1. Ark has better graphics than a Ps2. But you also must realize for the size of the game and the amount of things to do, you cannot polish everything.
2. Picking up a rock in Ark is arguably one of the easiest things to do in the game. If you cannot do it then you simply do not know the controls which you can easily figure them out or you are just lazy and wanna hate on the game.
3. I do not quite understand the problem about the game not saving. It is simple. All you do is exit the game and it automatically saves just like that. Can't get much harder.
4. Ark has a built in option to join the last server you played and even if you do not chose to do this, you can simple just search for it or even narrow it down with the options.
Sounds like you have played the game for less than 2 hours and you are writing a view. Ark is a great game but the problem is that people are bias.
Ark is a very grindy game, I think you have figured that out. But then again it has so many options for singleplayer and you can even host your own non-dedicated server.
Jack_Nienaber's comments