Subnautica: Below Zero - final release May 14th

sphinx99

[H]ard|Gawd
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I've been playing the follow-up to Subnautica for about a year now on Steam EA and with the February 25th "Seaworthy Update" I can personally attest to the game being feature complete and rock solid. The story is implemented and content is now voiced, and I simply love this game. For those who played the original, Below Zero is quite similar in feel but there are some differences:

- a lot of changes to mobility... seamoths and the submarine give way to a modular "seatrain" as well as a land vehicle

- with voice acting added, the story feels richer and more compelling

- it's not quite as terrifying for me as its predecessor but I don't know if that's the game or simply me

But all the things you love from the original are intact including fantastical biomes, superb controls, and the smoothest base building one can find anywhere.

I definitely recommend it--amazing game. While it's still EA, from my perspective the game is effectively done.

https://unknownworlds.com/subnautica/subnautica-below-zero/
 
Cool, I've been waiting for it to leave EA. Also, the experimental branch updates for the original game are awesome. They turned it from a stuttery mess to butter smooth (when cruising along and the world is streaming in.)
 
I've already played through twice, will probably do it again after full release, I just love these games.
 
Been playing this series since the original's first year of Early Access (have the hull plate to prove it). Love it. Played through all existing content in Below Zero again after Seaworthy was released. Outside of some quality of life improvements I'd like to see, the game feels as close to ready as it's ever been. Looking forward to the final release.
 
So, 30 hours in and right about near the end of the story as far as I can tell.

Gonna be spoiler free for now but man, absolutely fantastic.

I've played through both games since they were first released as Early Access, so I've probably played everything but the ending half dozen times. I'm still looking forward to it. Subnautica has always been my chill game (pun intended).
 
I've played through both games since they were first released as Early Access, so I've probably played everything but the ending half dozen times. I'm still looking forward to it. Subnautica has always been my chill game (pun intended).
I loved the first game and made myself wait until the full release of Below Zero before jumping in. And I agree, there is something just so nice about tooling around underwater and exploring. Really can't get this with any other game.
 
Seriously how does this game have me hooked again for like the 4th time??

The new story and all the voiceovers have it feeling very fresh. Subnautica just does it for me. These games should be much more popular!
 
Damn, even has VR support. These developers apparently don't sleep. Anyone tried it? I'm really hesitating to, because I have a strong feeling if I do that I won't want to do anything else for a week straight.

https://www.nexusmods.com/subnauticabelowzero/mods/118?tab=files
The first game had VR support out of the box. From what I read back then people thought it was both amazing and terrifying. If you've never played Subnautica, absolutely start with the first one.
 
Any of you notice how horrible the reflection is on the Alien Containment tank? Not even enjoyable to look at, definitely wasn't like that before.
 
Any of you notice how horrible the reflection is on the Alien Containment tank? Not even enjoyable to look at, definitely wasn't like that before.
I have noticed this as well when in a large room and submitted feedback. It's terrible.
 
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Any of you notice how horrible the reflection is on the Alien Containment tank? Not even enjoyable to look at, definitely wasn't like that before.

Not gotten that tech yet but I'll keep an eye out. I got lucky I think in finding a spot I wasn't supposed to find till a bit later and got several bits of tech for base building but man... no luck finding gold, much silver or the sulfur for the builder tool. Reminds me of an old SN run where I just could not find the laser cutter parts.
 
The first Subnautica, I played the absolute shit out of, each significant milestone, I'd start a new game and push forward from the start. Loved it. Finished the game, have nothing but praise.

I purchased Below Zero, day1 of early access. I fired it up, but I could not get hooked whatsoever. I knew that the story was not finished, so I put it down and kinda forgot about it.
Release date popped up, thought "Neat!! Time for another good swimmy time in the ocean" I was forced to start a new game (no problem, haven't played it in 2 years) and what a disjointed bloody mess. The game did NOT flow, or I simply missed some of the telegraph moments. I got immediately sidetracked on the end-game, some 2 hours into the playthrough. I was obviously missing some parts which should have taken me down the plotline correctly, but it didn't connect for me, on my playthrough.

I just finished the game, and when you are going to "do the thing that's the end of the game" I stumbled across what was obviously a newbie area (or supposed to have been) where.... the plot finally came together and shit started to make sense. Now, had this been in hour #2, instead of my hour #29, I might feel differently about my game experience, but I just felt like this one was herding cats to find the plot. I still don't know what I did "wrong" on my playthrough to get me down my tangled mess of an experience. I had one issue with the first one where I lost the plot, felt it could have been a bit more clear, but once I found it (had to find a walkthrough) it was a eureka moment and the game just had my attention for that playthrough and several others.

Below Zero, I might do one more playthrough, just to see where I got off the tracks.
 
Nearing 20 hours into this game and loving it so far. This is a welcome addition to the series. The QoL improvements are very nice. Have to give it to the devs as they are great at creating a world that does feel very alien. Also its nice that they were able to create something that felt different than the first game but also similar enough that you knew they were connected.

I don't think I'm too far into the story as I spend way to much time building bases.
 
Mates, plz break dwn what's this game about? Is it separate from original? Is below zero a DLC or a sequel?

How do you play? Am confused but curious! Thank you!!
Its another story in the Subnautica universe. Different character, different plot, similar gameplay. Find plot elements, move and explore to find the next plot elements. You've got your base building from the first one, similar resource collection, new monsters, new vehicles. If you played and liked the 1st one, this is a good game in the franchise. I think it suffers from the same drawbacks as the original, but I found it to have a decent story, although, falling flat in one aspect.

Its not DLC, its not a direct sequel, its another Subnautica story
 
Mates, plz break dwn what's this game about? Is it separate from original? Is below zero a DLC or a sequel?

How do you play? Am confused but curious! Thank you!!
Bullitt more or less covered it. A few additions to those comments:
  • The world is markedly smaller than the original Subnautica but I think it's of higher quality and greater curation.
  • I don't quite feel the same level of dread and fear in certain biomes that I did in the original Subnautica, although I'm not sure if that's simply due to my experience with the series vs. when I first played the original. Certainly there are plenty of scary and tense moments.
  • The story is serviceable but feels a bit flat. I'm not sure what it is... there's equal or more content than the original and fairly good voice acting. However everything feels a bit artificial and distant. It's not a negative at all but I don't have the same "I gotta learn more about this crazy world" energy I did in the original. I think this might have been better off as a legitimate expansion of the original - a superset of the original's map and story but with a new protagonist. It's like going straight from Episode 1 to Episode 4 of Star Wars.... yes there's a shared planet, some of the same ships/tech and a couple of the same people playing secondary roles in both but otherwise it feels a bit disconnected.
  • I've grown to enjoy the Seatruck. It more or less provides the small size and speed of the Seamoth with the flexibility of the Cyclops submarine in something more compact
  • Cold is a good dynamic to add but I wouldn't want the sequel to Below Zero to add yet another dynamic. Food, water, oxygen and temperature are enough for me.
  • I'm not sure there is a game with more refined, enjoyable base building than this game.
 
Thank you!! I haven't played the original, so this is very helpful! Thank you! I guess taco might enjoy this since I liked The Long Dark, which is sort of single person sirvival..sort
Wait for the summer sale and pick up the cheaper one. Both are good games, but I would recommend the 1st one.
 
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