User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 290 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 31 out of 290
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  1. Jul 11, 2023
    8
    Played the full release in 2023
    Very enjoyable survival game with a surprising good story. The Biomes are gorgeous and very diverse, the soundtrack is awesome. The Gameplay on PS4 is a bit clunky but functional and most of the times quiet intuitive. The game is quiet good at communicating at where to go next, with as little information as possible. But let me be clear that this is a fan
    Played the full release in 2023
    Very enjoyable survival game with a surprising good story. The Biomes are gorgeous and very diverse, the soundtrack is awesome. The Gameplay on PS4 is a bit clunky but functional and most of the times quiet intuitive. The game is quiet good at communicating at where to go next, with as little information as possible. But let me be clear that this is a fan wiki Game. It is possible to play completely blind but you will find yourself swimming around aimlessly like a wale that was just hit by sonar. Luckily the community is awesome.
    Becoming submersed in the world is easy until the textures clip in and you destroy your seamoth on a reefback that you couldn't sea because it hadn't loaded until you drove into it.
    The Gameplay loop is the classical survival loop where you gather resources that upgrade your equipment that lets you go to greater Depths where you find more resources. This game limits the amount of resources to build something to a reasonable amount. You can build a mini base with a power source a bed, a storage unit and two windows with 1 inventory full of resources. Yes this game has a very good base building mechanic.
    That leaves the story. The game has a very direct but interesting story that tells you exactly enough to keep you hooked but not so much that you notice any plot holes.
    But the real star of this game is the world and the creatures that live in it.
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  2. May 30, 2023
    9
    Subnautica es un juego de supervivencia bastante competente dentro del género. El sistema de crafteo es bastante bueno, no se hace demasiado pesado el farmear materiales y la sensación de progresión es muy satisfactoria.
    El diseño del mapa y de todos sus biomas es buenísimo, encontrándonos diferentes animales en cada uno. Por si fuera poco, la historia es sobresaliente dándote la
    Subnautica es un juego de supervivencia bastante competente dentro del género. El sistema de crafteo es bastante bueno, no se hace demasiado pesado el farmear materiales y la sensación de progresión es muy satisfactoria.
    El diseño del mapa y de todos sus biomas es buenísimo, encontrándonos diferentes animales en cada uno. Por si fuera poco, la historia es sobresaliente dándote la sensación continua de querer avanzar y avanzar.
    Por último, lo más brillante del juego es su inmersión, haciendo que estés en constante tensión cuando escuchas a un Leviatán, creándote una talasofobia de cuidado.
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  3. Aug 4, 2022
    9
    Subnautica is so far one of the best ocean games I've ever enjoyed, I felt like I have been into a sea adventure.
    The environment of the game is so diverse and beautiful, the amount of biomes, sea creatures, plants, and buildings that you can construct just like Minecraft, all these details combined together made an absolute masterpiece, however the least appealing part of the game is the
    Subnautica is so far one of the best ocean games I've ever enjoyed, I felt like I have been into a sea adventure.
    The environment of the game is so diverse and beautiful, the amount of biomes, sea creatures, plants, and buildings that you can construct just like Minecraft, all these details combined together made an absolute masterpiece, however the least appealing part of the game is the amount of bugs I encountered.
    Although the bugs the game has something to rebalance itself, it's the storyline, a perfectly well-written story.
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  4. Jan 3, 2023
    9
    Noch nie hat mich ein Game so sehr gepackt wie dieses! Jeden Tag habe ich es gezockt, um die tiefen Gebiete zu erkunden und weitere Elemente der Story zu entdecken. Das Gefühl der Einsamkeit wird hier nicht nur sehe gut rübergebracht, sondern auch mit dem Gefühl der Angst, die ich so noch nie bei einem Spiel empfunden habe, kombiniert. Die verschiedenen Biome, ,,Fische" und die AtmosphäreNoch nie hat mich ein Game so sehr gepackt wie dieses! Jeden Tag habe ich es gezockt, um die tiefen Gebiete zu erkunden und weitere Elemente der Story zu entdecken. Das Gefühl der Einsamkeit wird hier nicht nur sehe gut rübergebracht, sondern auch mit dem Gefühl der Angst, die ich so noch nie bei einem Spiel empfunden habe, kombiniert. Die verschiedenen Biome, ,,Fische" und die Atmosphäre machen dieses Spiel so einzigartig und gut. Die Bugs und das Fehlen von Autosaves haben mich dabei leider sehr gestört. Expand
  5. Dec 20, 2022
    8
    Subnautica is a interesting undersea survival game. I really enjoyed playing this one. It's gorgeous floating round in the reefs and jellyfish caves. There is a fair amount to do. U really get the feel of being stranded in the middle of the ocean. I would recommend this game
  6. Aug 7, 2022
    10
    Восхитительный мир! Прекрасные локации, биомы, флора, фауна и предметы будущего! Очень необычная игра, которая покажет тебе красоту подводного мира! Здесь ты будешь бояться глубины, но потихоньку преодолеешь этот страх, благодаря апгрейдам техники и пониманию фауныВосхитительный мир! Прекрасные локации, биомы, флора, фауна и предметы будущего! Очень необычная игра, которая покажет тебе красоту подводного мира! Здесь ты будешь бояться глубины, но потихоньку преодолеешь этот страх, благодаря апгрейдам техники и пониманию фауны
  7. Dec 27, 2021
    10
    El mejor juego de supervivencia que he jugado, con una historia sorprendente que se va revelando según exploramos. Totalmente inolvidable!
  8. Dec 2, 2021
    8
    One of the best underwater games ever made and one of the best survival games ever made. A masterpiece of world-building, storytelling, game progression, and balance.

