Fans of the Subnautica series have been eagerly awaiting the sequel to the underwater survival classic released back in January 2018. After years of waiting, Subnautica 2 has been released in early access for both PC and consoles.
Subnautica 2, created by Unknown Worlds Entertainment, follows in its predecessor’s footsteps as an underwater survival game that mixes in some horror elements and creates a unique alien environment for the player to explore in. The game asks players to survive against impossible odds and create a home among the alien environment. Much like the first game, it aims to be different from other survival games. The original Subnautica is an innovative survival game that revitalized the survival genre, shifting it from resource grinds and multiplayer PvP toward immersive, story-driven exploration. One of the biggest differences between Subnautica and other survival games like DayZ and Rust is that besides featuring no PvP, Subnautica acts as almost a horror game, being almost entirely underwater, it brings many changes to survival and being an unfamiliar experience even for the most veteran survival players. It shifted the genre away from resource grinds and multiplayer PvP toward immersive, story-driven exploration. It replaced combat and stat management with targeted progression, resource grinding, and resource management while using deep-sea horror and beautiful environments to keep players hooked, setting a new standard for atmosphere and design in video games.
Players start the game much like the first, stranded on an alien planet using a lifepod to escape danger and land on the planet’s surface. The planet called Proteus is home to vast oceans and many different varieties to alien life. However, much like the first game, a virus threatens to destroy all of the life found on the planet. As a result, the player must go on a journey to survive the horrors of the planet and find a way to cure the planet and eventually escape.
The game has very little hand-holding, instead asking the player to discover things on their own. There is no map. Instead, players are asked to create an image of the world in their head to navigate the world. The drive to explore and find resources to get better equipment will naturally let players encounter the many alien species of the new planet instead of the game feeling forced or scripted.
Proteus is home to many fascinating alien species such as Water Slugs that the player can turn into drinkable water or Mango Nibblers that stalk and hunt prey in packs. There are large fish with flat heads called Hamerheads which crash into the large coral structures that populate Subnautica 2’s map. There are also larger species such as the Marowbreach, a larger shark-like creature which patrols an area protecting its territory. Another large animal is the Coral Crab, a crab whose outer shell acts as camouflage looking like the other coral found in Proteus oceans. The animals don’t just interact with the player- they interact with each other too. Hammerheads will sometimes bash into each other or into Coral Crabs as they mistake them for other blobs of coral. Smaller fish like bluemoons or halfmoons travel in packs and break away if a Nibbler Mango or Marrowbreath approaches. These animals make the world of Subnautica 2 feel alive and makes the player feel like they are truly intruding on an alien world that could function perfectly without them.
However, much like the first game, Subnautica 2 is also home to Leviathan class lifeforms, huge imposing creatures that call the deepest parts of the ocean home such as the Great Jaw, a large clam-like alien or the Collector Leviathan, a ginormous squid-like monster that uses its tentacles to grab things such as the player.
The Leviathans are the most iconic species in Subnautica, and the most important reason for the game’s success. The first game features six decent Leviathan species, the Reaper, Sea Emperor, Sea Dragon, Sea Treader, Reefback, and Ghost Leviathan, each with their own distinct unique and recognizable designs. They are the most iconic and distinct creatures you can find. They are the Apex predators of the world, but at the same time, can also be the most passive animal in the game. The three most aggressive types of leviathans are the Sea Dragon, the Reaper, and the Ghost Leviathans, all with distinct designs, recognizable roars, and massive sizes. These leviathans make the game what it is and are a key part of any playthrough. Subnautica 2 already has five in its early access with more likely on the way. It is clear that Subnautica 2 is going to be bigger and better than the original.
Subnautica one’s environment is also an integral part of the game, with 14 different biomes and 25 different caves, ranging from perfectly safe and suitable to make your base, to an almost guaranteed death trap. Biomes range from a 1,400-meter lava caves with the most dangerous predator in the game, to an above-ground floating island, to an empty void filled with terror. No matter where you go, you will see a unique environment with sights and maybe a leviathan or two. The passive life really gives the games life and makes it feel more immersive, while the sounds in these environments are distinct and iconic. With the main vehicles, the Seamoth, Prawn suit, and Cyclops, you can explore these places and get the necessary items and resources from them. In Subnautica 2, the biomes are just as varied, with an underwater hot zone and an alien ruin and more on the way. These environments create a varied play area that the players won’t want to leave.
