4/5 ★ – PassiveAgressive's review of Subnautica: Below Zero.

Fair warning: this review contains MINOR spoilers for the FIRST Subnautica game, which is a prequel to Below Zero Hello friends, Subnautica took over the “let’s play” segment of YouTube like a raging Pacific storm when it was initially released for beta access in 2014. With good reception and favorable reviews, the expectations for the inevitable sequel were as high as the tidal waves. Subnautica: Below Zero came out of beta access as a full release in 2021. The reaction from players was generally positive, but not quite as enthusiastic as the one surrounding the game’s prequel and predecessor. In this review I will do my best to take a thorough look at common complaints targeted at Below Zero, agree with some and disagree with others, and express my overall impression: does the game sink or swim? The core of the game, the gameplay itself, is solid: most of the mechanics remain generally the same as in the first game, and that’s a good thing. While Below Zero does dabble in innovation by adding extensive non-underwater locations, new gadgets and vehicles, as well as fresh creature types, the developers opt for a wise balance: update the old with a more pleasant UI, fixed bugs, and streamlined featured (base buildung in Below Zero is a dream, and most of the clunk that was present in the first game’s building was removed). The tone and style of Below Zero differ somewhat from the first installment. The OG Subnautica featured a nameless protagonist who did not speak throughout the course of the game. The only sounds that escaped from his mouth were the ocasional screams of pain and despair as he inevitably succumed to an impending doom at the bottom of a hostile ocean, usually just before a save was reloaded. This creative choice solidified the primacy of the survival gameplay over narrative and characterization. The identity and backstory of the protagonist were not important. What mattered was the now: that he was stuck on an uncharted planet with nothing but the comfort of a tiny floating life pod. In my opinion, it was much easier for the player to self-insert, which enhanced the horrifying side of having to survive in a deep pool of the alien and the unknown. The sequel leans into a different direction: this time the protagonist has more agency of her own, with motivations going beyond “not being fish food”. She is looking for her lost sister, who worked as a scientist on the surface of the planet for a capitalist mega-corporation. While this does de-emphasize the horror and the despair, it helps build the lore of the world in the Subnautica franchise and deepen the mysteries of the alien world where the action is set. It might be the case that some veterans of the OG Subnautica will not enjoy this aspect of Below Zero, however, in my eyes this game takes a reasonable approach to diversifying the franchise and trying something fresh. However, despite a healthy macro approach and reasonable improvements, Subnautica: Below Zero is, unfortunately, not immune to flaws when it comes to the sea devil in the details. I would like to address a very common complaint from players about the game: that it’s allegedly not as scary as the first one. While partially it can be explained by the aforementioned shift of focus from the survival elements onto the lore and the narrative, I believe there is something more primal and instinctive behind this player response. In a game built around the fear of the unknown, never being sure what monstrosities are biding their time under your feet, deep underwater, lighting and visibility play a key role. Below Zero looks prettier than its prequel: it has friendlier lighting and a warmer color palette. This creative choice, in my opinion, undermines Below Zero’s potential as a horror experience, and I believe that this is the root cause behind the common critique. Having voiced my support for a common complaint, I will now argue against another. Many players have pointed out that the world in Below Zero is significantly smaller than that in OG Subnautica. Technically, this is absolutely true. In fact, the world of this game makes up less than half of the size of the first one. However, from my point of view, to point this out as a negative is to miss the pearl contained within the shell entirely. The OG Subnautica featured The Cyclops, a submarine-like vehicle that acted as a mobile base for the player. Due to its significant size and limited mobility many areas in the first game were built to accomodate it: nothing but barren deep terrain with little for the player to find. Below Zero does not follow the current: there is no vehicle like The Cyclops, and it allows the developers to pack every inch of the map with cool stuff. Therefore, while the map is smaller, the amount of things you can find in any given part of the map is greatly increased, on average. To sum up my thoughts, I believe that Below Zero is a safe and enjoyable follow-up to Subnautica. As long as you like the first game, even if the creative direction behind the sequel does not sound appealing to you, I have no doubt that you will find plenty of stuff to enjoy in Below Zero. However, if you are new to the franchise, I would recommend that you hold off and play the first installment before Below Zero: it is a more iconic experience, and I would really advise against having some moments from the first game spoiled for you by the sequel. Deep underwater, swimming with the monster… SUBNAUTIC STIMULUS PassiveAgressive