Subnautica

 PC
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1406 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,191 out of 1406
  2. Mixed: 133 out of 1406
  3. Negative: 82 out of 1406

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  1. piotrekgotrek
    Mar 18, 2018
    10
    Fantastic !!! I`ve been waiting for game like this for more than 10, maybe even 15 years.
    For me it was a week out of life, spending 50 hours in game. WOW !!!
  2. vandana
    Apr 18, 2018
    10
    Subnautica is immersive, beautiful and clever. It wows you every step of the way.

    It has world class storytelling, the last time a game's narrative impressed me so much was Portal 2, and I didn't think any game could ever match that, but here we go. At the same time the approach to story-telling is different, you connect the clues, recordings and journals found in the world, and the    Subnautica is immersive, beautiful and clever. It wows you every step of the way.

    It has world class storytelling, the last time a game's narrative impressed me so much was Portal 2, and I didn't think any game could ever match that, but here we go. At the same time the approach to story-telling is different, you connect the clues, recordings and journals found in the world, and the story comes together beautifully with a truly rewarding finale.

    Exploring the game's world is immensely fun. At times crafting can be a little tedious, but persevere, improve your technology to advance, and you will be rewarded with one jaw-dropping discovery after another. This is a game that constantly pushes you to not settle in one place for too long and to overcome your fear of the unknown (and with how atmospheric it is, it is fear in the literal, jumping-in-the-chair sense).

    Subnautica is worth every penny and every hour spent on it. It is one of the fullest game-experiences I've ever had and it is a modern classic that I think everyone should play.    … Expand
  3. darkmaterial
    Feb 4, 2018
    10
    It's crack. I haven't played a game this addictive in a decade. Go in cold because the discovery is the experience. I want a sequel now. Like right now. Really, I need it.
  4. Plutarco
    Feb 26, 2018
    10
    I never liked survival games, however, Subnautica changed my mind. This is a WONDERFUL game. The story is excellent as well as the graphics, the sounds, the gameplay, EVERYTHING. It worths every single penny. If you are a person who wants to enjoy something different, beautiful and original BUY THIS GAME.
  5. Fevit
    Sep 13, 2018
    10
    This is the best game I have played in a long time. It is mysterious, satisfyingly challenging and rewarding. Great music, great visuals, great storyline. Just when I think I've got it mastered, there is another level and another to challenge. I highly recommend.
  6. Violett
    Apr 28, 2018
    10
    One of the best games in recent years and probably the best builder game. I could not even expect such fuse of builder and shooter game. Story is awesome, long time I didn't have that feeling of a mystery - dangerous alien structure on seemingly peaceful land, amazing. At the end, it might be a bit boring to collect all those titanite crystals, but still its 10 of 10 game. Cant wait forOne of the best games in recent years and probably the best builder game. I could not even expect such fuse of builder and shooter game. Story is awesome, long time I didn't have that feeling of a mystery - dangerous alien structure on seemingly peaceful land, amazing. At the end, it might be a bit boring to collect all those titanite crystals, but still its 10 of 10 game. Cant wait for next game, and only can hope that cancer like EA wont devour this small but genius studio.… Expand
  7. Ndi
    Sep 10, 2020
    10
    This is what happens when a game DOESN'T make bad decisions. All that stuff that people keep saying not to implement? Gone. Jumpscares, combat, microtransactions, all gone.

    Just you, a goal, a loose story connecting everything and off you go, floating away in a gorgeous environment.

    This is possibly the most beautiful and well done chill game.

    (what was that sound?)
  8. Styke
    Mar 29, 2018
    10
    This is a 25$ game that delivers more than most 60$ games do. The sense of true exploration and accomplishment surpases anything I've felt from video games in two decades - please do not read guides or watch videos for Subnautica if you truly want to experience the world they've sculpted.

