Subnautica: Below Zero

The world of Below Zero is much smaller than its predecessor’s, but it is still an absolutely brilliant survival game that tells an interesting story set in a fascinating environment. Additionally, it is more friendly towards less experienced players, and managed to get rid of some technical issues that affected the original Subnautica. [08/2021, p.78]

The successor Subnautica: Below Zero does not have to hide from the original, but can show a completely different arctic adventure with more story and for the first time also dialogues through unique, fresh puzzle pieces. Personally, I prefer the clearly dark isolation setting and the slightly livelier soundtrack of the first part, but at the end of the day that's a matter of taste. Whoever wanted more after Subnautica should definitely grab it.

Below Zero has taken no steps backward and instead offers an even more polished experience than its predecessor. As for gameplay and story, it’s not necessarily a better game, but it is certainly just as good.

Mix the feeling of weakness of the movie Open Water with a compelling story, a world to explore in metroidvania style kind of like in Don't Starve, add the maniacal detail of In Other Waters, shake and there we have Subnautica: Below Zero, an intriguing sci-fi survival with just a bit of horror. While at first it might seem a little limited in scope, with a bit of patience you will soon realize how great of a game it is.

Subnautica: Below Zero is a leaner, meaner standalone expansion to Subnautica that improves on the story and mechanics, but doesn't give us as much room to explore.

Below Zero is a mostly brilliant sequel to the best survival game of all time.

Subnautica: Below Zero cannot match the original game in terms of scale; therefore it is a standalone expansion instead of a full-fledged sequel. Despite this, it offers a more immersive and streamlined experience through a more emphatic story, great voice acting and plenty of quality of life additions. The three bucks that Below Zero costs are more than worth the at least twenty hours of exploration fun.

Subnautica: Below Zero presents the player not only with a harsh tundra to live in but the icy depths underneath it all. It’s tense, challenging, and always engaging, pushed on by a surprisingly in-depth narrative and characters that make eventually leaving behind all those magnificent alien animals all the more challenging when you eventually roll credits.

Standalone expansion of a fabulous survival game that equals its predecessor.

In a genre that often isn’t for everyone, it’s hard to see who wouldn’t enjoy what Subnautica: Below Zero has to offer. It flourishes an enthralling sense of exploration and progression with a serviceable narrative to boot. It’s not without its flaws, but there’s nothing quite like it besides its predecessor, perfectly encapsulating the curiosity and dread that comes with exploring the deep.

Subnautica: Below Zero presents an exciting adventure as you explore the unknown. Whether you're trekking through the snow or diving down unfathomable depths, there's a feeling of dread as you try to survive, and a sense of wonderment as you discover something new.

Even if there are a lot of shared elements between the two games and the ground-based traversal isn't everything it's cracked up to be, Below Zero's greater focus on character-driven storytelling lands well and this standalone adventure captures the unrivaled magic of underwater exploration all over again.

Subnautica: Below Zero makes you feel like arctic explorers as you traverse the icy climate of planet 4546B. If you are able to stick with it and continue to move forward to find ways to dive deeper, Below Zero has plenty of discoveries to uncover.

If you liked the first one, you will love Subnautica: Below Zero. It improves everything previously played and adds necessary novelties to this sequel. Everyone who loves underwater world and survival genre will be delighted with this video game.

A motivating survival adventure set in a fascinating ice world.

Subnautica: Below Zero takes up the basic elements of its predecessor to give us a fun experience with a more narrative approach. The environmental and sound design stand out, but the experience falls short compared to the first game. Despite this, Below Zero is a good survival game.

If you played the original part and you enjoyed it, Below Zero is a good choice. For those who once had enough, there is probably no need to play again. The sequel takes the best from the original game and adds something new.

Subnautica Below Zero does not seem to want to walk in other steps than that of its big brother. By reducing the map or vehicles, Below Zero is more to be seen as a very good expansion of the original game, more scripted version and a little more hostile than the first episode. If Below Zero undoubtedly does better than the competition when it comes to making a scripted survival game, with a universe as enchanting as it is frightening hand-crafted, it would undoubtedly have gained more from the experience of 'origin to fully conquer the veterans of the franchise, who, despite everything, will take undeniable pleasure to go diving again, just like the newcomers, who will have the chance to discover for the first time this atypical and oh so immersive way of approaching the game of survival.

Subnautica: Below Zero is a masterfully horrific experience that encourages you to push on despite your fears. It's a fine balancing act of the horrors you'll face underwater and the rewards you can get for evading them. It's really very hard, but it's also really very good.

Subnautica: Below Zero doesn't reach the same heights as the first game, but it's proof Unknown World's 2018 survival game wasn't a fluke. The act of exploring a mysterious underwater world whilst trying to survive is nearly as captivating in Below Zero as it was then. I'm still not a fan of the survival genre, yet I loved every moment I spent with Subnautica: Below Zero. I may know most of the tricks by now, but that didn't make the experience any less magical.

If you liked Subnautica, Subnautica: Below Zero still has the base of what made the original great - the charm, the wonder, the building and even some of the exploration - but this has been tempered somewhat. The story-focused approach here is interesting, even compelling at parts, but the game doesn't do enough to keep you on track or from getting lost in the many enclosed caves, caverns and tunnels running throughout. Also, like the original, this does have its fair share of bugs and issues. Still, no matter the issues, it is still a genuinely good game. While it may not be as good as the original, it's still up there as one of the better survival games around.

Subnautica: Below Zero is a good survival game, even if the new frozen land areas are not fun to explore and the story has several pacing issues. Fortunately, the solid progression system and mastery of the sea makes it easy to recommend for fans of the original.

The new Subnautica is brilliant as long as you stay under water, much less so when you’re forced to leave it. Still, it’s almost as good as the original game.

Subnautica: Below Zero is another masterclass in survival gaming, setting itself apart from the overabundance of survival games on the market with its tranquil ocean setting, addicting exploration, and unique wildlife. If you are a fan of the previous title or survival games in general, this really ticks all the boxes that you are looking for, providing an enthralling world to explore and get lost in, all with gorgeous graphics and sound design. It can at times feel like a retread of the previous game with a few tweaks and additions, but Subnautica was by no means a bad game, so this is still a very well-crafted follow-up in the series. It is a hard title to put down as you are always on the cusp of something new and evolutionary, so players in search of something more fast-paced will need to search elsewhere. In saying that, I still think this is a title that everyone should check out or at least give a go, as it really does represent something unique and captivating that is hard to not recommend.

Below Zero is not a bad game, but it is a downgrade of the original Subnautica in every way. The scenario is less natural, the map is much less memorable and the land exploration, the great novelty of this episode, is simply badly implemented. An honest trip for those who are nostalgic for 4546B, but a useless expense for those who don't know the series, who will use their agent much better by acquiring the first episode.

The story makes the whole experience rich, and although it’s Unknown World’s first stab at fully acted and voiced cutscenes, the characters are well written, and voiced with nuance and warmth. It doesn’t add anything revelatory to the world of Subnautica, but there is still a sense of accepting the past, of moving forward—fitting for a game about exploring areas and mining material to build and survive, but with little incentive to return to them once they have outlived their usefulness.

It's nice to get back to Subnautica for more narration and survival in this intriguing SF world built by Unknown World. But Below Zero feels like it aimed for more and didn't achieve it. We're left with a nice new story and great environments, but also a bit of frustration.