This 2018 Hit's Sequel Is Diving Into A New Genre That Could Make It A Serious GOTY Contender

Subnautica 2 is set to release later this year, offering another underwater survival experience where players must learn about various ecosystems to thrive. With this sequel to the original 2018 title, it seems like the developers are doubling down on the unintentional horror that came with the first game’s environment. Since a two-player co-op raises the stakes in Subnautica 2, this focus on fear could be a huge success.

The original Subnautica featured many different underwater biomes players could explore, with each location featuring a wide assortment of alien life. Some of that life was hostile, leading to terrifying moments where you would be attacked by massive ocean creatures called Leviathans. The threat of Leviathans and the deep darkness of an open sea created a tension closer to a horror game, a trend likely to continue in the sequel.

Subnautica 2 Looks Like It’s Going To Be Part Survival Horror

Rumors From Playtests Point Toward More Terrifying Environments

While Subnautica 2 is bound to keep its main focus on survival mechanics, recent rumors surrounding playtests say that horror is emphasized more than in the original. According to the Reddit post by user SN2Throwaway, the game has a much different beginning than the first. In Subnautica, you crash-land on an aquatic planet in a coastal, relatively safe area, but Subnautica 2 seems to throw you into a scary environment right away.

If the Reddit leak is to be believed, it seems like Subnautica 2 spawns you in deep, dark water, putting you in a horror adjacent setting right away. Although apparently short-lived, this would establish the terrifying monsters of deep water far faster than the original game, showing players something to fear right away. Since the beginning of a game sets its tone, this would cause players to be far more cautious as they start their adventure.

A character in Subnautica 2 peering out of their submarine

Subnautica 2 Announces Early Access Is Coming Soon, & Fans Have One Big Request

Subnautica 2 is nearing its early access release, and the developers are asking for fan input. One great idea has already been suggested.

Apparently, the planet for Subnautica 2 is completely different from Subnautica or its Below Zero expansion, meaning that every danger is something players have never seen before. Even veterans of the first game might be terrified by the horror-themed opening, which is said to show off the new “Collector Leviathan” creature. This beast seems to be the one from the game’s teaser trailer, almost looking like a deep sea giant squid.

If this information is true, it would match the tone of the teaser trailer, which seems to feature deep water as a primary setting for characters. While Subnautica did require players to visit deeper areas for essential materials, you could remain in safe zones to build up your supplies first to make these areas less threatening. If Subnautica 2 has a greater focus on darker spots of the deep ocean early, it will take the series in a completely different direction.

How Subnautica 2 Could Up The Ante For The Series

More Areas To Explore May Lead To Additional Underwater Terrors

The inclusion of more deep biomes, especially at the beginning of Subnautica 2‘s story, could raise the stakes of the game’s adventurous survival. With a stronger emphasis on danger being something you have to confront, players will be thrust into more situations where they have to contend with an aquatic planet’s larger threats.

The same Reddit rumor about increased horror also mentions the inclusion of a feature that allows you to adjust your character’s genes for adaptation upgrades. These are said to allow characters to explore deeper areas earlier, adding to the horror elements of the game when you have fewer tools.

The developers for Subnautica 2 have already stated that there will be no weapons in the game, emphasizing how players need to understand and adapt to the environment they find themselves in. With no combat whatsoever, players will have to find more solutions to avoid or distract hostile creatures, adding to the survival horror similarities.

Having two-player co-op is the biggest gameplay change in Subnautica 2, but having multiple characters in the game means that resource gathering has to be more difficult. Having more threatening areas where two players have to work together to get materials they both need will make exploring feel even more important. While it doesn’t need to be forced, any encouraged collaboration will create a new layer of intensity for players looking to achieve various goals.

A Horror Subnautica 2 Could Be A GOTY Contender

Adding More Haunting Environments & Scary Aquatic Life Will Leave An Impact On Players

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One of the most terrifying moments in gaming I can remember was running into a Reaper Leviathan in Subnautica for the first time. The thallasophobia I felt for the first time developed by exploring the seemingly endless seas of Subnautica‘s alien world as the water got murky, dark, or both. If Subnautica 2 doubles down and amplifies its underwater tension, it may be one of the scariest games ever made.

The atmospheric tension created by a deep ocean setting would be unlike many other survival horror games, and made even stronger if players need to go to those areas to progress. If the Reddit post mentioned earlier is true, players will have to confront those deep waters early, making it leave an imprint on their minds for the rest of the game. Even if there are safe, calmer areas in Subnautica 2, the threat of scarier biomes will have a great impact.

Subnautica divers swimming underwater with marine life around them

Subnautica 2 Is Making A Huge Mistake With its Release Plans

Subnautica 2 is coming out sometime this year, but its release plans are leaving out a huge part of the original game’s audience.

The confirmed multiplayer for Subnautica 2 will also allow the horror to be shared, alongside the already compelling survival mechanics. With other successful multiplayer survival games like Grounded, Terraria, or even classics like Minecraft, having collaboration in Subnautica 2 has a chance to make the sequel far more popular than the original.

As of this time of writing, it is unclear how much larger Subnautica 2 will be compared to the first game or the Below Zero expansion, but new biomes and greater depth of exploration would be likely given the additional resources developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment has from Subnautica‘s initial success.

The intuitive survival mechanics will lend itself to a more thrilling experience if horror is emphasized more. As players discover blueprints for sci-fi gadgets, vehicles, and other tools, they’ll start exploring the darker places of Subnautica 2 with less fear, overcoming challenges to establish themselves on an alien world.

With the base building of the original likely to return, this game may feel the most triumphant of all survival horror. Establishing a foothold against all odds against the terrors of a hostile underwater ecosystem is sure to entice players. If Subnautica 2 injects more horror into its new setting, it could create a GOTY title for how its atmosphere promotes growth from players bold enough to face their fears.

Source: Reddit/SN2Throwaway