    If you have a VR headset, it is a one in a lifetime experience for sure.
  9. saito200a
    Aug 28, 2018
    10
    I love this game, and I don't say it lightly. It might be among my top 5 gaming experiences of all time. I love the sea, and I love sea creatures, I love exploration, and I love "progression systems", and this game puts it all together. This game is mainly about exploration and crafting, with a bit of a survival component. The underwater setting is very unique and appealing. I've spentI love this game, and I don't say it lightly. It might be among my top 5 gaming experiences of all time. I love the sea, and I love sea creatures, I love exploration, and I love "progression systems", and this game puts it all together. This game is mainly about exploration and crafting, with a bit of a survival component. The underwater setting is very unique and appealing. I've spent around 12 hours playing and fully enjoyed every hour.

    People complain about bugs, but I didn't encounter one single bug (it's about 6 months since release so I guess they patched it). I have been thinking about the negatives of the game, and nothing came to mind. Except just one thing: the popping of the terrain is a bit too much. They should optimize it.    … Expand
  10. SplatMan_DK
    Jan 26, 2018
    10
    Best open-world I have played in about a year. And best indie title for almost a decade! Great atmosphere, great graphics, attention to detail. Amazing what this little studio did with a small budget, compared to "the big guys". They made a competitive shooter called "Natural Selection 2" as well - be sure to check it out if you like fast-paced FPS action. :-)
  11. Von-Drako
    Apr 5, 2018
    10
    Im 30 y old. I played games a lot .... THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER ! Im quiet hard to satisfy, but im in awe. I did not play game as this in a FCKIN LONG time .... It got bugs .... maybe someone will miss something from gameplay ,items...but play it yourself ! Beyond God like !
  12. zombiekiller666
    Jan 29, 2018
    10
    One of the Best Games i have ever played in my life.In VR a dream o other World
  13. Nickolababaiko
    Jul 25, 2020
    10
    Subnautica это потрясающая, красивая и затягивающая в свои подводные глубины выживалка с интересным сюжетом и проработанной до мелочей эко-системой!(Полно живности, каждая из которых имеет ореал обитания и вкусовые предпочтения!) Некоторые особи не прочь полакомится вами!) Мир игры живёт своей жизнью! Все события уже произошли и игроку предстоит во всём разбираться!
    Игра затягивает на    Subnautica это потрясающая, красивая и затягивающая в свои подводные глубины выживалка с интересным сюжетом и проработанной до мелочей эко-системой!(Полно живности, каждая из которых имеет ореал обитания и вкусовые предпочтения!) Некоторые особи не прочь полакомится вами!) Мир игры живёт своей жизнью! Все события уже произошли и игроку предстоит во всём разбираться!
    Игра затягивает на 100%! Аж на работе обдумывал что придя домой куда поплыву,что соберу,что построю))) Тут интересно изучать мир, строить свою собственную базу и изучать сюжет! Со временем будет открываться для создания новые инструменты, элементы базы, подводная техника! И вы будете погружаться в исследовании всё глубже и глубже в пучину морскую! А чем глубже тем страшнее! Тем опасней монстры вас поджидают!
    Минус у игры есть: слишком затягивает!!))) И систему грузит сильно! (особенно когда вы свою базу отгрохаете и маячков по миру наставите!) У меня мощный комп игра его нагружала максимум на половину но при этом иногда до 28 кадров падала!
    Игра потрясная, всем советую! Одна она такая подводная и качественная!))    … Expand
  14. redalert3084
    Jan 25, 2018
    10
    This game is amazing. Brilliantly done and well paced. Survival game done truly right.
  15. danneu89
    Jan 24, 2018
    10
    This is the best survival-crafting game I've ever played. The game doesn't set out to be a horror game, but it is absolutely horrifying at times, especially at night. The environment and atmosphere are just top notch in the genre.
  16. coljac
    Apr 26, 2021
    10
