Ark: Survival Evolved Xbox One X Enhanced Preview

Ark: Survival Evolved is definitely an enjoyable game, I've had a blast surviving against the dinos or other various massive creatures with my friends. It just recently launched out of Early Access as of writing this and now it's been given an update.

This Ark: Survival Evolved Xbox One X enhancement is the particular update being mentioned and it brings two distinct graphical options. These options are for how the game is presented including 1440p at 30fps or 1080p at 60fps. These are both interesting selections and offer somewhat different improvements for the game.

First off, the 1440p mode is set to high PC textures whereas the 1080p is closer to standard Xbox One textures. Both still have screen tearing present, though for the most part this is a smooth improvement. Enabling Vsync will fix this tearing, but I don't suggest it as I noticed performance drops in both graphic options.

Other fixes include increased Tether for Online and no Tether for local splitscreen. The Tether is how far players can get away from one another before getting their progression halted. The game also has received faster load times and better streaming. This is quickly apparent once players jump into the game and it's a nice boost whether you're enjoying an online server or locally hosted game.


I was impressed with the presented options and it's nice to see the developers give players a selection. I did however find that there were still some issues such as screen tearing, but for the most part this is a well welcomed upgrade. It looks much better than it did on Xbox One for either versions and is now the superior console location for Ark. It also plays smooth which is nice as combat always caused issues.

I will note that online is more demanding on the game as is adding more and more objects or creatures into a confined space. The 1080p selection provides somewhat of a less detailed world though it's quite fluid. This is great for those that want something that feels more natural in terms of gameplay, but the world is more blurry. I personally like the second option of 1440p as it still runs smooth enough, but you can those extra details in the world and creatures around you.

It really comes down to preference and switching between the modes is helpful for getting the best idea of what works best for your play style. I went through a selection of areas to try out the enhancements and noticed that details are the most different during heavy density locations.

I also found out that teleporting based on an online map could make me plummet to my death. My viewed locations included deeper jungles or just field heavy areas as you can clearly see the difference between the two. You're luckily able to switch between the two at any point to see the difference right in-game or you can also enable Vsync if you'd like to see the screen tearing removed.

I honestly suggest leaving it off since the screen tears are minimal, but understand many just hate seeing it. It's best not to wreck your performance, but all to their own and that choice for performance is mirrored within Ark's great Xbox One X enhancement.

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