If you are a fan of Ark: Survival Evolved or Ark: Survival Ascended, you are one of the millions of players who know what it’s like to tame dinosaurs, build bases, and survive in a savage world. But perhaps you’re interested in playing some other games like Ark with a different setting or other options.
There’s an Ark-like game for every type of player, from realistic survivalists to casual ‘have fun with friends’ players. Experience the mechanics, see what game works best for you, and jump in. Happy surviving!
💭 What Makes the Ark Game Series Unique?
Before diving into games similar to Ark, it’s good to take a look at what aspects of Ark that make it engaging. Any great Ark-type game should have at least a few of these features.
- Survival Mechanics: Hunger, thirst, temperature and injuries all come into play.
- Building Bases: You can build anything from a shack on the beach to a metal fortress.
- Dinosaur Taming: A unique aspect which most survival games do not offer.
- Open World & Exploration: Huge maps with different biomes and weather dynamics.
- Multiplayer Options: Co-op and PvP options to work together or against each other.
🔝 Top Free Games Like Ark in 2025
Do you want to jump into survival titles without spending any money? 2025 has seen a lot of great free games that include a lot of the best games like Ark that Ark fans are looking for including base-building, crafting, multiplayer, and even dinosaurs.
1️⃣ Best for Single-Player (with Multiplayer Optional)
These games provide amazing solo experiences with the option to play co-op or multiplayer if you want to.
1- Raft: The Final Chapter
Overview: A first-person survival game where you start on a tiny raft and expand to a floating fortress, discovering new islands and a post-apocalyptic narrative.
- Mode: Single-player + Co-op Multiplayer
- Key Features: Ocean survival, crafting, base-building on a raft
- Why: Strong narrative and progression aspects for the solo-player experience, but also fun to play co-op – though it is by no means necessary.
2- Green Hell
Overview: Hard-hitting, hyper-realistic survival simulation, set in the Amazon rainforest. Players have to manage their physical and mental health, while crafting, hunting, and trying to avoid an unforgiving jungle.
- Mode: Single-player + Online Co-op (4 players)
- Key Features: Jungle survival simulation, realistic crafting, psychological mechanics
- Why: Great for single-player to create an intense experience with an emphasis on realism and mental survival.
3- Satisfactory
Overview: A first-person factory building game set on an alien planet, with exploration, resource mining, and building production lines. Play online alone or with friends.
- Mode: Single-player + Co-op
- Key Features: Factory-building, exploration, alien planet
- Why: There will be a relaxed experience or an intense one, depending on how you play and for solo builders this is great!
4- Valheim
Overview: A Viking-themed survival game set in a generated world. Gather resources and fight mythical creatures, all while proving yourself worthy of Odin. Build longhouses and fortifications to secure your domain.
- Mode: Single-player + Multiplayer (10 players recommended)
- Key Features: Norse mythology, open-world survival, base-building
- Why: Lots of solo progression while scaling quest difficulty based on the player count.
👥 Best for Multiplayer (Can Be Played Solo, but is Designed for Groups)
These games really shine when played with others, whether PvP, co-op, or MMO style.
5- Rust
Overview: A hardcore PvP focused survival sandbox where players gather resources and fight using weapons they can craft or even randomly find. Players make bases, destroy other players’ bases and defend themselves in a harsh online world.
- Mode: Multiplayer (Official PvP servers, some solo/private servers)
- Key Features: Base raiding, player combat, crafting
Why: Pure multiplayer chaos; solo is possible but is incredibly difficult without custom servers.
6- Palworld
Overview: An open-world survival game where players tame creatures (Pals), build settlements, craft weapons and start PvE/PVP adventures that can be peaceful (exploration) or chaotic (raids).
- Mode: Multiplayer + Single-player
- Key Features: Creature taming, base-building, firearms, Pokémon-style mechanics
Why: The game was built specifically with multiplayer synergy in mind—raids, trading, exploring with other players.
7- Runescape: Dragonwilds
Overview: A PvP wilderness expansion for Old School Runescape, taking place in a dangerous high-stakes zone filled with powerful bosses and full-loot PvP. Part of a larger MMO ecosystem not limited to old school MMO with deep RPG systems.
- Mode: MMO (Online only)
- Key Features: Open-world RPG, survival zones, PvP/PvE content
- Why: Massive multiplayer game with consistent interaction and combat against others.
8- Project Zomboid
Overview: A hardcore isometric zombie survival sim with permadeath, injury systems, crafting, and an open-world sandbox. Multiplayer servers have become a core feature of the game.
- Mode: Multiplayer + Single-player
- Key Features: Zombie survival, isometric view, extreme realism, permadeath
- Why: Rich solo experience, but in recent updates toward multiplayer the game has become about shared survival.
⚖️ Equally Good Solo or Multiplayer
9- Grounded: Fully Yoked Edition
Overview: A story-driven survival game where players are shrunk down to the size of insects within a backyard filled with hostile bugs. Players are solving mysteries and crafting gear, while surviving in a world that is, quite literally, oversized.
- Mode: Single-player + Co-op Multiplayer (up to 4 players)
- Key Features: Shrunk-in-the-yard survival, creature combat, story-driven
- Why: Complete campaign for players who want to play single-player and exceptional experience for playing co-op.
🧑💻 Can You Host Top Free Games Like Ark on a VPS?
Definitely! Numerous Ark-like games provide dedicated server support. If you host them on a private VPS, you then have more control over downtime and lag and are also able to customize rules. All the games listed offer good gameplay when a player hosts on a server, especially if it is hosted by a reputable server provider. And with dinosaur mods, you’re effectively playing an Ark-type game.
📝 Conclusion: Games That Feel Like Ark
If you’re asking, “Is there a game like Ark but with less grind?” the answer is a loud yes. Whether you want a dinosaur game with co-op, a survival game with base-building, or an immersive solo adventure, the options keep growing in 2025.
🚀 Host Your Own World Like Ark on Cloudzy VPS
Ready to explore new worlds like Ark? Get your own high-performance Ark VPS and host top survival games with no lag and full control. Whether you’re replaying Ark: Survival Evolved or trying the enhanced Ark: Survival Ascended, Cloudzy gives you the power to run your game your way. Try it today!