    The visuals are often stunningly rich and beautiful textured and lit. Also fantastic audio - both the soundtrack, and the environmental sounds, made for the best sonic experience of any game I have ever played and this
    One of the best underwater games ever made and one of the best survival games ever made. A masterpiece of world-building, storytelling, game progression, and balance.

    The visuals are often stunningly rich and beautiful textured and lit. Also fantastic audio - both the soundtrack, and the environmental sounds, made for the best sonic experience of any game I have ever played and this made a big difference to the emotional impact and sense of being alone in hostile waters. Use a home theatre system if you possibly can and crank up the subwoofer.

    It would be a 10/10 but read on.

    Subnautica on PS4 is let down by immersion-breaking graphical glitches (clipping, framerate, and pop-in are all problematic). And there are couple of horribly game-breaking bugs. Those issues might be okay on PC where workarounds can be found, but not on console where there's no workaround or remedy. Don't even bother playing on Hardcore mode, and backup your saves once an hour. The PS4 release needed a lot more polish so 8/10 is the best I can do.
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  9. Nov 27, 2021
    8
    Great game with amazing atmosphere at times. The collecting of materials to build gets really addictive.
  10. Nov 15, 2021
    9
    A true hidden gem of a game. Came out of nowhere and landed itself in my Top10 of this console generation. If it had co-op I'd have given it a 10. So good.
  11. Oct 19, 2021
    8
    Solid survival game. They really did a great job creating unique and different biomes to keep you interested. And boy, do those Reaper Leviathans keep you on your toes.

    I had only two complaints: One, the load times could get a bit lengthy (upwards of four minutes, a few times). This is notable because second, the Prawn Suit that you can construct in-game has a very bad habit of
    Solid survival game. They really did a great job creating unique and different biomes to keep you interested. And boy, do those Reaper Leviathans keep you on your toes.

    I had only two complaints:

    One, the load times could get a bit lengthy (upwards of four minutes, a few times). This is notable because second, the Prawn Suit that you can construct in-game has a very bad habit of getting stuck in the Alien Facilities you enter. In my case, the only way I could unstick them was by rebooting the game and loading my last save. I became intimately familiar with the loading screen for a while there.

