Subnautica

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 290 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 217 out of 290
  2. Mixed: 42 out of 290
  3. Negative: 31 out of 290
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  1. apodixis
    Feb 23, 2019
    10
    Great. Probably the best exploration game I've ever played. It was constantly interesting and surprising. The moderate survival/horror elements were perfect for me. One of my favorite games of all time in spite of a few minor bugs.
  2. lamothe
    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.    … Expand
  3. torq314
    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.    … Expand
  4. botox
    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.    … Expand
  5. JJBean
    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
  6. RobinOfTheWood
    Dec 6, 2018
    10
    Very polished. Lots of fun. Picked it up last night, was still playing at 4am. Feels like what I expected No Man's Sky to offer when it was released, but didn't. I hesitated at paying full price, just before the sales, but don't fear, it's entirely worth it.
  7. Lula_Bean
    Jan 14, 2019
    10
    I really can't rate this game highly enough. I'm typically a casual gamer that usually only plays the odd weekend or so, but despite it somewhat slower nature, something about this title had me glued to the screen for 6 an entire weekend. I'm already thinking about how I can sneak extra time in during the week without neglecting my household. It's been 15 years since a game has captured meI really can't rate this game highly enough. I'm typically a casual gamer that usually only plays the odd weekend or so, but despite it somewhat slower nature, something about this title had me glued to the screen for 6 an entire weekend. I'm already thinking about how I can sneak extra time in during the week without neglecting my household. It's been 15 years since a game has captured me like this (Morrowind). So much so that I felt the need to write a review, which I've never done before.

    The environment is beautiful and at times, deeply unsettling as you discover hints of just how diverse, vast, and terrifying the environment can be. More often than not, it's what you can't see that gets the heart racing. An incredible music score goes with each of the individual environments and adds to the sense of awe as you discover new locations. Legitimate challenges are balanced nicely with the rewards received for exploring - the pace of the game is as slow or as fast as you'd like it to be.

    I've been tempted to read guides online but I think that discovering on your own is one of the greatest delights of this game and frankly, when it comes to certain areas, ignorance might be bliss.

    I've seen some folks write about bugs and issues with graphics - while I've definitely encountered some slow environment loading when moving quickly, I haven't experienced any bugs that I know of.

    This game is an absolute pleasure to play.    … Expand
  8. Reyn_Sedai
    Apr 18, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. omg this game, omg. i was in love from beginning to end! the visuals are stunning and the audio is mesmerizing, you will loose all track of time in a very good way. its a MUST PLAY!!!!!! theres admittedly a few bugs but the response time from bug submitting to bug fixing update is insanely fast! it shows that they're actively listening and that they care about us, their players. please support the devs, they truly deserve sales and support.… Expand
  9. mplaaguilera
    May 25, 2021
    10
    A truly unique experience, i enjoyed it a lot despite all the bugs and poor performance issues
  10. UserUser
    Jan 11, 2020
    10
    This game isn't perfect, so the score doesn't reflect perfection. It reflects setting out to achieve something and succeeding. Definitely a survival/base-building game that I would recommend. Great environment, great story, no FPS/combat mechanic (nice change of pace).

    Some gripes: texture pop-ins, constantly having to check your crafting menu to find out what you need for crafting,    This game isn't perfect, so the score doesn't reflect perfection. It reflects setting out to achieve something and succeeding. Definitely a survival/base-building game that I would recommend. Great environment, great story, no FPS/combat mechanic (nice change of pace).

    Some gripes: texture pop-ins, constantly having to check your crafting menu to find out what you need for crafting, quest/mission menu without progress tracker. forgetting what you had to do if you haven't played the game in a long time.    … Expand
  11. HeartOnly
    Feb 8, 2020
    10
    Subnautica is a game that challenged my fears of the unknown, as well as the deepest parts of the ocean. Merge the unknown and deepest parts of the ocean and you are given a whole tank of fresh nightmare fuel.

    But it is what had me enjoy this game the most. It's intense and almost terrifying, having to scavenge for resources in order to survive in the vast ocean of another planet thrown    Subnautica is a game that challenged my fears of the unknown, as well as the deepest parts of the ocean. Merge the unknown and deepest parts of the ocean and you are given a whole tank of fresh nightmare fuel.

