![]() ![]() Furthermore, there are a bunch of sections of the game that take place on the ground, which bring with it the need to be alert for land-based threats, manage body temperature, craft appropriate gear and avoid hypothermia. This time around, the story takes centre stage and the narrative guides you through your exploration, crafting and base-building. The 2018 title threw you into the middle of an ocean with nary a clue about your whereabouts or purpose, leaving you to dig around and discover both for yourself. But there’s a marked difference in the approach this time around. Sure enough, there are a great deal of similarities, particularly when it comes to gameplay. “It’s built on top of some of the core gameplay of the first game, but it truly stands alone,” he continues. “ Below Zero is a sequel,” affirms David, adding, “We built an entirely new world, new storyline, a slew of new tools and vehicles, an entirely new cast of alien creatures and characters to discover.” But can it be considered a full-fledged sequel or is it more of a standalone expansion? Think Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony. Sure, the general look and feel has undergone an upgrade and the soundscape feels richer, but these are improvements you would expect on a next current generation console.Īccording to various reports, Below Zero started out as a DLC, before turning into a standalone title. Having recently played Subnautica (which was one of the indie games offered up gratis in March/April by Sony as part of its Play at Home initiative), I had some idea of what to expect going into Below Zero. ![]() “Back it wasn't even a studio,” recalls Charlie Cleveland, director of the first Subnautica game and co-founder of Unknown Worlds, “It was just my friend Cory Strader and I working on a game.” It was in May 2001, that he left Stainless Steel Studios to start writing Natural Selection (more on this later). This juxtaposition of beauty and fear are at the forefront of the Subnautica games and particularly the sequel (the publisher was kind enough to provide a review code for PlayStation 5), the release of which coincided with it being 20 years since the seeds for what would become Unknown Worlds were sown. The fear of drowning is primal and universal, all of which makes it perfect for a survival game with a terrifying edge.” That said, he continues, “Underwater environments are familiar, and beautiful - look at the passion people have for snorkelling or scuba-diving.” “The water is naturally terrifying,” explains David, adding, “It is a place where you can’t breathe. So just what is it about throwing players into the drink that is so appealing to game developers? Screen grab from Subnautica: Below Zero on PlayStation 5 Along the way, you’ll engage in resource-gathering, crafting (food, water, tools and useful materials), base-building, lots of exploration and a bit of combat - a large chunk of which takes place underwater, where aside from keeping an eye on your health bar, you have to track your hydration and oxygen levels, and deftly manage those. The premise of both Subnautica games is simple enough: Oriented in a first-person perspective, you find yourself on an alien world comprised largely of water, and have to work out just what is going on. Around a couple of weeks ago, Subnautica: Below Zero (referred to henceforth as simply Below Zero), the sequel to the 2018 title, became the latest game to enter the watery arena. Meanwhile, such games as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (most notably), Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and a slew of first-person shooters have greatly struggled with levels that send you through that terrain. In fact, the likes of Bioshock, Abzû, Endless Ocean and Beyond Blue are just some of the games that have over the years made that environment their own. Atmospheric, frightening and visually spellbinding all at once, this was as unsettling an experience as it was unforgettable.īut Subnautica was far from being the only game that sent players underwater. Launching to rave reviews three years ago, San Francisco-based Unknown Worlds Entertainment’s open world survival and action-adventure game Subnautica redefined, in many ways, what has long been a very hit or miss setting for video games: Underwater. “In a bathtub, or on a submarine,” says David Kalina, its project lead. What’s the best way to play Subnautica: Below Zero? ![]()
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