After the official release of Subnautica: Below Zero, i wanted to express myself on how good these games actually are.
As you are well aware that the games are based submerged 90% of the time. The goal is to survive and eventually escape planet 4546b.
I will try my best not to spoil the games content. I have completed both games on Steam.
GAMEPLAY
You start off crashing in the deep oceans on planet 4546b. With nothing on you except your PDA. It uses the common survival traits of eating and drinking concepts. (Unless you choose the Freedom or Creative modes which are basically super easy mode and sandbox build mode) I suggest playing this game on Survival mode for the standard experience or Hardcore mode if you like the idea of 1 death equals game over.
The game is based on crafting items and equipment to increase your survival chances and create modifiers and vehicles to be able to explore the deeper ends of the ocean. As you continue to explore the ocean you will find other PDAs with information on what to do next and you will also find blueprints to unlock more crafting.
The Ocean is a beautiful place to be in especially when nearing the surface however down below the depths or venturing too far out from safe areas will lead you into finding some nasty surprises. The ocean is a big place and its meant for big things.
STORY
The story is about a Factory ship being shot down on planet 4546b, stranding the survivors. I wont go into spoiler territory however i will say, its a very interesting and well through out idea. Its hard to go into it without ruining it so i suggest playing the game to find out why.
VISUALS
Subnautica looks beautiful. The water effects look great, the density and detail under the waves is where the game shines. Swimming around seeing the transitions from day to night, creates different atmospheres and setting the mood is a highlight. A good example is its not always fun or smart to swim out in the dark unless equipped. The game can be amazing to look at.. to being a horror game overnight. Some things you just don't want to see.
SOUNDS
The sounds and music in this game is what you would expect from it. You will constantly hear sounds and roars in the background as you venture out into the ocean. It makes the game creepy and can keep you on your toes while there isn't a lot of music in Subnautica, you will hear at times a bouncy techno beat when your sub is on fire which actually sounds really cool. In Below Zero you will unlock a Juke Box which has some amazing songs that you will find along the way. The songs implemented are all original and cleverly put together.
LASTING APPEAL
Their is a lot to do in both Subnautica and Below Zero. It wont take long to complete the entire story if you know where to go and what to do however to unlock everything will require a lot of exploring. I spent over 48 Hours in Subnautica and another 35 Hours in Below Zero which i have 100% both games.
OVERALL
Brilliant. I brought the game in its early access stages. At first i knew the visuals looked great however i couldn't get myself to play much more of it until the game was finished. I wanted to try it out again once they completed the game and i ended up getting hooked (Pun intended). The game feels rewarding when unlocking new things and it makes you want to try out your new equipment or submarines or when you find an interesting area to explore, you just want to go their and see what you can find. If you love the water then i couldn't recommend it more. I am not a fan of the ocean however this game made me interested. There is something about deep ocean exploring and seeing what lies beneath that is fascinating and considering we still haven't fully explored our oceans yet, makes this game even more interesting.