    In the grand scheme of things, though, these were relatively minor complaints. I still highly recommend the game.
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  12. Jul 17, 2021
    10
    It is the first survival game I have played and it did not dissapoint. After this game I believe the bar will be set really high for the next one to beat it.
    The atmosphere is fantastic and I was always amazed at how far I was able to push the game's performance. Everything is seamlessly connected without any loading screens. Indeed there are some pop ins but nothing gamebreaking. The
    It is the first survival game I have played and it did not dissapoint. After this game I believe the bar will be set really high for the next one to beat it.
    The atmosphere is fantastic and I was always amazed at how far I was able to push the game's performance. Everything is seamlessly connected without any loading screens. Indeed there are some pop ins but nothing gamebreaking. The story is excellent and lastly at the end, you feel you leave your own mark on this incredible alien world. I can't wait to star playing below zero.
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  13. Jun 28, 2021
    9
    A masterpiece! Had to deduct a point just for some amount of glitchiness. It's an amazing experience that nobody should miss out on.
  14. Jun 27, 2021
    9
    Subnautica, an awesome indie game about ocean exploration and surviving in a world isolated by a quarentine by a superior race, that is trying to find out a cure for a disease. It presents an unexplored world and quite graphically polished. The number of creatures and the story that we are following through the strange radio messages of other shipwrecks on the planet, will lead us to aSubnautica, an awesome indie game about ocean exploration and surviving in a world isolated by a quarentine by a superior race, that is trying to find out a cure for a disease. It presents an unexplored world and quite graphically polished. The number of creatures and the story that we are following through the strange radio messages of other shipwrecks on the planet, will lead us to a much greater challenge: discover the secrets of this fantastic planet, who passed before and its predators.

    But it is not the typical game of swimming and getting material, what makes it different and so pleasant is the wide range of fantastic creatures that we can find, other shipwrecks, also the great music makes the game an unforgettable experience.

    We started in a life-saving capsule and with almost no resources, and our mission was to create a habitat, survive and face predators while discovering the great aurora and the history that surrounds the planet.

    I was very impressed by this indie masterpiece, although there always some not good things, some fps drops are presented, the initial loading screen takes a long time and we can find some quite exaggerated bugs, but all this is countered by the wonderful atmosphere of the game, biomes, creatures, music, vehicles, possibility to farm a large number of plants, etc.

    In these 50 hours that I have invested in the game, I have discovered how fantastic it is, tricks and history. 9/10 I definitely recommend playing this indie masterpiece made by Unkown Worlds Entertainment. Congratulations on the fantastic game you have made. Must play.
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  15. Jun 6, 2021
    9
    It's a one of the best survival game that i played. The game environment is fantastic with beautiful biomes and graphics. The game has a good history and the gameplay is balanced. For PS4, the game has some issues related to graphic optimization but that doesn't hinder the gameplay.
  16. Jun 6, 2021
    8
    One of the best survival / base crafting game.

    The game is pretty easy, but you will have to invest time in reading the document you find to understand the lore otherwise you'll find yourself with no clue about what to do next. You are on your own and you will have to think logically and be thorough in your exploration to progress through the story. Ending is good and rewarding which is
    One of the best survival / base crafting game.

    The game is pretty easy, but you will have to invest time in reading the document you find to understand the lore otherwise you'll find yourself with no clue about what to do next. You are on your own and you will have to think logically and be thorough in your exploration to progress through the story. Ending is good and rewarding which is very rare for this kind of game.

    Graphics & Music are good and immersive. The gameplay is based on exploration and gets new everytime you build a new vehicle.

    Combat is almost inexistant and should be avoided because it is not fun and fleeing is always a better option. AI is very poor and blind.

    Technically the game suffers on basic ps4 to a point I had never seen before in my life: 3 min to load the last save, pop up delay almost game breaking because the plant or ore you're looking for does not appear while you're asphyxiating and last but not least, the game crashes every hour or so (save often or be bitter).

    In conclusion, i'm really looking forward for the next iteration...but not on ps4.
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  17. Jun 2, 2021
    10
    This one is among the best games I've played in my life and I play for 35 years. It's just immersive. For anyone loving free open-world adventures, where it's the player to decide what to do and where to go - it's probably a life-time adventure.

