Ark Nova (2024)

Developer: Dire Wolf
Platforms: Windows, macOS
Genres: Strategy, Early Access
Rating: 4.7 of 5, 854 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 27 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

a calm, strategic management game where you carefully balance resources and animal welfare to build an efficient zoo.

strategicmethodicalcompetitiveeducationalrelaxingrewardingthoughtful

What players say

Players praise this digital adaptation of the board game for automating fiddly upkeep and offering thoughtful AI opponents. A few players find the UI mediocre and report issues with cloud saves and Steam Deck controls. Many hope for expansions.

Screenshots

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More by Dire Wolf Digital

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.