    Easily one of my all time favourite games. For weeks I went to bed dreaming about this game. For all the right reasons the developers hit an emotional sweet-spot with this game; fear, loneliness, excitement, the thrill of discovery, and overwhelming curiosity. I don't give many games a perfect 10 but Subnautica was an experience I'll never forget.
  17. ezerik
    Feb 6, 2020
    10
    I'm a 38 year old life-long gamer. Subnautica is one of the best games I've ever played and one of the few I've finished in years. It's beautiful, it's immersive, it's terrifying, it's exciting. I just finished my first play-through. Or maybe I didn't. I think I'll go back to my last save and just continue exploring this beautiful alien planet, uncover more of its mysteries, pimp out myI'm a 38 year old life-long gamer. Subnautica is one of the best games I've ever played and one of the few I've finished in years. It's beautiful, it's immersive, it's terrifying, it's exciting. I just finished my first play-through. Or maybe I didn't. I think I'll go back to my last save and just continue exploring this beautiful alien planet, uncover more of its mysteries, pimp out my base, and see if it's possible to kill a ghost leviathan. Great concept, tight and interesting story, stunning graphics, completely immersive. Dope.… Expand
  18. Billpoul
    Mar 22, 2018
    10
    One of the best survival games that you can play .Amazing open world,great atmosphere,tones of creativity to the player.Maybe one of the best games out there .Some problems with pop up issues but ok i can live with that.Best buy for me with a fantastic steam price .
  19. Kaprawiec
    Jan 30, 2018
    10
    Awesome. I get the impression, that indie devs are doing the job which made me love gaming in '80 in the first place.
    This game as a shining example - its not your standard run and gun/slash enemies. Its not another sports/racing/killing enemies game. Its a game of surviwal but it is also the most relaxing experience (the chance to swim through the vast beautifull full of life ocean    Awesome. I get the impression, that indie devs are doing the job which made me love gaming in '80 in the first place.
    This game as a shining example - its not your standard run and gun/slash enemies. Its not another sports/racing/killing enemies game. Its a game of surviwal but it is also the most relaxing experience (the chance to swim through the vast beautifull full of life ocean enjoying the view which was until now reserved to the likes of discovery channel) and it can be also near horror experience when you play in hardcore mode and are chased by some crazy ass deep sea creature. Its a mindblowing game for sci-fi fans who gets to explore one of the most realisticly created alien world. And it even includes quite intriguing story - which really wasnt something i was expecting.
    All in all - games like that are like a breath of fresh air to the whole gaming industry and should get as much prasie as they deserve. Well its end of january and I think the GOTY is already here - don't read more, enjoy.    … Expand
  20. esymes
    Jan 24, 2018
    10
    SubNautica realy takes the cake and shows whats posible in the Survival, Adventure and Exploration genres.
    And stand heads and shoulders above all others in the catagories as a benchmark of what to aim for when developing a survival game.
    Rich story, fantastic sound design, and great art direction.
    It looks and fells like a $60 title, and yet its only 20 bugs.
    A must buy in my book!
  21. supercagan
    Jan 15, 2019
    10
    Amazing game, great story, great game design, great visuals...enjoyed every last second. Waiting the new release from these developers.
  22. Guilvaruex
    Feb 21, 2018
    10
    Truly a fantastic game and well looked after by the devs. If you like suspense, feeling spooked out and an underwater theme you will love this game. The only fault if there is in fact one to name, is that a large portion of the game is fetching things but honestly that only became burdensome after multiple playthroughs
  23. Sinatra
    Feb 13, 2019
    10
    The best survival game and one of the best games I´ve played. Thank you Dev´s for this amazing experience!