    What makes it so unique is the constant sense of "unknown". Sure, Witcher or Skyrim are great too, it's a similar vibe of freedom but wherever
    This one is among the best games I've played in my life and I play for 35 years. It's just immersive. For anyone loving free open-world adventures, where it's the player to decide what to do and where to go - it's probably a life-time adventure.

    What makes it so unique is the constant sense of "unknown". Sure, Witcher or Skyrim are great too, it's a similar vibe of freedom but wherever you go, there are other people there. In subnautica, you can't really expect anything and it's a constant I-didn't-expected-that feeling.

    The only minor complaint is a slow start that could potentially repell some players from the exploration - you first need to gather resources, build a base and vehicles and only then the player can plan their trips around the vast world that awaits to be visited.

    I really like the story, it's not that obvious at the beginning but later in the game the plot plays an important role. Clever, as it's then not just exploring around without a point but rather, you explore to unravel the story behind the game.

    Brilliant, great. Definitely recommend.
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  18. May 25, 2021
    10
    A truly unique experience, i enjoyed it a lot despite all the bugs and poor performance issues
  19. May 20, 2021
    10
    One of the best survival games I've ever played, discovered by mere accident, as it was free to download as part of Sony's 'Stay at home' initiative.

    Story is incredibly immersive, developing and full of twists. As it develops, more and more things start to make sense. And in order to develop it -- you have to put in more time/resources, get better equipment, get to the deepest and
    One of the best survival games I've ever played, discovered by mere accident, as it was free to download as part of Sony's 'Stay at home' initiative.

    Story is incredibly immersive, developing and full of twists. As it develops, more and more things start to make sense. And in order to develop it -- you have to put in more time/resources, get better equipment, get to the deepest and scariest biomes and find out by yourself.

    Unlike it's sequel (more of an expansion pack) Below Zero, this game doesn't take you by your hand. Tutorial consists of few sentences and an arrow. Everything else you have to figure out by yourself. And this is what hooked me on to this game even further. I had to Google everything out, do the research as I play. Watch tutorials for each big step in order to make it. And thats why I've had 7+ days of pure game time fun.
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  20. May 13, 2021
    10
    Easy 10 for price akone. It's subnautica in steroids, better graphics snimations sounds textured levels amazing story ends just much.

    There is just so much more detail. It's what a 60 game costs even though it's worth 50 and so are those games. These people are the new CD project red. Releasing GOOD games that are original and cheap but great quality. And their sequel blew it out of the
    Easy 10 for price akone. It's subnautica in steroids, better graphics snimations sounds textured levels amazing story ends just much.

    There is just so much more detail. It's what a 60 game costs even though it's worth 50 and so are those games. These people are the new CD project red. Releasing GOOD games that are original and cheap but great quality. And their sequel blew it out of the park. This is a mist buy. Best preorder for 26 ever had. But it at full price and support the dev because they are giving us a deal on premium is far bug free experience. They are like a unicorn in the industry. "You guys want cheap bomb ass games?" "Hell yeah!" "Well here ya go! Oh and they don't crash or need dlc! Maybe we will add in free stuff but it's definitely a complete game. You can preorder it for $27!".

    Dudes are legends in the gaming industry. We should buy their stock now After resident evil right making another solid 100 from me, thst and Disco Elysium have made spring gsming great. Next week sunless skies comes out console another must buy from me. Recently we have been spoiled with good games. Biomutant is good i preordered it ,shame shame i know. It could be a buggy crashing mess. Side note, check out steep you like snowboarding to chill electro music. Also try Stellaris if you like big sim space empire warfare. My last recommendation is Blasphemous it's my goty before next year's dokm enteral which was a blessing from the literal gods. Don't miss Lara Croft 30woth dlc dungeons it's dope. Finally ion fury if you like duke nukem
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  21. May 11, 2021
    9
    Absolutely phenomenal game. Been a while since a game got me hooked in as much as Subnautica.
    Exploring the different biomes and uncovering new blueprints/lore is incredibly satisfying.
    Story was top notch and engaging throughout as well. Would have been an easy 10/10 for me if not for the numerous bugs (one of which almost bricked my 70 hour playthrough). Fact that this game still
    Absolutely phenomenal game. Been a while since a game got me hooked in as much as Subnautica.
    Exploring the different biomes and uncovering new blueprints/lore is incredibly satisfying.

