That said, Robin speaks her mind she isn’t a silent protagonist. Was it really negligence? That’s the official line from Alterra, anyway.Ĭompared to the first game, the story in Subnautica: Below Zero has less of a “lone survivor” feeling, although you won’t meet many characters face-to-face, and there are definitely still lengthy periods where you’ll soak in the chilled-out music and ambient wildlife noises rather than have full-on conversations or fire up audio logs. Before her accident, Sam had been working in an icy region known as Sector Zero. Ancient aliens, a nigh-unstoppable disease, and a power-hungry corporation all fit into the bigger picture. You play as Robin, a xenologist who sneaks onto Planet 4546B to learn the truth about her big sister Sam only to find out that this isn’t just some oceanic planet with freaky little cute penguins roaming around. The events of this space-faring story are once again set in motion with a crash landing, but this time, it was intentional - sort of. It’s sort of like a condensed, refined, and more character-driven take on the original Subnautica, set in a frigid corner of the same planet. You can think of this full game as a complementary yet standalone experience. Subnautica: Below Zero takes a lot of cues from its predecessor, and there are even story threads across both games, but you don’t need to have played Subnautica (though I recommend it). Subnautica: Below Zero (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch) Version 1.0 is done, and I’m glad I had enough restraint to hold off. Three years later, after another Steam Early Access push, Unknown Worlds has put the finishing touches on Subnautica: Below Zero. Free-diving, recklessly piloting a submarine, stomping around the seafloor in a Prawn Suit - it felt fantastic to get to know Planet 4546B back then, and it still does now. In my 2018 review of the original Subnautica, I suggested that it might be the “best underwater game ever made.” I stand by that today. The game even had a pretty compelling sci-fi mystery to unravel, complete with an actual ending to reach. I felt like I had to work for every discovery, whether it was some bizarre biome or a new tool that would help me dive deeper, but it never felt like work. Not only did it stand out in the genre with its one-of-a-kind alien water world, it also nailed a sense of genuine chart-your-own-course exploration. Subnautica was a survival game for people who thought they were sick of survival games. A frigid new standalone story that can’t quite fill the original game’s flippers

Subnautica below zero gameplay