Subnautica is very good at what it sets out to achieve, so good in fact, that there is hardly any other game that can truly capture its essence. Unlike aCall of Dutygame which can be easily cloned by making the game afirst-person shooter, Subnautica is more like a one-of-a-kind game, and that’s a good thing.
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But finishing Subnautica only leaves players wanting more, and while that can only be achieved by playing more Subnautica, the following games attempt to fill in the shoes of this title, and each of them does it in their own, separate way.
8Subnautica: Below Zero
More Of What’s Already Good
Subnautica: Below Zero
Even though it’s quite obvious, the only game that can truly capture what playing Subnautica is like, is its sequel, Subnautica: Below Zero. As the name suggests, this time, the subzero temperatures and icy cold weather are a major game mechanic, and after staying on the ground for a certain period of time, the player will need to take a dip in the water to bring their character’s body temperature back to normal.
There’s a lot more land traversal in this sequel which is, among other things, a major issue many fans raised against Subnautica: Below Zero. However, all things considered, players get more of everything that they enjoyed in the first game.
Seriously, even though Subnautica: Below Zero is a sequel, there is quite a lot of land traversal in this game compared to the previous title, so be prepared for that.
7Astroneer
Creativity And Terraforming In Space
Players who fell in love with the base building and construction aspect of Subnautica will find much more of this in Astroneer. This game is a procedurally generated haven for players who love to showcase their creativity. It allows terraforming, which means even the ground and the natural structures on the planet can be destroyed or dug through and can be built as well.
There isn’t much of a story to follow, but there are a bunch of missions to check off which act as tutorials teaching players how everything works.
6Outer Wilds
Puzzle-Exploration With An Excellent Story
Outer Wilds
While there aren’t any survival or crafting mechanics,Outer Wildsdoes have loads of exploration in it coupled with an overarching mystery to solve. The story is the key feature of this game as well as the unique time-loop mechanic where, after 22 minutes, the sun explodes, destroying everything.
Much like Subnautica, players who love exploring will find Outer Wilds deeply rewarding. Instead of spooky leviathans, the game features challenging puzzles that might give some players a hard time.
5Firewatch
Environmental Storytelling At Its Finest
Subnautica loves to tell its story using the environment, and it’s one of the few things that it shares with Firewatch. Yes, there are no swimming, survival, or crafting mechanics, but this walking simulator has anexcellent storythat it conveys through dialogues and beautiful environments.
Similar to Subnautica, the game successfully manages to make the player feel alone as they set out to figure out the mystery deep in the Wyoming wilderness with no one but Delilah to talk to on a walkie-talkie.
4No Man’s Sky
Nearly Endless Exploration
No Man’s Sky
There isn’t much that needs to be said about No Man’s Sky. Nearly everyone knows about this game, partly because it has arguably the largest explorable map in any game to date, thanks to its procedurally generated space and planet system, and partly because of how infamous the game got after it was released in 2017 in a broken state.
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Exploring a nearly endless space might be daunting to some players before playing Subnautica, but after conquering the vast ocean, No Man’s Sky is the perfect game to get into, especially for players who love exploring.
Build A Base On A Raft In An Ocean
Raft, in its concept, is almost as unique as Subnautica is. The entire game is set on a raft, and while there are a few islands where players can walk around, the whole world is flooded, the reason for which eventually plays into the game’s lore and story. There is underwater exploration, not as in-depth or rich as Subnautica, but it’s sufficient.
Where Raft takes the upper hand on Subnautica is the crafting mechanics. Players initially start out on a raft made out of two pieces of plywood, and eventually, after collecting resources and building different structures, they can turn their raft into a floating fortress on the ocean.
Visuals Are Everything
Gamers who have a passion for art and aesthetics will instantly fall in love with Abzu. What it shares with Subnautica is its entirely underwater setting and environmental storytelling, but that’s about it. Players won’t find any survival or building mechanics in Abzu, which focuses more on a relaxing and soothing, underwater explorative experience that can make players fall in love with the ocean, something that cannot be said about Subnautica.
The game features an excellent soundtrack and a beautiful art style that’s sure to stick with players long after they’ve figured out the mystery of its ocean.
1Stranded Deep
Nails The Sense Of Loneliness
Stranded Deep
The game that comes closest to Subnautica in terms of gameplay, overall setting, and the main goal of the protagonist, is Stranded Deep, which focuses more heavily on the survival aspect andimmersion of the gamethan anything else. Similar to Subnautica, the player crash lands on an isolated section of the ocean, but this time, there’s a small island nearby where they can start building their base.
Stranded Deep has loads of underwater exploration as well, something that every Subnautica fan will appreciate, and while there is no overarching story, the end goal of the game is the same as Subnautica: survive until escape is a possibility.
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