Subnautica Game Review
Developer: Unknown World Entertainment
Publisher: Unknown World Entertainment
Release: 23 January 2018
Steam price: $24.99 USD
Update: 84 Release, 8th March 2018
(Spoiler free)
Subnautica is an open-world, exploration-based survival game, set on an unknown alien planet, where the planet is covered by sea. The game starts with a captivating first-person cut scene as you buckle up into a lifepod that crash falls onto a planet. Immediately after the game gives you the player control, you are put into survival mode to face a fire burning inside your lifepod. When you climb out of the lifepod, you find that you are completely surrounded by water and ready to dive into the depths of the ocean. The freedom the games gives from the very beginning is ideal in satisfying the players curiosity of this strange planet. But alongside that curiosity, comes the danger of the unknown. Because of this fear of the unknown, Subnautica is considered by many to be a survival horror game.
One of the best aspects of this game is that it does not hold your hand and guide you on how to survive. It gives the player a tablet with basic information, and it all depends on the player to figure out how to survive. The player needs to learn how to get basic necessities like food, water and materials, to make tools and eventually to build a shelter. The world is immersive, filled with interesting plants and mesmerising wildlife with a good level of interactivity. As the player watches a creature they might begin to understand the creature behaviour. Creatures can run away, attack, or be passive. Some creatures can be fed or may have a unique form of interactions with the player. But there were also moments in my gameplay that I wish I could have had further interaction with the creatures. Perhaps it is because I felt lonely on an alien planet.
Subnautica’s story evolves from individual experiences; the choices you make and the path you take to survive, together with the freedom of whatever you want to do. However, there are other lifepods where you can find data downloads that give you reports on what happened to the people in that lifepod. You can also explore a ship wreck. Such various key locations can give you helpful blueprints for new tools or even vehicles, and so the more you explore the planet the more mysteries you might unravel. This game is the most enjoyable when the player goes in blind without knowing anything. Uncovering the mysteries and experiencing the difficulties firsthand is what drives the player. I advise anyone who wants to have an impactful experience, not to watch any trailers and not to read any guides and spoiler reviews, so the player experience what the game has to offer on its own.
Even though, I was first introduced to Subnautica in December 2015 by Markiplier (a Youtuber) who began playing the early build of this game. I immensely enjoyed exploring the alien planet secondhandedly. When I realised how much I was enjoying watching the game, I stopped and waited to experience the full release. That said, I waited 3 years to play the game, and had forgotten so much since then. Looking back at the early build, so much has improved. Little adjustments here and there that overall made a major impact on this game. Valuable slice of life features that added and expanded the story, graphical enhancements, fluid animations, location changes, menu appearance revamped, additional menu options, and several bug-fixes excelled this game to what it is today.
Unfortunately, in my gameplay I still experienced a few bugs where locker doors would stay open, climbing up the ladder was making me climb down the ladder, getting stuck in doors or small areas, and 3D models (usually plants) clipping though my base or a vehicle. However, I was always able to fix the issue. Whether that be triggering the locker door a few times to close it properly, or spam jumping my way out of small areas to free myself from being stuck.
My biggest complaint of this game is the random frame drops. It is tolerable as the frame drops are too rare to seriously hinder gameplay, but when it happens it is very noticeable. When loading a large new area and forming the elements within the area, the system struggles running the game. It is a common issue when the Unity engine loads massive open-world games. Some people advise stopping movement when it is loading new areas. There are also some temporary fixes to delete old saved game files.
Subnautica shines most with radiant visuals. Each area seems to have a subtle base colour. The appearance of a creature or plant is distinguished, giving a vibrant glow though the water. When you see a creature from far away you see the silhouette of a moving creature. Since Subnautica takes place in the future, the technology is highly advanced. Yet the items are very visually descriptive. For example: the 3D printing technology has lasers (hard light tech) that scans in and creates materials, tools, vehicles or base units in front of the player. This process looks stunning and is satisfying to watch.
In addition to exploring and researching, a major part of surviving in this game is collecting materials. Materials vary in necessity and rarity. The further you go from your starting lifepod, the rarer the items are. The further you travel, the greater danger you could face. Therefore, it is a risk reward. The progression of items and vehicles that allow further exploration proceeds at a relatively same level as the new materials found. This allows the player to evaluate their limits of survivability by considering the items they have.
This gameplay style can give you a cozy feeling when you are near your starting lifepod, and on the contrary; cause tension while adventuring away from it. I believe that is why base building is such a pleasant activity. It requires a lot of items and a few careful design choices, but once it is made it feels homey, a safe-haven on an uncharted alien planet.
The background music in Subnautica varies in location, or in the event of encountering a special creature. As well as creatures being easily recognized by the noises they make, they also intensify challenging and dangerous locations. Furthermore, it gives clues to the player about the circumstances, helping the player’s decision making. The sudden change in music can even make you fear the forthcoming unknown. There is also prominent and rewarding sound cues for data downloads, special items, vehicle constructions etc, that inform the player of their progress.
Part of the data download reports are voiced and can be replayed whenever the player wishes. The reports reconnect the player to humanity, as they recount common human dilemmas and expresses the reporter’s private feelings. Isolated on a planet covered by water, listening to other people’s problems is quite reassuring to your own gameplay difficulties.
I played on a computer using mouse and keyboard, but Subnautica is fully supported by controller play. The keyboard and mouse allowed a flexible control scheme while swimming or in vehicles. Subnautica is said to be coming to the PS4 by the end of 2018, but that has not been confirmed by the developers. The game might need a few more bug fixes before the game releases on other devices.
The time value of this game is well worth of the price. For me that was an 80-hour journey that was unique, fascinating and gratifying. From when I first left my lifepod, everything feeling fresh, full of mystery and wonder. To the moment I felt I had fulfilled my curiosity to experience or research as much of the biology, geography and technology of the alien planet, and had unlocked the secrets of the world of Subnautica, it is always utterly beautiful.
I rate this game: [Brilliant]
8.4/10