Where the first instalment in this popular series was a sci-fi mystery wrapped in an open-world discovery setting, Below Zero takes the stuff that worked well and tweaks it up a nudge.
Fans of the original will find much to love here, and the sense of familiarity with the gaming mechanisms will serve them well.
For newcomers, there’s a risk that you will priority multiple base-building over true exploration and then miss the core element of the level design.
You needn’t have sunk 50 hours in the predecessor to sink or swim in this one, but it does help.
You play as Robin, a xenologist who deliberately crash-lands onto Planet 4546B to learn the truth about the whereabouts of her big sister Sam.
Ancient aliens, a nigh-unstoppable disease, and a power-hungry corporation (plus some button cute Penguins) all fit into the (sometimes patchy) narrative.
Limited oxygen and intense pressure factor hugely in your ability to explore the wider region beyond the safety of your life pod, as do all of the tools and playthings you’ll gradually grind to unlock.
There are key items like the Scanner, Repair Tool, and Habitat Builder to help you adjust to your new surroundings and Zelda-like stamp system to assist navigation from point to point: was there is no map to speak of.
The game is not exclusively water-based and the on-land sections help with variation in gameplay and approach. The vibrant worlds and imaginative flora and fauna ensure that this is one interesting journey to undertake and the personal story elements give you a much needed narrative thrust to see the campaign through.
Or, if you prefer to pootle around and take in the ambient score and natural sounds, there’s hours of adventure right here.
Subnautica: Below Zero is available across all platforms now via Unknown Worlds Entertainment.
