One of the most frustrating aspects of gaming (at least to me) is playing underwater levels. From Final Fantasy VII (the original) to World of Warcraft, the entirety of underwater levels has been strange and not as impactful to me, even though I (ironically) love the ocean in real life. So what about spending an entire game underwater? Does Subnautica 2 make me want to explore the deepest part of the oceans, or stay on dry land and hope for something else to catch my eye?
Just to preface, as of this writing, Subnautica 2 is still in early access, so it’s most likely that all the bells and whistles won’t be there in the beginning. Still, this game looks and feels mighty complete for something that’s still in early access, which raises my expectations even more. You find yourself on the uncharted ocean moon, Proteus, and have to survive entirely underwater with the help of your trusty AI companion, the Noetic Advisor, or NoA. The dangers Proteus hides in its depths frankly make the game border on survival horror more than action-adventure survival, due to thalassophobia (fear of the deep ocean) being more common than one might think. In real life, it is also suggested that vast amounts of our ocean beneath the surface are still unexplored, so take that as you will as you traverse the world of Proteus.
Tackling such an endeavor in single-player mode was daunting for someone with limited patience and time, so I enlisted a few longtime friends to make the game more enjoyable (and easier). You get a lot of returning features from Subnautica, as well as a few new features, namely the ability to modify your own DNA. You can unlock abilities such as a larger lung capacity or the ability to dash around underwater after a cooldown. While players new to the series may enjoy the base-building and crafting systems, the real challenge is diving deeper to find new areas and unlock more powerful items and abilities. You also don’t have to grind insane amounts of materials to make it on Proteus, which makes it a refreshing change of pace from survival games that practically demand you treat it like a second full-time job.
One (welcome) challenge is the encounter rate, which isn’t terrifyingly annoying, yet challenging enough to rope in new players and veterans alike. Exploration seems to be the key here in early access, and doing it with friends allows you to get a feel for the game before more features roll out. While I am not a huge fan of base building in these types of games, I grew to like it because it can take a few hours, and having good teammates often makes it even more fun. A new feature, currents, can be used to your (dis)advantage: sometimes they’ll carry you away to parts unknown, but you can also use it as a way to power your base.
You can invite anyone to your world in Subnautica 2, making the daunting task of exploring an oceanic world alone much simpler. The catch? You have to build it in multiplayer mode, as building something in single-player doesn’t carry over to multiplayer mode, and you can only visit your friends’ bases if they’re also online. The graphics are stellar, and the interface feels very smooth compared to its predecessors.
While still in early access, the developers have promised to listen to player feedback as Subnautica 2 finds its footing in an already-crowded genre of games. While not the biggest fan of the genre, I found myself having a lot of fun and making the most of a game that is only meant to expand even more. This is a definite must-play for the long haul as long as you have a dedicated group of friends willing to make it worth your time and theirs.
Developer(s): Unknown Worlds Entertainment
Publisher(s): Unknown Worlds Entertainment, Krafton
Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X/S
Words by Jose Alvarez
Also published in GADGETS MAGAZINE Volume 26 Issue No. 11