REVIEW - Subnautica: Below Zero Is An Easy Recommendation
Ice cold or freezer burn?
By Byron Woodland
14/06/21
Reviewed on PC.
Right off the bat, it’s fair to say that I love survival crafting games like this, and after the fun I had playing the original Subnautica, to say I was excited for this was an understatement. I got involved in the original game during early access and whilst I enjoyed it a lot, playing the main story piecemeal while it was being developed detracted from it for me. With that previous experience in mind I exercised what for me was a phenomenal amount of patience and endured the painful wait for 1.0 which finally came out on May 21.
Whilst this can be played as a stand alone game, I would urge you to play the original as it is an amazing game. Below Zero is set on the familiar world of 4546B some time after the initial game’s events. Without spoiling any of the storyline you find yourself crash landed on the planet with nothing but your survival pod and a fabricator (much like the first game). Unlike its predecessor you have crash landed in the polar region and have freezing temperatures to manage as well as the traditional hunger and thirst bars.
The game is predominantly underwater based where you must explore using either your dive suit, or later in game using vehicles you have crafted. Those of you who have played the first game will find a lot of familiar mechanics here. Scan elements of the terrain, flora and fauna, investigate areas and wreckage for blueprints to construct new items and vehicles. Collect PDA’s to uncover what has happened to the areas previous occupants and gradually unlock new areas to explore by upgrading your equipment.
There are also some new elements in play for this game (as one would hope). There are substantial areas of the game that take place on land where the temperature mechanic comes into play. With on land exploration there is also the introduction of a new hover bike vehicle called the Snowfox and land specific creatures and plants.
The underwater areas of the game (which is most of it) play very similarly to the original. Fans of the Prawn Suit will be glad to know it has made a re-appearance in this game too, for mining and exploration of the deep. There is also the introduction of the Sea Truck which as the names suggests is a little submersible vehicle that you can tow different modules behind for storage, crafting and more.
The environments and biomes are beautiful and varied, filled with the exotic flora and fauna we have come to expect. Aside from the occasional aggressive creature and running out of oxygen I found the game a joy just to be in and explore, forgetting any set objectives. On the subject of oxygen, a new plant has been included which acts like an air bag for you to partially refill your oxygen reserves. This allows you to explore certain deeper areas early in the game that you would be otherwise unable to reach. This additional mechanic, although simple, really added to the game and gave a sense of urgency trying to find the next plant as you would never reach the surface again without it.
Now is the time to address the elephant in the room: is it as good as the original? And the answer in a word is no….but don’t let that put you off. I think Subnautica set the bar exceptionally high. It was a new concept with new ideas and there had never been anything quite like it before. That coupled with the fact that it was Game Of The Year material in my opinion made it a tough act to follow. Whilst perhaps not the experience the original was, Below Zero is still a great game and a valid entry into the Subnautica series.
Whilst Subnautica: Below Zero may not have the depth (both literally and figuratively) that the original had, the sequel feels less grindy and more accessible as a game. Could it have been longer? Sure, but at 25-30 hour main story completion time I certainly got my monies worth. This coupled with the creative mode means there is plenty of life in the ol’ girl yet.
If you enjoy survival crafting games this is a solid choice. If you enjoyed the original this is a no brainer. If you are expecting the impact and experience to be exactly the same as the original (as unrealistic as that might be) then perhaps give this one a miss, or at least approach it with an open mind. However, as someone who loves this genre and series in particular, I would still whole heartedly recommend giving it a go.
Nom Nom time? This feels like an oversimplification, but it was the first caption that came to mind… I need new captions.
WORTH IT?
At the bottom of every game review, we ask the question: Worth it? And the answer is either “Yeah!” or “Nah”, followed by a comment that sums up how we feel. In order to provide more information, we also have “And” or “But”, which follows up our rating with further clarification, additional context for a game we love, or perhaps a redeeming quality for a game we didn’t like.
YEAH!
Subnautica: Below Zero is a solid survival crafting experience.
BUT
Remember: it is not the same game as the original.
TARPS?
At the bottom of some of our articles, you’ll see a series of absurd looking images (with equally stupid, in joke laden names). These are the TARP badges, which represent our ‘Totally Accurate Rating Platform’. They allow us to identify specific things, recognise positive or negative aspects of a games design, and generally indulge our consistent silliness with some visual tomfoolery.
