The Play at Home campaign is likely to have “Subnautica"Many PlayStation owners will be familiar with it. Sony offered the game for free for a long time. I took the opportunity to give it a try, even though videos of the title hadn't really piqued my interest up to that point."
Goodness, was I wrong! It managed to captivate me immediately and plunge me into the depths of the ocean, all without having to lug my now-dusty scuba tank out of the basement. And that's despite the fact that the now-released PS5 version was still pending and my "pile of shame" was piling up with countless PS5 titles. The new version of the underwater adventure was released today, simultaneously with... with "Below Zero" the successor, which I've now had the opportunity to extensively test on the PS5 for a week. Naturally, I didn't miss the chance and went all the way to what is likely the game's first Platinum Trophy worldwide. In this review, I'd like to explain how worthwhile the title is for both hardcore fans and newcomers, focusing on three key aspects.
Never change a running system: the story
You take on the role of Robin, who wants to investigate the mysterious death of her sister on planet 4546B. The landing attempt goes awry, leaving you stranded on the planet, forcing you to take refuge in the space capsule you previously jettisoned into the ocean, containing only the essentials. This might sound familiar to some, as it closely resembles the opening of the previous game. The crucial difference, however, is that in "Below Zero," you're given significantly more guidance. It quickly becomes clear where you should head first and how to manage your ever-growing collection of equipment. You even encounter other... let's just say, without spoilers, "talking beings" for the first time.
Compared to its predecessor, the story might lose some of its mysterious quality due to the more obvious overarching plot. However, even without reading the numerous optional logs, you feel more integrated into the events and are treated to a satisfying ending that leaves you wanting more. The faster arrival of objective markers ensures that you'll reach the game even without consulting various walkthroughs. This leads directly to the second aspect, because…
…one person's joy is another's sorrow: the level of difficulty
The numerous help features make it easy for even beginners to find their way around quickly. Die-hard fans of Subnautica Some players might be disappointed that many things have become easier. Essentially, everything remains the same: you still use collected resources to craft better equipment and even sophisticated vehicles, making your way into ever deeper regions of the ocean. However, this time you can even board a vehicle on land, as vast land areas in the form of a huge ice desert await exploration. In addition to the familiar survival-critical resources of food, water, air, and health, which can optionally be deactivated when starting a new playthrough, a new aspect comes into play: temperature. If you remain unprotected on land for too long, you will freeze to death. This makes land exploration more exciting, as some sections can already feel quite tedious.
Despite the new land areas, overall game progress is much faster. This is not only due to the noticeably smaller underwater world, but also because valuable resources are now plentiful, eliminating the need to endlessly search for the next silver. For those who want even more, a detector can be built, allowing all resources to be quickly located via radar. While this is great for most players, it reduces both playtime and the reward factor when finally crafting that coveted item. This is just one of many reasons why... Subnautica below zero It feels a bit like an expansion in the sense of a very large DLC.
It offers much more than DLCs, but plays as if you're already familiar with the admittedly enjoyable slow pace of its predecessor. I like that, because I could definitely do without mindlessly smashing countless stones again to finally get the resource I need. On the other hand, I wouldn't want to miss out on that original experience either, which is why I'd recommend the predecessor to newcomers first. Basically, in Below Zero but simply eliminated numerous minor problems that should never have existed in the first place, and whose absence is likely to hurt only a few fans due to nostalgia rather than objectivity.
Truly state-of-the-art: control and graphics
While the game principle of Subnautica While the game is as simple as it is ingenious, none of these descriptions apply to the controls of the original game. Subnautica below zero It seems the developers meticulously re-examined every single detail to fix these very problems. Not a single moment of frustration with the controls or menu navigation has stuck in my mind since achieving platinum status. Numerous areas have been subtly and significantly tweaked, and I didn't encounter any bugs – perhaps I was just lucky.
For example, you can now see the charge level of each battery directly in your toolbar and move items between storage areas and your inventory using the X button. While this may not sound revolutionary, the improvements are quite welcome. The PlayStation 5 features have also been implemented excellently for a title released on all platforms. The controller's lighting, for instance, adapts to your radar, and audio logs play through the controller. The graphics also hold their own against other current titles, especially considering the low price and the small development studio. The underwater world with its diverse biomes has never looked more beautiful.
