Subnautica, the hit underwater survival recreation developed by Unknown Worlds Leisure, has introduced worry and pleasure to the numerous gamers who’ve braved its ocean depths because it launched into early entry in 2014. The builders captured lightning in a bottle, offering a uniquely terrifying expertise, a lot so, that it has been affectionately nicknamed by some followers as “among the best horror video games ever made.” All through its 4 years in early entry, gamers found the idea of Thalassophobia, the worry of the ocean, whereas the builders took suggestions from the neighborhood to assist form the sport for its 1.0 full launch.
Upon leaving early entry in January 2018, most individuals would have assumed that Subnautica wouldn’t get any main updates, bug fixes, and a rumored arctic growth however. To the shock of many, together with myself, the builders at Unknown Worlds launched the two.0 “Dwelling Massive Replace” in December 2022. From together with extra base items, to including high quality of life options to the sport, the builders poured their hearts into making an attempt to enhance the sport for each new and returning gamers, 4 years after its full launch.
For many who have but to dive into the world of Subnautica, or these trying to return to it, permit me to elucidate what this replace delivered to the sport, what the state of the sport is now, and whether or not you must play this recreation too, on this second have a look at this underwater journey.
Scenic views from the idyllic Protected Shallows.
What’s New
In our present gaming panorama, many single participant video games obtain a number of updates to repair bugs and enhance efficiency, earlier than being deserted because the devs transfer on to their subsequent undertaking. For the builders at Unknown Worlds, bug fixes and optimizations weren’t sufficient for Subnautica. On December 13, 2022, the sport launched its 2.0 “Dwelling Massive Replace.” As a part of the two.0 replace, the title now runs on the identical up to date model of Unity as its sequel, Subnautica: Under Zero, permitting the devs to deliver over a plethora of bug fixes and options to the unique. Among the largest introduced over have been a number of base constructing items, which embrace the Massive Room and its related items, a glass dome for the Multipurpose Room, and updating the looks of entrance hatches when used above water.
Base constructing was not the one a part of the sport to get some love from the builders of their 2.0 replace. A number of high quality of life options accessible within the sequel have been introduced over to the unique Subnautica, as effectively. One such characteristic was the addition of a useful resource bar on relevant gadgets. In case you have simply crafted a battery, for instance, you’ll now see a inexperienced bar on the correct hand aspect of the merchandise’s icon. This bar will go down and begin turning crimson because the battery is drained in no matter device it’s in, permitting you to higher hold observe of what must be recharged.
Perishable meals additionally comprise a bar, this one displaying how lengthy they’ve till they change into rotten. There may be even a bar for a way a lot use of a fireplace extinguisher you may have left, too! One other characteristic introduced over from Under Zero lets you select whether or not you need to have the sport pause everytime you enter your PDA, the device that lets you handle your stock or search for crafting recipes, reasonably than having issues hold occurring round you, which does embrace oxygen depletion in case you are underwater. For these delicate to flashing lights, an choice to disable such lights has been added as effectively.
One ultimate high quality of life characteristic within the replace I’ll point out is the power to pin as much as six crafting recipes in your HUD at a time. That is such a welcome characteristic, not solely as a result of it reveals you what number of of every merchandise you may have versus what number of it’s good to craft an merchandise, however it could actually additionally enable you bear in mind what you have been planning on making subsequent, in the event you take an prolonged break from the sport.
On the time of scripting this, Subnautica’s most up-to-date — necessary — replace, launched on March 7, 2023, bringing the sport to Valve’s Steam Deck, incomes it the ‘Verified’ standing, that means it ought to carry out with none main flaws or points whereas being performed on the hand-held laptop. I can not present suggestions on how the sport performs on a Steam Deck, since I presently don’t personal one, however I can talk about how the sport performs on PC.
State of the Recreation
I’m presently in the midst of one more playthrough of Subnautica, having sunk eight hours into this one, and I’ve been having fun with my time beneath the waves once more. The sport nonetheless seems to be incredible all these years later, because of its great artwork course, and the standard of life options are a welcome addition to this traditional of a recreation. The extra base elements are a pleasant contact as effectively, significantly the glass dome for the Multipurpose Room, which lets you absorb much more of the great thing about the sport, from the protection of your own home away from house. The improve and development system continues to be rewarding, and gives a pleasant suggestions loop of unlocking and upgrading gear and automobiles, permitting you to discover additional, resulting in harvesting assets used to develop your exploration capabilities much more. The addition of recipe pinning has been very useful as effectively, because it has helped me to higher plan out what I need to concentrate on making subsequent, with out having to continuously open up the PDA to test the recipes.
As for general efficiency, the sport runs easily on my PC, and I’ve not encountered any stuttering. I’ve skilled delicate pop in on some bigger objects, however nothing too egregious to me. I did expertise a chunk of titanium clipping by way of the ground on my first limestone chunk I harvested, however I’ve not encountered that situation since. On prolonged play periods, chances are you’ll encounter some reminiscence leak, which can decrease your fps. One criticism I do have is that out of all of the bugs fastened within the 2.0 replace, a bug that causes music from completely different biomes to overlap one another has nonetheless not been fastened.
I don’t know the way lengthy this situation has been current, however it’s unlucky to have my enjoyment of the superb soundtrack be hampered at occasions by this persistent bug. A mod that goals to repair the difficulty does exist, however it shouldn’t be essential to mod a recreation in an effort to repair these types of issues, (I’m taking a look at you, Bethesda). It hasn’t ruined the sport for me, however it could possibly be a deal breaker for some, significantly these on consoles who’re unable to mod the issue away.
Second Look
Subnautica is approaching its tenth birthday this yr, (in the event you rely its early entry launch date as its birthday) and since then, hundreds of gamers have skilled the sights and frights of Planet 4546B. In contrast to many builders, Unknown Worlds Leisure took the time, cash, and energy wanted to assist form Subnautica into the underwater survival recreation individuals like to worry to at the present time. They might have simply taken the cash and ran with out ever ending the sport like different builders have achieved prior to now. As a substitute, they not solely completed the sport and launched it out of early entry to widespread success and reward, they launched a sequel after which up to date the unique to enhance the standard of life for gamers of a quickly to be decade-old recreation.
The builders additionally understood that some individuals wouldn’t need to replace the sport, which might break any mods that they had put in, in order that they knowledgeable gamers on Steam that if they didn’t want to replace the sport, for no matter motive, they may go to the Betas tab in Steam and obtain a legacy model of the sport. None of this was mandatory by Unknown Worlds, however it simply goes to indicate how a lot each this recreation and the expertise of the gamers imply to them.
This isn’t an ideal recreation, however in case you have but to check the waters of Planet 4546B, there aren’t many different video games that nail the survival style fairly prefer it. Whether or not it’s the distinctive setting, superb soundtrack, or partaking gameplay loop, Subnautica is a splendidly terrifying expertise extra individuals ought to play.