    Story was top notch and engaging throughout as well. Would have been an easy 10/10 for me if not for the numerous bugs (one of which almost bricked my 70 hour playthrough). Fact that this game still gets a 9/10 despite the bugs shows its truly a one a kind and unforgettable experience.

    Upon finishing the game, I could not stop thinking about it for almost a week later.
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  22. May 1, 2021
    9
    Very good survival game, a story line is in place but no time constraints and progress at your own pace. It is very much collecting and crafting, a fair bit of repetitive game play but that is the part I like. Base building, vehicle research and then crafting are all done at a great pace and the voice prompts at the start of the game are very informative. Everything can be re read at yourVery good survival game, a story line is in place but no time constraints and progress at your own pace. It is very much collecting and crafting, a fair bit of repetitive game play but that is the part I like. Base building, vehicle research and then crafting are all done at a great pace and the voice prompts at the start of the game are very informative. Everything can be re read at your own pace via your PDA. Expand
  23. Apr 30, 2021
    10
    One of the best games I've ever played. A truly new and unique gaming experience that makes you feel all kinds of things other videogames have never made you feel before. PS4 experience is not that great compared to PC but with dev tools on and the vsync turned off the frame rate is quite good. Any technical shortcomings are completely overshadowed by just how good the gaming experienceOne of the best games I've ever played. A truly new and unique gaming experience that makes you feel all kinds of things other videogames have never made you feel before. PS4 experience is not that great compared to PC but with dev tools on and the vsync turned off the frame rate is quite good. Any technical shortcomings are completely overshadowed by just how good the gaming experience is. I could say a lot more about this game but I can't be bothered right now. Expand
  24. Apr 9, 2021
    9
    Taking place in the late 22nd century, Subnautica opens with the deep-space vessel Aurora crash lands on planet 4546B. Having been able to make it into a life-pod, the player finds themselves alone and having to fight against all odds in order to survive.

    As with many games in the ‘survival genre’ collecting and crafting goods can be a little repetitive, especially in the early going,
    Taking place in the late 22nd century, Subnautica opens with the deep-space vessel Aurora crash lands on planet 4546B. Having been able to make it into a life-pod, the player finds themselves alone and having to fight against all odds in order to survive.

    As with many games in the ‘survival genre’ collecting and crafting goods can be a little repetitive, especially in the early going, and this may put some people off. The underwater world of Subnautica is however both exhilarating and terrifying to explore, and the crafting system is incredibly satisfying. Add to this an intriguing story, and you have an absolutely fantastic game.
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  25. Apr 4, 2021
    8
    One of my favourite game nowadays.
    Sometimes you get scared of the totally unknown place, creature that you see. Good story, absolutely great soundtrack, good open world, great concept and good atmosphere.
    Even though it haves some technical issues still a great game.
    If you like survival based games without micro transactions this game is a must have.
  26. Feb 4, 2021
    8
    I never thought I'd like swimming through an entire game, but somehow these developers have made it a joy. Subnautica is the survival genre at its approachable best.

    The game is easy to get into, but presents various degrees of challenge as you go along. Hours and hours of grinding is an option, but it is not required. There's some story to follow if you choose and lore to discover
    I never thought I'd like swimming through an entire game, but somehow these developers have made it a joy. Subnautica is the survival genre at its approachable best.

    The game is easy to get into, but presents various degrees of challenge as you go along. Hours and hours of grinding is an option, but it is not required. There's some story to follow if you choose and lore to discover throughout, but it's never overbearing if you choose to do your own thing. There's a beautiful and varied ocean to explore, terror to encounter, and futuristic sea technology to build.

    I've got to knock it down to an 8 because I hit 10-15 bugs in my 20-hour playthrough. Getting stuck in walls, teleporting outside of submarines, etc. It felt like I just narrowly missed losing my whole save a few times. And the quick item select system is absurdly dysfunctional for a modern game.

