This is an Early Access Review and as such opinions and scores are based solely on the state of the game at the time of review and subject to change as development progresses leading up to final release.
While Gene Roddenberry may have dubbed space as the “final frontier” there is something just as mysterious and potentially more dangerous waiting to be explored right here on our own planet…the ocean. Unknown Worlds current game-under-construction, Subnautica, takes players on a magical aquatic adventure; not on our planet but rather a mysterious alien ocean world giving the designers unbridled freedom in creating all sorts of whimsical sea and plant life; the perfect setting for the ultimate survival game.
As far as originality and creativity are concerned, Subnautica is off the charts. I was reminded of another recent Early Access game, iOmoon, but rather than a linear 3-4 hour exploration of a moon, Subnautica gives you an entire open world to explore and to survive. First and foremost, Subnautica is a game of survival. You’ll need to monitor your health and oxygen all the while scavenging for supplies and crafting useful tools to aid you on your journey. Thankfully, there is also a casual mode that disables all of the hostile elements that normally work against you and gives you the freedom to explore and enjoy the scenery…you know…get your feet wet.
The Oculus Rift creates an intensely immersive experience. Just putting on the headset is much like wearing a scuba mask, so not only do you have the visual immersion there is also this tactile feedback of having something on your face. The art style never attempts to be ultra-realistic. Instead, it favors bright colors and fanciful alien designs and even a few scary creatures lurking in the depths of the ocean. There is a working ecosystem in place with a viable food chain that you can use as a tool to manipulate predators, and a night and day cycle also mixes up the danger level as some of the more deadly creatures only come out to play at night. Of course, all these gorgeous visuals are accompanied by excellent sound effects and an underlying score.
The seascape is amazing with a deformable ocean floor, exotic plant life like towering seaweed stalks and thick kelp forests or maybe an underwater cave system to explore. Thankfully there are plenty of bioluminescent creatures scattered about to light up the darkness with their colorful neon glow. The longer you plan and the deeper you go, the more secrets you’ll unlock as you uncover the mysteries of Subnautica.
After enjoying all the eye candy, you might want to build yourself a home, and that is where the impressive base-building system comes into play. I was blown away by the unparalleled freedom you have in not only the design but the materials in which you can construct your base. Sooner or later you’ll probably want to revisit the Aurora, the giant ship you were on before it crashed into this alien ocean planet. There will certainly be a few surprises waiting for you inside the wreckage…no spoilers here.
Subnautica isn’t fast or intense or even violent…quite the opposite actually. Some might find the plodding pace too slow for their liking, because if you try to rush the game systems you will die. There are three difficulty modes; Easy allows for casual explorations with no worry for food, water, or O2, while Survival has all systems in place, and you must watch your stats and attend to your personal needs as required. If you die you spawn at your closest base with only some lost inventory items. Hardcore mode is probably best left to survival enthusiasts, since you only have one life and death is permanent. No matter which mode you pick just plan on spending hours and hours of slow and meticulous exploring, gathering, crafting, and building.
Even at this stage of Early Access development Subnautica is very impressive; perhaps one of the best Early Access titles I’ve played on Steam thanks to some amazing dev support who are quick to respond to issues, push frequent updates, maintain a detailed change log, and even offer a mailing list so you are notified of updates. Best of all, there is an easy-to-use bug reporter built right into the game. These guys really want to make the best game possible and welcome the input from the people who choose to play it early.
Despite being a work in progress, Subnautica is a fantastic experience that is only made exponentially better with Oculus Rift. Sure, there are issues, but so far they have been minor and nothing game-breaking. I’m actually enjoying seeing this game develop and grow while I grow more confident in my exploration and crafting abilities. Being part of the Early Access for Subnautica is like joining an ecosystem of your own, and I encourage anyone who loves the ocean and the wonders it contains to dive into this awesome new game and experience it for yourself.
