Subnautica, a game created by Unknown Worlds Entertainment, provides a unique alien exploration experience for players. The development company, which has worked on well-known titles including Mass Effect and Bioshock Infinite, first released the game in December 2014. Still in development, the game suffers from some minor, yet still problematic, glitches.

The opening cutscene throws the player into a rush to an escape pod as warnings to evacuate fill the air. The player’s character, a currently unnamed member of the spacecraft Aurora, rushes to secure himself in the pod’s seat. Crashing onto a planet covered almost entirely by water, one must gather resources to survive the seas filled with a variety of neutral and hostile creatures. One can gather resources to build a variety of tools, equipment, and materials including glass, silicone rubber, and copper wire. One tool allows the player to scan fragments from the Aurora scattered around the vast map. Another allows one to build structures that a player can use to build unique and customized bases, which have different levels of defense depending on how one chooses to build them. As an open world game, Subnautica gives the player complete freedom on where he or she wants to go, including the irradiated wreck of the Aurora; however, creatures vary in hostility and strength in certain biomes. This encourages the player to build better gear and some ships that allow a player to travel farther into the depths of the ocean and see all of the unique creatures the game has to offer. The game even includes a mechanic in which one must make sure his or her craft can withstand the pressure the further down they travel. If a ship goes beyond its pressure limit, it will begin to crush under the pressure. Ships may also suffer damage from hostile creatures or bumping into the environment.

At the beginning of one’s adventure, the game provides the player with enough information to get them started, sharing more info as the player discovers new items and creatures. One must quickly learn to gather the non-hostile creatures for sustenance and find a preferred method of creating water so he or she does not starve (either from a certain type of fish or by using bleach the player can create). With myriad items and tools to create, a player may find his or herself building things to simply see what they can do. In relation to the customizable aspect of bases, one can also name and color one’s ships however he or she pleases. Also, the game has a mechanic in which the player receives signals that guides one to important parts of the map, including other abandoned life pods, islands, and entrances to deep underwater caves. In one biome, the kelp forests, one will instantly note the change in atmosphere. The player’s field of vision decreases in the slightly green water. Serpentine creatures called stalkers glide in the water, causing the player to feel tense as he or she rushes to avoid the jaws of the unsettling aliens.

The stunning graphics give the player an exciting experience as he or she travels through the map. Sunsets and sunrises provide beautiful reflections on the water, and the vibrant environment and creatures give the game a fantastic overall look. Shading on the environment and light shafting through the surface of the water provide a fairly realistic look. The beautiful creatures remove some of this, as they appear cartoonish, yet they still blend wonderfully in the environment. With the variety of colors, one can easily discern the different biomes he or she may enter.

Since the developers of the game have not finished their creation as of yet, Subnautica has a variety of bugs that may negatively affect the player’s experience. Creatures may graphically glitch, making it impossible to discern what type of creature the player sees. The player’s arm may also glitch, completely blocking the surroundings unless one turns the camera in a certain way. Also, a player may not have the capability to access some parts essential for building a base in the August 2016 build currently available. One must ensure that his or her computer has the proper system requirements, or he or she will experience major graphical glitches in the sky and major freezes of the game every so often.

Though Subnautica currently has various bugs and glitches, it still serves as a fantastic creative experience through a breathtaking alien world. The creatures, environments, technology, and overall atmosphere of the game will leave players continuing his or her aquatic adventure for hours on end.