    But it is what had me enjoy this game the most. It's intense and almost terrifying, having to scavenge for resources in order to survive in the vast ocean of another planet thrown under quarantine now that a deadly infection has broken out. The graphics are beautiful, shimmering oceans and various creatures lurking. While a part of me was reluctant to face such terrifying creatures, the gameplay, story and visuals had me pushing through my own boundaries.    … Expand
  12. vintage_rose
    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.
  13. zellyfreak
    Jun 20, 2020
    10
    Really great game. I'm not the kind of gamer who likes survival games, but it really blow my mind. I play the game for the second time and it still gives me goosebumps
  14. GhostReaper
    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.    … Expand
  15. SomeoneWhoPlays
    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!
  16. Zdygard
    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    … Expand
  17. Migu7
    Dec 27, 2021
    10
    El mejor juego de supervivencia que he jugado, con una historia sorprendente que se va revelando según exploramos. Totalmente inolvidable!
  18. Raziel72
    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
  19. drlowdon
    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.    … Expand
  20. 2Netz
    Dec 4, 2018
    9
    What should i say? Subnautica changed my attitude on survival games.
    This is a diamond in an ocean of typical unfinished start ups. And a breath of fresh air after all those franchise based "ball of booty 9" and "aladeen creed 10" games... =)
    Atmosphere, graphics, plot and MUSIC!
    This is a true masterpiece.
    So far i'm enjoying playing it with my wife on a big screen. Peace!
    Must buy.
  21. Vanpire73
    May 24, 2019
    9
    This review score is based on the creepy, very fun, underwater crafting/survival adventure game I just could not put down and not the soul-crushing, game-breaking bug-filled mess that warrants a review score of 1. No game has pissed me off more. I absolutely loved it, but paying money for it (which would normally be a great deal) in the state it is in makes me feel like my nuts areThis review score is based on the creepy, very fun, underwater crafting/survival adventure game I just could not put down and not the soul-crushing, game-breaking bug-filled mess that warrants a review score of 1. No game has pissed me off more. I absolutely loved it, but paying money for it (which would normally be a great deal) in the state it is in makes me feel like my nuts are nothing but a kicking bag.… Expand
  22. krayzie
    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.    … Expand
  23. Wardrobechaos
    Jan 23, 2020
    9
    apart from the MAJOR performance issues, clipping, textures not loading etc this is a masterpiece. loved every minute of it! cannot believe i did not play this sooner! :)
  24. XxMayhemxX37
    Dec 15, 2018
    9
    EDIT: [Crashes seem to be fixed from latest update 1.05. They also added a feedback button. I know I rated the game as it came out... but now that its fixed, it deserves its better score of a... 9!!!] Original review --> Sigh...Great game but has some severe issues. The devs are aware of the issues and are working on them according to their web page. I have updated to 1.04 andEDIT: [Crashes seem to be fixed from latest update 1.05. They also added a feedback button. I know I rated the game as it came out... but now that its fixed, it deserves its better score of a... 9!!!] Original review --> Sigh...Great game but has some severe issues. The devs are aware of the issues and are working on them according to their web page. I have updated to 1.04 and started a new game after the update. Seems the game crashes more now then before. Crashes alot during saving as well. It's a shame because if there was no crashes, the game would be an 8 or 9. (Maybe add auto save every 5 minutes?) Fix the framerate issues and occasional missing textures in the world and it would be a 10. The reason I say that is because the game itself is AMAZING. The fear of the deep, the progression, the blueprints, the soundtrack, the story.. omg.. there's so much to love about this game.. it is a masterpiece. BUT.. not when the framerate is slowing down and definitely not when it constantly crashes.. I've had a 3 day weekend to really get into the game, and I've had at least 6-8 crashes per day. Unacceptable!!! The game is just a 4 right now and I'm being VERY generous. Like I said before, after they fix the crashes and help with the framerate, the score will rise on an otherwise great game.… Expand
  25. Trevwin
    Mar 1, 2019
    9
    totally engrossing. I've not been that taken with base building games before but this has a combination of accessibility and difficulty that makes it really easy to get in to.
    Great story and superb sound design, managed to make be genuinely creeped out with little but darkness and sound effects. Superb.
  26. drewski57
    Jan 23, 2019
    9
    This is one of the best games on the market, truly original. You can ignore the low score reviews, the game has been patched right after release and runs fine, no crashes after 20+ hours of play. If you like survival type games this is a must get. Very suspenseful and a intriguing story/setting. The controls are very intuitive and easy to pick up. The real fun part of this game isThis is one of the best games on the market, truly original. You can ignore the low score reviews, the game has been patched right after release and runs fine, no crashes after 20+ hours of play. If you like survival type games this is a must get. Very suspenseful and a intriguing story/setting. The controls are very intuitive and easy to pick up. The real fun part of this game is exploring and crafting. The world is huge and you must figure it out. Very rewarding process. If you like games that make you think and plan, you will love this game!… Expand
  27. siglerj
    Jul 28, 2019
    9
    The game is super entertaining, A LOT OF FUN! The main problem is the game is super glitchy and buggy! First time I fell on a glitch and it bugged my 400hr save data. Which happened 2 times after that. Now I restarted on survival and 7 hours into it I got the nefarious prawn door glitch. The game is fun and very nice looking but not worth the headaches! I tried getting my money back sinceThe game is super entertaining, A LOT OF FUN! The main problem is the game is super glitchy and buggy! First time I fell on a glitch and it bugged my 400hr save data. Which happened 2 times after that. Now I restarted on survival and 7 hours into it I got the nefarious prawn door glitch. The game is fun and very nice looking but not worth the headaches! I tried getting my money back since the game is definitely broken for ps4 but sony threatened to block my account if I took any actions!… Expand
  28. Adamantium01
    Jan 28, 2020
    9
    Amazing game. Easily my all time top10. Yes, it could be better optimised for PS4 but honestly I didn't mind because of how hard it was for me to put it down.
  29. Fed_OS
    May 10, 2020
    9
    Одна из лучших игр в этом жанре: прекрасная графика и геймплей. Единственный минус это немного плохая раскладка.
  30. Jangames
    Apr 30, 2020
    9
    I love this game. It is so beautiful. It is a whole new genre when you are under water. Also the Story is good. The only thing that i have to complian are bugs.
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Awards & Rankings

57
#57 Best PS4 Game of 2018
38
#38 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 18
  3. 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. GameCritics
    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.
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