    This game is really something! Survival with story? Yes, and a good one. The game has a goal (well, more then one), has a great progression, a fantastic world and a very good crafting and (kind of) research system. Vehicle Design - the best I have ever seen! Like no other game, it    The best survival game and one of the best games I´ve played. Thank you Dev´s for this amazing experience!

    This game is really something! Survival with story? Yes, and a good one. The game has a goal (well, more then one), has a great progression, a fantastic world and a very good crafting and (kind of) research system. Vehicle Design - the best I have ever seen!
    Like no other game, it manages to bring forth many contrary feelings a once. Let me explain what I´m thinking as I get to a new biome for the first time:
    It´s so dark - I´m scared. But there are glowy things everywhere - it´s so beautiful. The music - I´m terrified! What kind of new machinery (unlocks) will I find here - I´m curios. Look a that thing swimming over there, is that making that awful noise? Let´s have a look - and some seconds later - I´m getting out of here and never, never, never coming back.... even though I´ll have to eventually. :-)
    I think Subnautica is a horror game disguised as a beautiful survival crafting game.

    But let´s start nitpicking.... is it absolutely perfect? No....
    Even with a high end pc I still have pop-ups.
    Towards the end of the game, there was a moment I felt a bit lost and was unsure of what to do (because I didn´t read all the entries in my PDA)
    Has no tutorial (but is very intuitive)

    I thought about giving this game a 9/10, but even if it´s not perfect, the experience is a 12/10....
    I hope the developers made a lot of money with this and will continue at this level of quality in other games!
    If you don´t know Subnautica, don´t look it up... just PLAY THIS GAME!    … Expand
  24. Amsheagar
    Apr 6, 2018
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazing game. Best survival game i have ever played. When i played with it, i forgot everything else. The atmosphere, the sounds, the music, the sea life are all amazing. This game is also exicting and relaxing. I could experince the lost on an unknown planet. I loved the crafting mechanism. My favourite vechile was prawn suit. I was excited and i feared when i sinked into the dark depth with prawn suit. I never knew i can escape somehow from the seadepth. I recomend for everyone, who wants to forget the grey daily routine.… Expand
  25. neotrix
    Jan 6, 2019
    10
    A exciting story in a brilliant Survivalgame . The feelings are between fear and euphoria all the time .
  26. macintosh_plus
    May 29, 2018
    10
    Close to a world below.

    Subnautica gets as good as survival/adventure game can get. It was 5 years in development (needs verification) and each hour makes you realize more that not a day was wasted. The game is impressive in both scope and execution. A quick summary for people new to the game (without any spoilers): in some very distant future, you are playing as a passenger on some    Close to a world below.

    Subnautica gets as good as survival/adventure game can get. It was 5 years in development (needs verification) and each hour makes you realize more that not a day was wasted. The game is impressive in both scope and execution.

    A quick summary for people new to the game (without any spoilers): in some very distant future, you are playing as a passenger on some kind of intergalactic space shuttle. An unknown accident happens when passing alien planet and the shuttle falls into the atmosphere and ends up crashing in the middle of the sea. You are one of the few people that managed to get to one of few emergency life pods and you end up falling conveniently on shallow waters about 1 km further from the shuttle. Now you must fight for your life in the middle of the ocean and also find a way to escape from the planet. You must find food, water (well that shouldnt be difficult) and in the meantime learn what actually happened, where are you exactly, and all the other stuff which I do not want to spoil. Its gunna get gud believe me.

    The first thing that gets attention is how Subnautica looks. The ocean is both beautiful and terrifying at the same time. It doesnt get more believable than that in current tech age. The graphics are not photorealistic, there is a right amount of artistic touch put into the game, which is very good, because I am sure this will help graphics stand test of time easily.

    Some parts of the presentation are not polished though - some animations, especially player-related, are very cheap and "blocky" and also game has its fair share of bugs, the most irritating ones being poping up the elements of environment just before your eyes and general issues with performance even on powerful hardware. I thought at some point that this will spoil the immersion a lot, but actually it somewhat ends on further plan - thats how good impression the game makes overall. Still I hope it will be optimized more, especially as the overall polish feels more important from a perspective of VR, with which the game is compatible. The game runs on Unity engine and I think the main problem is that it pushes the engine to its absolute limits in some aspects.

    After initial impression other things get players attention. The game world has distinctive "alien" feeling. You do not feel that you are just in the middle of the sea, it has this beautiful vibe of being alone in unknown world which resembles earth fauna/flora only superficially. The lore aspect is overall fantastic - fascinating, consistent and quite realistic. One of the highest points of the experience for me. Of course the sci-fi elements of the game can be considered over the top, but as you progress, you realize how lot of things about how the world works make sense and how it is simply fascinating.

    This is not simply survival/crafting game - it has a story which is minimalistic but very well written, with very satisfying conclusion. The games has System Shock 2/Prey vibe in terms of storytelling - you learn most of the things from abandoned audio/text logs and by scanning the hell out of everything. I recommend reading you database regularly - its not only important, but fascinating on its own.

