Subnautica: Released (SPOILER WARNING past Post #1)

[Unkillable Cat]

And Subnautica: Below Zero has reached 1.0-release.

And... I have a really hard time recommending it.

Without spoiling anything, story-wise... this is worse than how Breathedge fared. As thin as the latter part of Breathedge ended up being, at least there was something there. There is nothing here, and that goes double for anyone who gave it a go during Early Access.

For those wanting the spoilers.

You play Robin Ayou, a black woman who, after hearing of her sister's death on the planet of 4546B, decides to sneak onto the planet and find out the truth herself. Keep in mind that she has no real plan beyond this, she has next to no idea what's going on down there, and she has no exit strategy.

She barely survives her landing, and sets about the familiar task of making shelter, finding materials and trying to learn more. The first thing she finds out is that she's not alone; against all odds Marguerit Maida, the bodyguard hired to the expedition that came to the planet before the Aurora crashed there, has been living on the planet for over a decade. How she survived the Kharaa is not explained (unless I missed a really out-of-the-way log entry somewhere).

In addition, one of the precursor Architects had stored the digital aspects of himself in a holding facility nearby when the outbreak occurred millenia ago, but that facility was now close to losing power. He sends out a distress signal which Robyn responds to, and he transfers his essence into her brain. The Architect (or 'Alan' for short) guides Robyn around to assemble and build him a new body, so that he can leave her mind and return to his people.

During her travels, Robyn learns that her sister found an intact sample of the Kharaa-bacteria, which everyone assumed had been wiped out after the events of Subnautica. The Alterra corp, instead of erasing the galactic plague once and all, decides to research it instead. This leads to Robyn's sister taking matters into her own hands, and with Maida's help she bombs the biolab holding the samples, and then tries to seal off the cave where the sample was originally found. But to reasons that are never explained she fails, and only partially collapses the cave, but kills herself and the security officer in the process, and without erasing the bacteria. Robyn finishes what she started and kills the Kharaa-bacteria, possibly forever.

Robyn helps Alan build his body, after which he then powers up a teleporter to his ship, and offers Robyn to come with him. She accepts, and together they set off to Alan's homeworld.

The End.

With the exception of the dead security guard, and one of the scientists who was with Robyn's sister at the time who was evacc'ed by Alterra, the fates of the other characters introduced on 4546B are unresolved.

The minor upgrades to the gameplay of Subnautica does not justify all the other downgrades brought about. Subnautica had mystery, an intriguing story and an emotional farewell, BZ has none of that. About the only thing BZ does right is all the new critters introduced. Most are just Generic Fish, a few are quite memorable and then there are the big'uns lurking in the deep. Shadow Leviathans is as dangerous as it gets.

Oh, and they didn't fix the P.R.A.W.N. being king on the ice.

 

[Alter Sack]

Isn't the developer of this game the vindictive cunt who dmca-striked a big youtuber who promoted his game because he let slip the word nigger in an unrelated stream?

Or do I confuse him with somebody else?

It makes a pirate discount seem tempting.

 

[markec]

Isn't the developer of this game the vindictive cunt who dmca-striked a big youtuber who promoted his game because he let slip the word nigger in a unrelated stream?

Or do I confuse him with somebody else?

It makes a pirate discount seem tempting.

Dont know about that, but this is a company which fired their sound artist for liking a tweet of Paul Joseph Watson.

 

[Poseidon00]

Dont know about that, but this is a company which fired their sound artist for liking a tweet of Paul Joseph Watson.

That's all I need to hear to encourage nobody to buy it legit

 

[lightbane]

Wow, that story for the expansion sounds retarded and seems like the protagonist survives mostly thanks to plot-armor, not because of having any merit of her own.
Also, STRONK BLACK WOMAN!!! (TM) featured in the cover, but of course. She's not bald, but close enough and she's fuck-ugly because "muh male gaze!"
Woke cultists eventually destroy everything they touch or create.

 

[Alter Sack]

Wow, that story for the expansion sounds retarded and seems like the protagonist survives mostly thanks to plot-armor, not because of having any merit of her own.
Also, STRONK BLACK WOMAN!!! (TM) featured in the cover, but of course. She's not bald, but close enough and she's fuck-ugly because "muh male gaze!"
Woke cultists eventually destroy everything they touch or create.

