Subnautica
This page is a stub, please expand it if you have more information.| Subnautica | |
|---|---|
| |
| Information | |
| VR/AR | VR |
| Developer | Unknown Worlds Entertainment |
| Publisher | Unknown Worlds Entertainment |
| Platform | Oculus Rift (Platform) |
| Device | Oculus Rift CV1 |
| Operating System | Windows, Mac |
| Type | Full Game |
| Genre | Adventure, Indie, Early Access, Early Access, Survival, Open World, Exploration, Underwater, Crafting, First-Person, Base-Building, Sandbox, Sci-fi, Aliens, Atmospheric, Action, Horror, Multiplayer, FPS, Voxel |
| Input Device | Gamepad, Keyboard / Mouse |
| Play Area | Seated, Standing |
| Game Mode | Single Player |
| Language | English, French, German, Polish, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Turkish, Finnish |
| Rating | Teen |
| Review | Very Positive |
| Release Date | Dec 16, 2014 |
| Price | $19.99 |
| App Store | Steam |
| Website | http://unknownworlds.com/subnautica |
| Infobox Updated | 09/15/2016 |
Contents
Review
Subnautica is an interesting breed of a game, because it is down to the fact that the game pretty much throws all of the genres it uses on their head to create a truly unique and interesting first person game; one with VR elements.
Now, going back to my previous statement; the reason I say that game turns its genres on its head is because it’s taking the typical survival game of crafting and building and doing whatever it takes to survive and flips that around by throwing you into a completely new environment: underwater! Literally everything about this game takes place underwater and it makes for a truly unique experience throughout the entirety of the game.
From a story perspective it’s not quite as important, although it is interesting to some degree. Effectively what’s happened is your spaceship is flying over an alien planet and for one reason or another it comes crashing down onto the planet below, without a single piece of land in sight. Apparently that isn’t a problem for you, however, because you’re given a handy, little submarine that provides you with not only a fresh source of air, but also a base of operations so you can build a number of useful resources to get your feet off the ground – not that it’s going to be difficult considering there’s no land for you set foot on.
Going back to the story, though, there’s not much else going on with it, as it’s mostly just a set up for the main portion of the gameplay. This isn’t technically a problem; I just wish at times the story developed a little more than the initial opening the game conveys.
Gameplay as can be expected from a first person, survival game is a considerable amount of crafting and building, along with exploration. You’re set to explore the underwater labyrinth, and enjoy the cornucopia of alien fish this planet has to offer, even though some of them are completely murderous and want nothing more than to bite your face off. While you’re down under the sea, you’re going to need to collect resources and food to keep yourself afloat in this unknown world. After you’ve spent enough time under there and have located enough resources, you can spend some time putting them back into your own little home that resides underwater, but protects you from the dangers of this brand new world.
Now, most of this game can be played using a keyboard and mouse or a controller if you so desire, but you can also use your VR headset if you so choose. Unlike in some games, however, the VR headset is mainly used as a camera and not much else; unlike other games that use the HTC Vive. You can look around your environment and experience the game in a beautiful, surreal world, with all the vibrant and gorgeous colours that you can imagine, but unfortunately you won’t get to enjoy that extra level of depth that you might get in some other first person VR games. Even with this, though, you can enjoy a few minutes here and there inside the VR perspective in the game and appreciate the drop-dead gorgeous surroundings and the environment that is practically begging to be explored, in a way that only VR truly can; despite the fact you can’t get as into it as you might like.
Aesthetically, as I’ve previously stated, the game is pretty darn gorgeous from more or less every way you look at it, be it the creature design or the layout of the land or even the water itself. It’s all just so bright and vibrant and it’s a refreshing change from a lot of other games that don’t make good use of their colours.
Overall, Subnautica is a survival game that has taken the genre into a very different direction, one that was surely needed and is refreshing to see. From both an aesthetic and gameplay point of view the game does everything right and more, but when you take a look at the VR perspective of things it is a nice experience; yet it stays as nothing more than that: an experience. I would definitely agree it’s one of those things you should definitely try if you get the chance, but it isn’t a necessary feature for you to go out of your way to try. Simply put, though, Subnautica is a great game, regardless of whether you get the chance to try it out on VR at any point with your time in it.
Description
Subnautica is an open world, underwater exploration and adventure game currently under construction at Unknown Worlds, the independent developer behind Natural Selection 2.
Dive Into a Vast Underwater World
After crash landing on an alien ocean world, the only way to go is down. Subnautica's oceans range from sun drenched shallow coral reefs to treacherous deep-sea trenches. Manage your oxygen supply as you explore Kelp Forests, plateaus, reefs, and winding cave systems. The water teems with life: Some of it helpful, much of it harmful.
Scavenge, Craft, and Survive
After waking up in your Life Pod, the clock is ticking to find water, food, and to develop the equipment you need to explore. Collect resources from the ocean around you. Craft knives, lights, diving gear and personal water craft. Venture deeper and further form to find rarer resources, allowing you to craft more advanced items.
Construct Underwater Habitats
Build bases on the sea floor. Choose layouts and components, and manage hull-integrity as depth and pressure increase. Use your base to store resources, park vehicles, and replenish oxygen supplies as you explore the vast ocean.
Disrupt the Food Chain
The ocean teems with life: Use the ecosystem to help you. Lure and distract a threatening creature with a fresh fish, or simply swim as fast as you can to avoid gnashing jaws of roaming predators.
Handle the Pressure
Build a Pressure Re-Active Waterproof Nanosuit, or PRAWN Suit, and explore extreme depth and heat. Modify the suit with mining drills, torpedo launchers, propulsion cannons, grappling hooks and more.
Fear the Night
As the sun goes down, the predators come out. The ocean is unforgiving of those caught unawares in the darkness. Areas that are safe to explore during the day become treacherous at night, but also reveal a beauty that those who hide from the darkness will never see.
Go Below The Deep
Cave systems wind below the sea bed, from dark claustrophobic passages to caverns lit by bio-luminescent life. Explore the world below the ocean floor, but watch your oxygen levels, and take care to avoid the threats lurking in the darkness.
About the Development Team
Subnautica is being created by Unknown Worlds, a small studio founded by Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire that traces its roots back to the 2003 Half-Life mod Natural Selection. The team is scattered around the globe, from the United States to the United Kingdom, France, the Czech Republic, Russia, Thailand, Australia, and many more places. There is a central office in San Francisco, California that serves as home base for the whole team.
Features
System Requirements
Windows
Minimum
- OS: Windows Vista SP2 or newer, 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Haswell 2 cores / 4 threads @ 2.5Ghz or equivalent
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: Intel HD 4600 or equivalent - This includes most GPUs scoring greater than 950pts in the
- Storage: 6 GB available space
Recommended
- OS: Windows Vista SP2 or newer, 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Haswell 4 cores / 4 threads @ 3.2Ghz or equivalent
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia GTX 550 ti or equivalent
- Storage: 6 GB available space
Mac OS X
Minimum
- OS: Windows Vista SP2 or newer, 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Haswell 2 cores / 4 threads @ 2.5Ghz or equivalent
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: Intel HD 4600 or equivalent - This includes most GPUs scoring greater than 950pts in the
- Storage: 6 GB available space
Recommended
- OS: Windows Vista SP2 or newer, 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Haswell 4 cores / 4 threads @ 3.2Ghz or equivalent
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia GTX 550 ti or equivalent
- Storage: 6 GB available space
