Now available in early access, Subnautica 2 aims to feel fresh but familiar
Subnautica 2 launches into early access on PC via Steam today, and for fans of the original game it’ll no doubt be an enticing prospect. And it should be; this is a game that invites players to explore an alien world, with a focus on exploration and survival. And while there are many dangers, its non-violent angle forces you to think about how you approach them. Ultimately, Subnautica 2 aims to offer more of what made Subnautica such a hit some eight years ago now, but with a completely new world, story, creatures and gameplay systems.
Familiar but new: that’s what Unknown Worlds entertainment is going for. When players start Subnautica 2, exploring its initial area, it’s hoped that the tone will feel similar to that of the first Subnautica to aid the onboarding and help returning players feel at home. But as players delve further into the game, it’ll soon diverge. In any case, the crux of the game remains the same as ever – with multiple biomes to explore, you’ll need to collect resources, learn more about the world around you, and craft useful items, all the while doing the best you can to survive and push the story forward.
Enriching the experience here are the things you’d expect, such as dramatically improved visuals and additional systems. Using Unreal Engine 5, Unknown Worlds Entertainment has made a game that truly catches the eye while remaining faithful to what has come before. So while you go about your unguided exploration, you’ll no doubt be drawn to interesting structures, plants and creatures that look more lifelike than ever. When it comes to creatures, they’ll act more lifelike, too, with work done to give them unique behaviours.
Perhaps one of the biggest new features in Subnautica 2 is the introduction of a deeper base-building system. Starting with a simple shape, you can now expand upon it using a brush tool, making long corridors and more. Inside, you can add and resize windows, place a variety of lights, and more. Of course, you don’t have to engage with the base-building features all that much if you don’t want to, but those who like a place that’s big and beautiful to come home to after a bout of exploration will be pleased.
Along with other new features, such as a range of chassis being available for your underwater vehicle, allowing you to favour things such as speed or cargo capacity, Subnautica 2 has a lot offer to returning players. And this is just the start of the journey. It’s anticipated that the game will spend around two years in early access, with those jumping in now being able to do so at the reasonable price of just $29.99. There’s plenty of game available at launch, too, with it already sporting 10 biomes and in excess of 12 hours of gameplay.
Going ahead, the first significant update for Subnautica 2 will mostly be focused on quality of life, building on the game’s bio-mods system that allows you to develop your character over time, as well as improving blight encounters, vehicle docking and more. After that, the second major update will be co-op centric, improving things such as the base-building tool and pinned recipe system. It will also possibly introduce proximity voice chat and a player revive system. Beyond that, there’ll be more biomes, a new vehicle, the next chapter of story, and more to look forward to. Needless to say, there’s lots to look forward to.
It’s safe to say, then, that if you’re a fan of Subnautica, you might want to check Subnautica 2 out. And with it being in early access, you can help shape its future by providing your feedback to Unknown Worlds Entertainment, which only seems eager to please its fans.