Well, at least the game is in the ego perspective. So you don't have to constantly stare at an ugly nigger head from behind.

 

[Ezeekiel]

Some things I'd like to add:
The acting does nothing for me here... It's better than their now-scrapped first attempt with the chatty-chirpy sisters, but only by a bit.
Robin the mc has no gravitas or anything, ever.
They all sound like a mix of young british sitcom actors and california valleypeople.
The game also gave me the impression that the evil future corporations to rule us all will consist mostly of LGBT people, so yeah. Not sure that was intended

Compared to the first subnautica I also think the gameworld just isn't that interesting:
-It lacks a good landmark like the crashed Aurora
-It has none of the tropical goodness of the safe shallows and islands... None of the lovely sunny weather which allowed you to see very far and deep in most surface biomes. Instead vision ranges are very short mostly, which can be disorienting, and everything is too gray-ish or otherwise murky. Colors just aren't as vivid.
This was intended to be dlc for the first game, a part of the original playing area. That would have made much more sense. As a standalone it's too samey and boring.

-Biomes mostly just aren't all that great or intersting to look at. There's nothing cool like the area before the lost river with the blood stuff and with the creepy music, and then the lost river itself etc. Several biomes are just kind of ugly (the one with the many thermal vents and the one with a certain characters' base).
-They spam the fuck out of the predators especially in a few specific biomes which are just so full of them.
The things swim like 10m from each other and scream in your ear every few seconds.
-All you ever do (unless you want to go knife-to-meet-you) is avoid the enemies. Boring as fuck and easy to do as they mostly have tiny aggro radii. Predator A.I. does nothing interesting whatsoever. Leviathan designs are meh.

In general there are barely any improvements. The performance still starts to suffer if you play for extended periods of time, so reload or restart.
Optimization (a problem in the first game which the devs arrogantly told people they'd do "later" during early access, only to have to admit that it was too late and fuck you) consists of them reducing range of vision etc.
Many of the graphic bugs from the first game are still present (such as distantly visible objects not rendering properly/lacking shaders or lighting or whatever, as well as smoke from thermal vents and bubble streaks from your travel producing odd effects together).

The land parts don't do all that much. It's mostly empty space to waste your time getting to and fro.

Base building is still no better than in the first game. Build one if you want, but overdo it and performance will suffer. You mostly need it for production, that's it. It's not really a shelter in any meaningful way, and you don't need one either.

At the end of the day you mostly just go through the motions via following coordinates and building what you need to progress. The poor visibility increases the need to do that to some degree. Not much mystery or anything happening that is truly new compared to the first game. Only some (bad) land-based shit.



If you haven't played either game yet, and you want to... Then get the first one. It has more mods, including ones which fix garbage collection issues and such. It's also just more exotic/interesting.
This is mostly varying degrees of the same to worse. Like Unkillable Cat said, there's no real mystery or anything... No wonder.

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

Spoiler

I applaud this game's bold storytelling. I mean, it started like any other plot about an “evil corporation” trying to hide the fact they somehow managed to kill your sister in their unethical business practices... only for you to uncover - as you progress through the game - that the real culprit responsible for all the deaths and destruction that occurred was your stupid, naïve and self-righteous sister. Not the corporation, as Alterra was actually blameless in all of this. Truly some bold writing.

I'm confused on this plot point. Is this intentional? Because the game doesn't treat it as something bad, but the opposite. Are they that fucking gone because of the woke?

 

[Unkillable Cat]

To elaborate on what Ezeekiel is saying:

# The most interesting cast member IMO is Fred LaChance, a.k.a. the truck driver, a.k.a. the guy featured in the trailer. He seems normal and down-to-earth, both as a character and as a personality type. He's just doing his job and getting along with people to the best of his ability while on 4546B. So obviously he's not exactly featured in a positive light, neither in-game or in the trailer.

# Special mention goes to the writing involved in almost every character interaction. 'Manu' comes off to me as a corporate stooge who doesn't have it in him. Always pussyfooting, never cuts straight to the point, and is in a long-LONG-distance relationship, and is trying to convince himself that it's better that way!