Subnautica 2 is very similar to the first in terms of gameplay. In both games, you crash-land search the beginning “safe” area for resources to build some tools and then have the player branch out and find more areas to explore and eventually make a base. However, there is one massive gameplay difference that most players have taken an issue with. In the first game, no matter how big or scary a creature was, it could be killed. With enough skill, dedication and patience, even the toughest monsters of Subnautica 1 could be taken down. This is not the case in Subnatutica 2. Now, most fish are unkillable and players feel like it is not realistic. Part of the magic of the first Subnautica was that you made your own place in the ecosystem as a prey or a predator. Now the developers have quite loudly stated that in Subnautica 2 you are not a predator. This departure from the first game has been a divisive point among fans with some agreeing that the change was needed and others saying that being unable to kill creatures makes the game feel odd and unrealistic.
The developers of Subnautica 2 addressed the player concern in a reddit post saying, “Subnautica has always been built around vulnerability, exploration, and survival rather than traditional weapon-based combat. We believe that this is part of what makes the game unique. However, that design only works if creature encounters feel fair, readable, and engaging. Right now, we know we have more work to do to achieve that.”
The developers also addressed players’ concern over the early access style of release, telling players that “[Unknown Worlds] want to be clear about how we view Early Access. Early Access is not only about collecting bug reports. It is a collaboration with the community. We will not always be able to make every requested change, but we do have a responsibility to listen carefully, explain our decisions respectfully, and show through our actions that player feedback is shaping the game.”
Unknown Worlds previously used early access to shape the original Subnautica and many players often attribute the game’s success to its early access. The original took many years to get to a final draft and was helped along the way by player feedback. The end result created a game that Unknown Worlds is going to be hard pressed to follow up with. The original Subnautica is iconic and trying to recreate its success already showed that it can be failed with the release of Subnautica Below Zero.
Subnautica was an innovative survival game that revitalized the survival genre, shifting it from resource grinds and multiplayer PvP toward immersive, story-driven exploration. One of the biggest differences between Subnautica and other survival games like DayZ and Rust is that besides featuring no PvP, Subnautica acts as almost a horror game by being almost entirely underwater. It brings about many challenges to survival and is an unfamiliar experience even for the most veteran survival players. It shifted the genre away from resource grinds and multiplayer PvP toward immersive, story-driven exploration. It replaced combat and stat management with targeted progression, resource grinding, and resource management while using deep-sea horror and beautiful environments to keep players hooked, setting a new standard for atmosphere and design in video games.
Subnautica was launched into early access on December 16th, 2014, and despite having some bugs starting out, was critically acclaimed by fans, and when it left early access and fully launched in 2018, it was viewed as a masterpiece after all the bugs and glitches were fixed. Now we can’t talk about Subnautica without talking about the “mascot” of the franchise, The Reaper Leviathan. The Reaper is the most iconic creature in the Subnautica franchise, and according to the developers, a big reason for the game’s success. It is a signature white and red creature, spanning over 150 feet, with black eyes and 4 mandible claws on its face. It is a highly aggressive leviathan, capable of destroying the players vehicles and killing them with ease while residing at the back of the game’s most important area, the Aurora, an above ground ship the player goes on to get scans for a necessary vehicle along with blueprints for the game’s escape rocket. The Leviathan is most likely the first one players will see in the games, but most definitely not the only one.
Subnautica 2 also includes some innovations not seen in the first game such as a new non-grid modular basebuilding system and a multiplayer mode to play together with friends online.
So should you try Subnautica 2? Well, if you are interested in exploring large alien worlds and want the challenge of learning to survive in an unfamiliar alien environment all while being a part of a community working to make the game better, then Subnautica 2’s early access could be for you. If you are on the fence, consider waiting as the game updates and develops. More and more will be added, making the game feel more like a complete experience.