    But otherwise, it's a great game that I can't recommend more strongly, both to longtime fans of the survival genre and total newbies.

    NOTE: Can't speak to the PS4 experience, as it runs great on my PS5 in 2021.
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  27. Jul 19, 2020
    8
    This is a very beautiful game also I liked all this sea deferno which at the same time is very beautiful and sometimes even scares the graphics in the game on the strong 8 music strong 10 loved but on this version of the game there is an unload of the world and so on the crab you can fall for the card about this cape also in the game there are friezes while plunging out of the water andThis is a very beautiful game also I liked all this sea deferno which at the same time is very beautiful and sometimes even scares the graphics in the game on the strong 8 music strong 10 loved but on this version of the game there is an unload of the world and so on the crab you can fall for the card about this cape also in the game there are friezes while plunging out of the water and all the game fire all the advice! Expand
  28. Jul 2, 2020
    10
    This is the best game ever, I really enjoyed it. I've spent more than 200 hours, got the platinum trophy (ps4 version) and I'm totally willing to spend 100 hours more. I can't recommend this enough.
    10/10 Must play, totally worth your money!
  29. Jun 29, 2020
    10
    Subnautica provided me the best gaming experience I've had since perhaps the first time I played Skyrim in 2011. It is the only survival game I've played and it sets the bar very high. The world was incredibly immersive, from biome design to sounds effect and even atmospheric music. You feel like you are in the water. Biomes range from colorful and fun to dark, eerie, and unsettling. TheSubnautica provided me the best gaming experience I've had since perhaps the first time I played Skyrim in 2011. It is the only survival game I've played and it sets the bar very high. The world was incredibly immersive, from biome design to sounds effect and even atmospheric music. You feel like you are in the water. Biomes range from colorful and fun to dark, eerie, and unsettling. The exploration and crafting are rewarding enough on their own, but on top of that, there is a story that needs to be pieced together by scanning items or discovering locations, never being hand-fed to you like most single player campaigns seem to do. I wholeheartedly enjoyed the story and the discovery aspect of it. The game can be anxiety inducing, as it playing on human's natural fear of the unknown and the depths of the ocean. But for me that just added to the fantastic overall experience.

    This review is actually a 9.5, but that was not an option and I couldn't in good conscience leave a flat 9 for this game. This is due to some performance issues on the PS4 version. There are times that the ocean floor fails to load in while you are moving at high speeds, causing you to either have to stop moving and wait for it to catch up or risk having it load around you, trapping you in the environment. These issues did not really affect me, as the only times it happened I was able to reload my save and all issues were resolved. That being said, the devs did add "console commands" that are available to all versions of the game, not just PC, but I did not personally try them out. I would definitely not recommend letting some performance issues stop you from experiencing the masterpiece that is Subnautica.
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  30. Jun 23, 2020
    10
    One of the best games I've ever played. A few technical issues on console but overall it's a great experience. If you like survinal base building games, this game is one of the best in the market.
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 18
  2. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. CD-Action
    Mar 25, 2019
    80
    The PS4 edition of the brilliant survival game has some performance problems (framerate dropping, environment popping up really badly if you travel fast) and navigating in three dimensions is much less intuitive with a controller than with a mouse, which did cost me my life sometimes. These flaws do not disqualify the console port though, so if you can’t enjoy Subnautica on PC, consider giving it a shot on PS4, as there are very few such games nowadays. [02/2019, p.35]
  2. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Jan 27, 2019
    80
    Few games are this consistently surprising, let alone this well designed. [Issue#158, p.88]
  3. Jan 15, 2019
    65
    I have rarely seen a game go from being absolutely sublime to absolutely awful, but Subnautica manages to pull it off. The first 25-30 hours are a superb sci-fi survival experience that I would happily recommend to anyone, and I’ll cherish that time under the waves for years to come. But the endgame? It really does ruin a good thing. If the first chunk of the adventure were scored on its own, it would rate much higher. But as a complete experience? The issues are too large to ignore.