of the freshest and most engaging couch CO-OP games going right now.

So what makes Ark so good?

Imagine yourself waking up on an island Paradise. You’re on a beautiful sandy beach and maybe life won’t be so bad today. WRONG! You quickly realize you have nothing, you’re wearing nothing and oh my god, there are little dinosaurs wandering around everywhere. You think to yourself, I’ve played Minecraft and I can do this.

You start off by picking up some rocks and punching a few trees. You collect some fiber and berries from nearby plants to make yourself a nifty cloth outfit and pickax. Seams easy enough. You start to feel bold and leave your starting area, when all of a sudden a carnivore has decided to turn you into lunch! Yep, you guessed it, now you are dead. Your body and all of your contents are currently under predator foo and unless you are playing on God mode, you are likely going to die again.

So how do you get anywhere in this game!? Frustration starts to set in and you feel like you’ve just wasted a whole bunch of money. But I promise you, you have just bought one of the best games of your life. I mean that from the bottom of my soul, despite it’s many hiccups and issues.

Since I quit playing WOW 10 years ago I had not found another game that made me desire it, to crave playing it at any possible opportunity. The fact is though, this game is not easy to play alone and playing online can be awful as many other players can be dicks and would much rather kill you in the starting area 100 times to feel good about themselves rather than building a fantastic community.

Where Ark: Survival Evolved really shines for me is when you sit down next to your best gamer friend and open up the split screen. (You can just run a dedicated server too, if you can’t get everyone in the same room.) All of a sudden the game opens way up when someone is there to watch your back. You can finally make a base without having to be lunch every five seconds. It becomes easier to tame all these wild dinos around you and amass an army of teeth and talent to do your bidding. Together, you and your partner will be able to travel across multiple maps crafted with love and care for your gaming pleasure.

Ark is, in many ways, like adult Minecraft but with dinosaurs and monsters and an ever growing need to explore. You find yourself having to manage things like your thirst and hunger while improving your stats along the way. As mentioned, almost 90% of the creatures you encounter will be, in some manner, tamable and each has unique abilities to their breed. Some things will just want to kill you outright. Nothing quite as frustrating as losing your bag and gear to a griffin nest, that playing solo you have no chance in heck to get back.

The thing Ark does really well with it’s co-op is the synergy you can have with your partner. You can pull off fantastic battles and tames. Survive things like a fire wyvern or go to war against mythical dragons and other monstrosities. Ark really gives you the opportunity to feel like you’re a part of a grand adventure with your player two. That together you can survive and overcome any challenge. The two of you can build the base of your dreams with a little hard work and not have to worry some online ding dong is going to come around and destroy all your hard work. Sometimes communication can be challenging but like all great co-op games it keeps you coming back for more. I know for me it’s my favorite game to play with my wife.

I, for one, hate building and I love collecting materials and taming dino’s. My base building skills are weak sauce. Hence having a player 2 that compliments your weaknesses makes playing Ark even more fun and engaging.

If you and your player 2 are looking for a game to get sucked into for weeks and months on end this gamer here suggests you pick up and play Ark survival, you wont regret it.

RUSSELL BRANT
Gamer and Author