Subnautica Below Zero: Gameplay First Impressions
The new game, “Subnautica below zero” that just dropped is already a hot topic among players for its ability to deliver on a plot that superseded the previous game which was centered around survival and crafting. As a result, players won’t expect the sequel to expand too much beyond its core. Regardless, the game still lives up to what made it a thrilling playthrough as players find themselves crash landing on an alien planet labeled “4546b.”
This time around the player will be playing as “Robin,” a woman who is in search of the truth behind her dead sister Sam. According to the cinematic trailer, there will be other characters — including ones from the previous game — involved in helping the protagonist find out about her dead sister. Using tools like the scanner, the player will have to find information about their surroundings to progress through the story and ultimately survive while finding audio clues throughout the gameplay via the PDA. Other than the plotline, however, fans of the game and newcomers alike will return to a well-put-together audio and visual experience that plunges the player into a sci-fi that almost feels like a simulation for gamers.
The attention to detail implemented into the game is an understatement as the player can take advantage of audio cues to avoid danger. This was present in the previous games as well, however, with the added animal noises coming from the new creatures — such as the Pengwing — players can expect more variety and discoveries as they find new alien inhabitants. In addition to the ambiance and oneness that the player gets with the planet’s environment, they’ve also included a jukebox that the player can use to hear different sounds and rhythms from the game developers and their musical composers. The game’s looks don’t fall too far from the tree either as there is just as much to see as there is to hear within the game.
As the player navigates the alien planet’s depths they can appreciate the biodiversity found in all the underwater life from algae to giant Reefbacks, or the game’s equivalent of a whale. And there’s plenty more wildlife to discover for the player as they swim past bladder fish, dive deep into trenches and caves, or fight their way through large man-eating leviathans. As with the prequel, these animals can also tie into the character’s survival by providing the basic necessities that would otherwise force death and lost progress upon the player. In addition to the underwater landscape, players can explore an overworld on land where there’s just as much to see and explore as there is in the ocean. And this time around, the player must make their way through harsh sub-zero temperatures.
While the big drawback to choosing this sequel over the previous Subnautica game is the relatively small map, the developers get around this drawback with extra detailing and many twists, turns, and depths that make the game feel bigger. The game also has a sophisticated layout that makes sure no part of the Subnautica world goes unnoticed. There are more bridges, organic materials, stones, crystalline structures, and other scenic biomes underwater that make the world feel that much more fantasy. There are noticeably fewer empty spaces, however, which makes it so each section serves a purpose for the player rather than just being there to dump more resources for crafting. Whether it’s mission objectives, navigating through checkpoints in the game, building a research base, obtaining foundational research, or scanning and observing the underwater or overworld habitat, the player will remember every section of the map even after they find themselves revisiting the same areas. A useful tool added is the ability to create land markers to help players navigate the map which can feel like a maze as the player makes their way around every corner of the deep depths.
With the full game being originally designed as an extension to the first Subnautica game, players pretty much got what they expected. While the game capitalizes on a lot of Subnautica’s best attributes, such as sound quality, there are few improvements to the game when it comes to new vehicles, mechanics, crafting, or building. The most notable changes are the Sea Truck which operates as a mobile base and the Hoverbike used to traverse faster on land. Some bonuses include more items found when crafting in the fabricator which leads to more customization options when constructing and designing your space as well as other features the game has managed to extend, which include battling hypothermia on land and finding hot spots or caves to take refuge to keep warm, or an extension of the oxygen survival functionality in the previous Subnautica where the player has to swim up for air to replenish their oxygen level. Also avoiding or fighting off lethal creatures that attempt to kill the player on land, as an addition to aggressive sea animals that hunt the player will play a big part in Robin’s survival.
Last, in the Subnautica gameplay review, it was made clear that the player won’t get to see as many land biomes as the first Subnautica encompasses, as there will be different weather conditions that surround the environment such as, hailstorms, aurora Borealis’s, thunderstorms, fog, snowstorms, and others to name a few. This should make the game feel more adventurous as the player must trek their way through natural disasters on a large distant alien planet. While biomes may not have made it onto land, underwater, there are a plethora of new biomes that consist of new crafting materials, Leviathans, and sea animals, which the player can always scan and get a brief synopsis of.
As far as receiving a brand new Subnautica game with next-gen graphics, packed content, and added mechanics, Subnautica Below Zero falls short. In comparison with other titles coming out on next gen consoles players are practically looking at an identical game to it’s prequel. While this comes as no surprise seeing that the title was originally scheduled to be an updated version of Subnautica, players will still notice the loading chunks as they pass by crowded areas, indicating that there hasn’t been much of a change to the game’s resolution and frame-rate. While the game has slightly more content than the last, what it brings to the table in comparison to what other titles have on next gen is still last gen and is on the market as a completely separate game.
Despite this, the qualities that make for a popular title, like before, are still there. The game has a storyline that builds upon the characters who appeared in the first game with the addition of some new ones, the environment — and its improvements — are unique, well-designed, and memorable despite it being more compact, the game has a creative concept, this time with a story that the players can become attached to, and most importantly, the game stays authentic to its core gameplay and atmosphere. With that in mind, the game will be an exciting one for players who’ve been anticipating more underwater adventures from the original game and for the people diving into a whole new adventure.
Works Cited
Gamingbolt. “Subnautica: Below Zero 15 Things You Need to Know Before You Buy,” Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaBHWWQJrKs&t=422s, published on 8 May 2021
Gamingbolt. “Subnautica Below Zero Review — The Final Verdict,” Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHECVAOt8YQ&t=54s, published 13 May 2021
IGN. “Subnautica Below Zero Review,” Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqEb4pGMQbY, published 11 May 2021
NintendoLife. “Subnautica & Below Zero Nintendo Switch Review — Are They Worth It?” Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq71RLuqPyA&t=616s, published 13 May 2021