# 'Manu' aside, all the superior positions of the Alterra hierarchy are manned by women, including one dangerhair. The women also outnumber the men in all regards.

# The computer voice is not only different to the point of having a minority racial accent, but most of the lines it spouts are more 'empowering' and snarky than deadpan humor. About the funniest line is when you build an Alien Containment (which is almost completely useless in BZ BTW) and the computer goes "An aquarium just for looks, or your own personal sushi factory. You decide." Examples of the former is when building a Scanner Room ("A scanner room will allow you to survey the surrounding region for anomalies and rare resources like copper and aluminum oxide. And titanium, if you need help finding it. For whatever reason."), a Rebreather ("The rebreather facilitates extensive free-diving by recycling air more efficiently at significant depths. Breathe the freedom.") and the Control Room ("In the control room, you can change base lighting and colors, rename your base, and see information about power and structural integrity. But not the integrity of societal power structures."). Make no mistake, this game is Woke.

# I did end up building and testing out the Seatruck Teleportation Module. This module only becomes available if you do all of Alan's little pointless fetch-quests to visit Architect-sites dotted throughout the area. IIRC there are 15 of them in total, and you need to visit most of them (~12 at least) for the blueprint to pop up. What it is is essentially a teleportation pad, and once you've built the accompanying Tether, you can then use the Tether at any time to be returned to the pad, regardless of its position. It sounds really useful until you realize that it only teleports you, not your vehicle, and its powered by Ion Cubes (but one cube is good for about five trips). This actually turned out to work in my favor, as my journey to the 'lowest point'-structure of BZ was made via Prawn, but the devs put down a "No Vehicles"-barrier by the entrance, so the Prawn had to stand outside like an idiot in a dangerous neighborhood full of OogaBooga Leviathans. Of course it got stolen/destroyed.

WhiskeyWolf Yes, that's precisely what that plot point is. Alterra is made to be soulless in both games, but left ambigiously vague on whether it's heartless or not.

Spoiler

Alterra decides to research the bacteria first before taking any decisions which could end it forever, which makes Sam run off the plantation. Alterra's motives, beyond wanting to explore the potential scientific (and economic) applications of Kharaa, are never explained further.

 

[downwardspiral]

Did they add a bigger homebase-like submarine yet?
Or it just that small towed truck thing?
Did they improve the handling of that snowmobile?

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

Did they add a bigger homebase-like submarine yet?
Or it just that small towed truck thing?
Did they improve the handling of that snowmobile?

No.
Yes.
No.

 

[Joggerino]

To elaborate on what Ezeekiel is saying:

# The most interesting cast member IMO is Fred LaChance, a.k.a. the truck driver, a.k.a. the guy featured in the trailer. He seems normal and down-to-earth, both as a character and as a personality type. He's just doing his job and getting along with people to the best of his ability while on 4546B. So obviously he's not exactly featured in a positive light, neither in-game or in the trailer.

# Special mention goes to the writing involved in almost every character interaction. 'Manu' comes off to me as a corporate stooge who doesn't have it in him. Always pussyfooting, never cuts straight to the point, and is in a long-LONG-distance relationship, and is trying to convince himself that it's better that way!

# 'Manu' aside, all the superior positions of the Alterra hierarchy are manned by women, including one dangerhair. The women also outnumber the men in all regards.

# The computer voice is not only different to the point of having a minority racial accent, but most of the lines it spouts are more 'empowering' and snarky than deadpan humor. About the funniest line is when you build an Alien Containment (which is almost completely useless in BZ BTW) and the computer goes "An aquarium just for looks, or your own personal sushi factory. You decide." Examples of the former is when building a Scanner Room ("A scanner room will allow you to survey the surrounding region for anomalies and rare resources like copper and aluminum oxide. And titanium, if you need help finding it. For whatever reason."), a Rebreather ("The rebreather facilitates extensive free-diving by recycling air more efficiently at significant depths. Breathe the freedom.") and the Control Room ("In the control room, you can change base lighting and colors, rename your base, and see information about power and structural integrity. But not the integrity of societal power structures."). Make no mistake, this game is Woke.

Thanks for this. I was going to pirate the game but now i wont bother.

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

The first Subnautica is still leaps and bounds above S:BZ in every aspect. Again, Cyclops is sex.

 

[JarlFrank]

Isn't the developer of this game the vindictive cunt who dmca-striked a big youtuber who promoted his game because he let slip the word nigger in an unrelated stream?

Or do I confuse him with somebody else?

It makes a pirate discount seem tempting.

Just checked and:
https://unknownworlds.com/video-policy/

There are a few small but important rules on using Unknown Worlds’ games in videos:

• You may not charge for access to the video
• The video must not be racist, sexist, obscene, homophobic, or otherwise substantially offensive
• You may not attribute the work of Unknown Worlds to you or anyone else but us
• Do not use the Unknown Worlds logo without first asking our permission
• You may not license video content containing recordings of Unknown Worlds games, except in the case of YouTube, Twitch and similar partner programs, or unless you ask our permission first.

 

[Alter Sack]

Just checked and:
https://unknownworlds.com/video-policy/

Shit, seems like I confused these assholes with the firewatch developers.

https://gamerant.com/pewdiepie-copyright-strike-firewatch/

To my defense it was four years ago and these rabid sjw developers are really similar to confusion.

 

[downwardspiral]

Cyclops is the main reason why I played subnautica.
Having a mobile base that has interior space for one to customize and where you can dock your smaller exploration vehicle.
I was hoping they will add that atlas submarine years ago. fortunately didn't buy it. Sigh.

 

[dextermorgan]

Cyclops is the main reason why I played subnautica.
Having a mobile base that has interior space for one to customize and where you can dock your smaller exploration vehicle.
I was hoping they will add that atlas submarine years ago. fortunately didn't buy it. Sigh.

If you add requisite modules, seatruck does act as a mobile base of sorts, and is capable of hauling 2 vehicles instead of one (detach the engine part and you have a slightly slower seamoth). I also preferred the Cyclops though.

 

[Atlantico]

If you add requisite modules, seatruck does act as a mobile base of sorts, and is capable of hauling 2 vehicles instead of one (detach the engine part and you have a slightly slower seamoth). I also preferred the Cyclops though.

Did you get your jab, NPC?

 

[dextermorgan]

Still unable to contain your asspain to relevant sections/threads of the forum, boy?

 

[Atlantico]

Still unable to contain your asspain to relevant sections/threads of the forum, boy?

Still into boys and your butt is still hurt, shit-for-brains?

Go fuck yourself, how about that?

 

[dextermorgan]

My my, what an angry little boy we have here. I guess no one hugged you since our last little shindig?

 

[Joggerino]

Isn't the developer of this game the vindictive cunt who dmca-striked a big youtuber who promoted his game because he let slip the word nigger in an unrelated stream?

Or do I confuse him with somebody else?

It makes a pirate discount seem tempting.

Just checked and:
https://unknownworlds.com/video-policy/

There are a few small but important rules on using Unknown Worlds’ games in videos:

• You may not charge for access to the video
• The video must not be racist, sexist, obscene, homophobic, or otherwise substantially offensive
• You may not attribute the work of Unknown Worlds to you or anyone else but us
• Do not use the Unknown Worlds logo without first asking our permission
• You may not license video content containing recordings of Unknown Worlds games, except in the case of YouTube, Twitch and similar partner programs, or unless you ask our permission first.

You don't need their permission for the video to be fair use. That whole page is horseshit.

 

[ValeVelKal]

And Subnautica: Below Zero has reached 1.0-release.

So I started yesterday, no base yet, got the seatruck, and... having a lot of fun so far ? I guess not doing the Beta of S:BZ helped to enjoy the game.
I feel the story is less engrossing than in Subnautica:1 because in Subnautica the plot is easy : "you crashed on an alien planet, get out", and it felt like there were 12 places you could go to from the beginning, whereas here it feels more railroaded so far.

No cyclops will make me sad. Also, the map seems to be smaller but not sure.

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

Also, the map seems to be smaller but not sure.

The underwater part is very small.

 

[jackofshadows]

Surnautica then?