Described as “a brand new chapter in the Subnautica universe”, Subnautica: Beneath Zero began life as a DLC for Unknown Worlds’ 2018 underwater survival smash hit Subnautica. But, as is the destiny of many fashionable tasks, the scope of the recreation grew past typical expectations for an add-on and Beneath Zero grew to become its personal beast.
Regardless, Beneath Zero shares an entire lot of DNA with its predecessor, so followers will really feel proper at dwelling as they dive for Bladderfish, sneak round Creepvine clusters and smash rocks to gather components to craft essential instruments. At the begin, you possibly can decide between 4 modes relying in your familiarity. Survival is the base recreation, however there’s additionally a permadeath Hardcore mode and a Inventive suite in the event you desire exploring with out constraints.
It’s an especially acquainted recreation, however Beneath Zero does try and distance itself from its revered sibling by offering a brand new biome. The planet our voiced protagonist Robin Ayou crash lands on in the opening sequence is frosty and plagued by ice caps. In consequence, in comparison with Subnautica, gamers will spend much more time exploring dry land.
The gameplay consequence of this biome change is that gamers should thoughts their temperature in addition to their oxygen ranges. At the begin, you’ll encounter small penguin-covered sheets of ice that threaten pneumonia, however you’ll ultimately discover story-rich abandoned stations, the place you’ll should dart inside the remaining buildings to remain toasty.
That is additionally the place you’ll meet your first NPC, who’s absolutely voice-acted and makes fairly the startling introduction. As teased by the trailers, one other approach in which Beneath Zero makes an attempt to interrupt new floor is thru its narrative ambitions, weaving a grander plot than the unique, alongside scripted sequences and conversations with charming characters.
This general gregariousness was difficult for me to reconcile. Whereas Subnautica had a really fascinating story, one among its hallmarks was its melancholic loneliness. My favorite recollections concerned floating in the deep with bubbles gliding previous my ears. You possibly can positively nonetheless immerse and unnerve your self in the huge expanse of the sea in Beneath Zero, however there’s a extra structured narrative on high of the exploration – however as fascinating as the story is, it does sometimes get in the approach.
The sport does get off to an excellent begin, although. Beneath Zero’s opening hours are methodical, moody and really evocative of the unique. You’ll comply with an enthralling issue curve as you dive, seize assets, improve and dive deeper. The gameplay loop is simply as moreish as the unique. Be ready to lose hours on finish to it.
Alongside the approach, you’ll encounter new creatures to keep away from, like the charming Sea Monkeys that steal your gadgets and the vicious crocodile monsters. The design crew deserves severe credit score for arising with a number of attractive new natural world for Beneath Zero. One instance is the putting Titan Holefish, which, as the title suggests, has a large gap in its centre which Robin can swim by means of. Beneath Zero is stuffed with these marvels of digital nature that had been continuously piquing my curiosity and draining my oxygen provide.
It goes in opposition to your survival instincts, however you merely should gawp at this recreation’s vistas, even when it would get you killed. It’s nowhere close to the best-looking recreation once we get right down to the uncooked textures, however the atmospheric climate, day-night cycle and ASMR sound design make up for it fully. Up-close underwater exploration is such a deeply compelling premise for a online game, even when it’s tinged with a lot pressure. I’d suggest it to any survival recreation fan on the lookout for one thing recent to play.
However ultimately, you’ll make it out of the early recreation, and right here’s the place issues get somewhat controversial. When you encounter the aforementioned station and its hooked up story beats, the recreation rapidly throws the e-book at the participant and the pacing takes a success. Blueprints, maps, gadgets and lore clog your stock and while you go away the space it constitutes a severe leap ahead in complexity.
You’ll have the means to construct your personal big underwater base and populate it with all the pieces from beauty niceties to cultivation stations. I used to be excited by all of the new gadgets and my overarching mission, however I had solely been enjoying for a few hours, so this content material dump was rather a lot to take in. Whereas it meant that I used to be by no means wanting issues to do, it additionally pulled me away from the extra intimate, discovery-focused components of the recreation that had stored me enjoying to date. I began to lengthy for the simplicity of the unique as I pinned necessary crafting recipes to my display and acquired right down to the grind. I simply needed to drift and freak myself out in the gloomy depths.
It didn’t take lengthy earlier than I had a cool upgraded seafaring truck, a travelling companion, and an array of high-tech instruments and gear that began to trivialise a variety of my in-game worries regarding the briny deep. I used to be actually having enjoyable, however I used to be additionally recklessly darting by means of caves and not feeling the worry of encountering the unknown.
This may be summed up by a useful instrument known as the Mineral Detector, which led me to the assets I wanted as a substitute of letting me uncover them naturally. In consequence, my gameplay grew to become extra about ticking off a guidelines and visiting particular spots than pure exploration. And regardless of the new places on land being fascinating to discover, it grew to become abundantly clear that each one of Subnautica’s magic is in the water itself.
In the end, a variety of my gripes with Beneath Zero stem from the proven fact that I’ve been spoiled by the unique Subnautica. I’m positive that new gamers will little doubt delight in its world and revel in such an revolutionary tackle the survival style, however I’d counsel they play the unique first.
‘Subnautica: Beneath Zero’ is out now on PS4/5, Xbox Collection X|S, Xbox One, Change, PC and Mac.
The Verdict
The inspiration of Subnautica: Beneath Zero is simply as enjoyable as its predecessor, however not each innovation is efficient, and the extra intrusive story might flip off gamers who adored the enrapturing loneliness of the unique. New gamers might simply lose weeks to this very good survival recreation, however Subnautica veterans won’t discover sufficient content material in Beneath Zero to persuade them to depart the hotter climes behind.
Execs
- An fascinating story populated with charming characters
- The moreish Subnautica gameplay loop stays
- It’s extra of the similar for followers of the unique
Cons
- Beneath Zero’s new options don’t quantity to a lot
- The story can get in the approach of the environment
- Some new instruments strip the terror from exploration