Subnautica: Below Zero is a masterfully horrific experience that encourages you to push on despite your fears. It's a fine balancing act of the horrors you'll face underwater and the rewards you can get for evading them. It's really very hard, but it's also really very good.
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Subnautica: Below Zero is a solid addition to the survival game genre, delivering a standalone experience that manages to be both cozy and challenging.
Subnautica: Below Zero is a masterfully horrific experience that encourages you to push on despite your fears. It's a fine balancing act of the horrors you'll face underwater and the rewards you can get for evading them. It's really very hard, but it's also really very good.
Even if there are a lot of shared elements between the two games and the ground-based traversal isn't everything it's cracked up to be, Below Zero's greater focus on character-driven storytelling lands well and this standalone adventure captures the unrivaled magic of underwater exploration all over again.
Voluntary isolation in the deep cold might not sound like solace after a winter of lockdowns, but Subnautica: Below Zero is cosy and moreish. Dive in, and you may be surprised how deep you end up going.
Subnautica: Below Zero is a leaner, meaner standalone expansion to Subnautica that improves on the story and mechanics, but doesn't give us as much room to explore.
Speaking of “the end,” I don’t really want to spoil how the story goes, but the narrative arc involving Robyn’s sister ended abruptly and the campaign’s conclusion left me wanting more. Still, Subnautica: Below Zero managed to entertain. Even though there were some downsides, the aura of mystery and the sense of wonderment when you discover new locations more than kept me intrigued.