    It took me about 50 hours to work it all out on my own, but it heavily depends on your perception skills and the amount of attention you put into the game. Working out the problems game throws at you is as satisfying as the exploration itself.

    I could go on with the mechanics and gameplay of the game. but the problem is that the game is about discovering how everything works by yourself. Its all good, survival aspect may get a bit tedious at times, but because of the presentation the game gets away with forcing player to do some repetitive stuff. Also lot of times I realized that the tedious aspect was mainly my fault as I have not noticed a better way to do things. My attention to details and world got higher the longer I played actually, because I knew that whenever I was spending too much time on doing same tasks over and over, I probably was missing some way to automate it. Anyway its all good and you will be glued to the screen for hours etc.

    This is a game about the journey to the world below, and easily this is one of the best journeys I had occasion to participate in video game.    … Expand
  27. Archound
    Aug 15, 2018
    10
    My score is 9+, but still closer to 10, than 9. It would be easily 10/10 without a doubt, if it weren't for 3 things: unfortunately the game engine does not manage thousands of objects and player is forced to see constant pop-ups of objects and their LODs; the quality of certain textures is a joke; one critical bug that removes water from the world is not fixed since 2016 (player walks onMy score is 9+, but still closer to 10, than 9. It would be easily 10/10 without a doubt, if it weren't for 3 things: unfortunately the game engine does not manage thousands of objects and player is forced to see constant pop-ups of objects and their LODs; the quality of certain textures is a joke; one critical bug that removes water from the world is not fixed since 2016 (player walks on the bottom of the sea and one has to use console commands to repair the game). Aside from this it is a gem. Great narrative, an excellent survival game (think of Cast Away). The plot is really interesting, it somehow feels similar to Fallout series, as you have a story told by the environment as well as many logs&diaries.… Expand
  28. Emeralds
    Mar 12, 2018
    10
    Been a long time since I've been so engrossed in a game. There's not much to say, if you're looking at this, you already know what the game is about. Get it, you won't regret it!
  29. UncleEd
    Nov 30, 2019
    10
    Subnautica is a masterpiece. It is a game that you should play spoiler-free and therefore it is hard to put it into words how good the game is. Subnautica gave me a beautiful world, an unforgettable sci-fi story and feelings that I have not experienced since watching the entire Twin Peaks. Let’s just say this is not the cute diving game you see from the screenshots. This is a special gameSubnautica is a masterpiece. It is a game that you should play spoiler-free and therefore it is hard to put it into words how good the game is. Subnautica gave me a beautiful world, an unforgettable sci-fi story and feelings that I have not experienced since watching the entire Twin Peaks. Let’s just say this is not the cute diving game you see from the screenshots. This is a special game you will bring forward together with the likes of Planescape: Torment, Sanitarium and Silent Hill 2, to prove your argument that the video games could be considered a form of art.… Expand
  30. SeussMyTub
    Sep 2, 2018
    10
    Quite simply the best open world survival game out there. There's an immersive story, and you are in complete control all the way.
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Awards & Rankings

10
#10 Best PC Game of 2018
8
#8 Most Discussed PC Game of 2018
20
#20 Most Shared PC Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 39 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 39 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 39
  3. Negative: 0 out of 39
  1. AusGamers
    Dec 7, 2018
    92
    It isn’t without performance hiccups, especially the deeper you go. But the breadth of content here and the open-world nature both in terms of playspace and just pure choice in how you go about it is something rarely seen in games.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    May 16, 2018
    95
    Subnautica is hands down the best survival game I have ever experienced. I completely lost track of time while playing it and for the first time in ages I rescheduled my appointments and neglected my responsibilities to spend more time with a game. If I could I would hand out free copies in the streets so as many people as possible can see how ridiculously good Subnautica is. [04/2018, p.62]
  3. GameGrin
    May 10, 2018
    90
    A great game that took five years to make. Subnautica is an open sandbox sci-fi fantasy that can inch it's way into horror as you explore the depths of the ocean world. Just be ready to farm!
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »