Subnautica: Released (SPOILER WARNING past Post #1)

[Theodora]

Not really expecting anything to top Subnautica, just had a bit of an itch to replay it (meaning I should play something similar but different, because it's hard to capture the same experience or anything close without a loooooong gap in between). And yeah, Green Hell looks intense. I just hope it's "good intense".

The Long Dark

Think I tried it before and got lost lol, but I'll give it another shot.

 

[BrotherFrank]

The forest might be up your alley then. Without spoiling too much since half the fun is figuring it out for yourself, there is a social component to it which is what makes it stand out from other survival games.

Dunno how much you know about the sequel but it is no surprise they are doubling down on that, with lots of npcs and even companions. You’d think this would be a bad idea for survival games since they tend to have the player isolated in a hostile uncaring world but the forest subverts that which is why it’s worth a playthrough.

 

[dextermorgan]

The only thing that seemed the scratch a similar itch for me was - weirdly - Valheim.

 

[HoboForEternity]

Did anyone who loved Subnautica play any of the similar-but-different titles like The Forest or Green Hell? What did you think of them?

i played the forest but got bored because 70% of the time is spent on cutting and transporting trees. subnautica doesnt have that much tedium. there are occasionally where you have to search for ingredients, but they are very diversified and extracting them isnt that much of a hassle and it drive exploration.

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

 

[Justinian]

I enjoyed The Forest although the combat sucks. I built a base off some cliff so that I wasn't in danger often though and just avoided it (except for caves).

I only briefly played Green Hell, not enough to comment.

 

[BrotherFrank]

Always found the process of terraforming a hostile environment pleasing to me on an instinctual level in games that had them but without some sort of story hook i fear Planet crafter is the kinda game i’d play for 2 hours then get bored once i built my cozy little setup as there is no real incentive to keep going.

And yeah there are plenty of valid complaints to be had for the Forest and if you are a base builder trying to build early without a good axe it is going to be exactly like HoboForEternity describes.
And this is probably why the sequel will be a vast improvement that benefits from having companions: having them lug around wood and help out with the building.
Also i feel because the game has mp and there is no vehicle like a seamoth you can use to commute around the map, you ain’t really supposed to build mega bases by yourself but i guess we all like to build our fortresses of doom.

 

[Theodora]

I'm probably okay then. I'm not autistic enough for those bare sandbox survival crafting games, so I doubt I'll get annoyed at not being able to make my idealised base or w/e early on.

Thanks for all the comments.

 

[Ironmonk]

This one is pretty nice and very promising

played for 50h+ and liked it a lot... but I'm waiting for the big updates now.

 

[Iucounu]

Did anyone who loved Subnautica play any of the similar-but-different titles

I've also played ARK:Survival Evolved and The Long Dark quite a bit, both are great.

ARK has an enormous playing area, including a deep ocean (but not as complex as Subnautica's), more mechanics, much deadlier creatures with better AI and better graphics. It has no plot or missions (besides killing some boss creatures), your goal is to tame or kill dinosaurs, explore, craft equipment and bases while trying to stay alive.

The Long Dark has lo-fi graphics but excellent mechanics. You can't craft bases, just make your own clothes and tools. Survival mode (recommended) has no plot or missions, your goal is to stay alive while scavenging for dwindling resources. The story mode (Wintermute) is a slightly dumbed down version with a silly plot.

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

I really like the Garden Vents. Feels like a real Subnautica biome.

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

Fucking video games! The moment I accept that BZ is inferior to original and subsequently started enjoying it, the game sends me to find a greenhouse on some iceberg. There is like an archipelago of icebergs.

I was pondering if I became too good by playing the OG too much or the game is too easy, then I met Shadow Leviathan and decided the game is too easy. Leviathans here are weak.

Also: There is a lead shortage in the game. I stopped collecting diamonds and rubins, but get's excited every time I see lead.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Also: There is a lead shortage in the game. I stopped collecting diamonds and rubins, but get's excited every time I see lead.

You will learn to love the portable scanner.

 

[Zarniwoop]

Fucking video games! The moment I accept that BZ is inferior to original and subsequently started enjoying it, the game sends me to find a greenhouse on some iceberg. There is like an archipelago of icebergs.

I was pondering if I became too good by playing the OG too much or the game is too easy, then I met Shadow Leviathan and decided the game is too easy. Leviathans here are weak.

Also: There is a lead shortage in the game. I stopped collecting diamonds and rubins, but get's excited every time I see lead.

BZ is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay easier than the OG. Much clearer on what to do next, much smaller map, much less focus on horror and dread.

Think of it as an expansion to the original where you're trapped in a crater. And with Panjeeta the PDA that lets you know when you PARSE 100 meters

 

[jackofshadows]

Fucking stupid woke devs. Argh.

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

Also: There is a lead shortage in the game. I stopped collecting diamonds and rubins, but get's excited every time I see lead.

You will learn to love the portable scanner.

Portable scanner feels like cheating. It's like having an option to bypass one of the game mechanics. This may be very subjective, but I find such things tasteless.

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

Decided to abandon BZ. With the lack of the original game strongpoints, one starts to notice weaknesses that one haven't noticed in the original. I am pretty sure there was a lot of traveling back and forth in OG, but only in BZ have I noticed and felt it.

 

[Theodora]

It's the bullshitting around on land that wore me down.

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

Everything is designed worse. Crystal Cave is a small biome, but each part of the cave looks similiar to the other, so you can't easily orient yourself and tell in which part of the biome you are. Decreasing the view distance and worse design made navigation less fun.

 

[Iucounu]

My impression is that Subnautica's developers try to please as many players as possible. For example, blood color was allegedly changed from red to yellow in order to get an ESRB 10 rating. Cuddlefish were added for "cuteness". The Game Director at one time had both pronouns and a BLM hashtag on his Twitter page (both now wisely removed, but his Pride flag is still there). To make Below Zero even more inviting, a black female (with a lesbian sister?) and more talking were simply a must; ditto for adding oxygen plants, so the game didn't become too difficult for the 10-year-olds.

Making another great Subnautica shouldn't be too hard, since all the lore and mechanics already exist. But I suspect the developers have set up too many ideological and commercial barriers in their own minds, resulting in creative paralysis. Perhaps a permanent relocation from Woke cities might help?

 

[CoronerZg]

Well, I can't recommend any game that comes close to the original Subnautica (cause I still didn't find any), but I did watch animated mini-series recently
that captured the feeling very well - Scavengers Reign. Anyway, I liked the show and I think fans of nautica might enjoy it. Give it a try.

 

[Efe]

breathedge was similar but did not check it out past initial early access

 

[cvv]

breathedge was similar but did not check it out past initial early access

First half was p. good, solid Subnautica in space, but the second completely degenerated into a walking simulator for some unfathomable reason. I actually managed to refund that shit on GOG even tho I had like 20 hours in the game.

The devs are making a sequel now, said they've learned their lesson and won't repeat the mistake, second game should be 100% scavenging, crafting and survival.

 

[polo]

Well, I can't recommend any game that comes close to the original Subnautica (cause I still didn't find any), but I did watch animated mini-series recently
that captured the feeling very well - Scavengers Reign. Anyway, I liked the show and I think fans of nautica might enjoy it. Give it a try.

Thanks for this, its an amazing show.

 

[dextermorgan]

breathedge was similar but did not check it out past initial early access

Watched a playthrough, decided it's not worth playing.