Subnautica 2 Early Access Review – Waterworld

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Despite past legal issues and a long wait since the original, Subnautica 2 feels exactly like what you’d expect: more Subnautica. However, it’s also evolving beyond that. Now in early access after several delays, the game delivers on its promise of being a larger, more expansive experience – setting a new standard for early access games. While it’s clear this is just a glimpse of the developers’ full vision, if you enjoy underwater exploration, this game is definitely worth diving into.

Subnautica’s sequel isn’t just about sales; it’s about raising the stakes. Players begin expecting to journey to Zezura with Alterra, aboard the ship Cicada, but instead crash-land on the planet Proteus – a deliberate misdirection. As you try to survive, gather supplies, and understand what went wrong, you’ll discover a colossal, enigmatic tree that feels like both a landmark, a signal, and a danger.

The writing isn’t perfect—one of the early audio logs shows that—but Subnautica 2 really excels at building an atmosphere and populating it with characters who are convincingly descending into madness.

Your onboard AI just flagged a critical issue. Investigating the ocean floor, you find evidence of previous colonists – their abandoned bases and the hardships they faced. Audio logs reveal the water on Proteus is toxic, causing a condition called Masefield Syndrome – you’ll start hearing the voices of those who perished. You also discover the Proteavirus, which allows you to alter your genes and adapt to the planet, essentially becoming part of its environment. While you’re dealing with these new alerts, your other AI is constantly reporting on ecological disasters and the strange wonders of the underwater world.

The story packs a lot into a short time, and that’s before you even consider the troubling ethics of the biobeds – the in-game reason your character can respawn. There’s a constant sense of unease, particularly because the technology can essentially wipe someone’s mind, erasing unwanted memories. Plus, it’s pretty clear the Noetic Advisor isn’t to be trusted. The other AI companion seems harmless enough, though. And despite the game still being in early access – with the developers admitting there’s more story to come – there’s plenty of plot to explore.

I enjoy exploring the wreckage to learn about the fates of the ship’s crew, and how those discoveries connect to other goals, like finding Tadpole fragments and Biomods – which unlock useful abilities like a quick dash or faster swimming. However, I found the Advisor’s lengthy explanations about each crew member a bit excessive. The game requires you to find markers and black boxes to progress, and it feels like the developers tried too hard to make even simple quests feel dramatic. While the writing and voice acting are good, I’d prefer it if these explanations were shorter, or if there were fewer of them overall. I’d rather piece together the crew’s stories myself through exploration. The game already encourages this by scattering scanning tools around, anticipating that players might explore in different directions.

The writing isn’t perfect—some of the early audio logs show that—but Subnautica 2 excels at building a really compelling atmosphere and portraying characters who are clearly struggling mentally. The game’s story and world are incredibly intriguing, which makes it frustrating to know we’ll have to wait years for the full narrative. If you enjoyed the more subtle storytelling of the first Subnautica, you might find this game a bit more talkative than you’re used to.

The environment is incredibly detailed, and I constantly find new little areas, hidden places, or even things right out in the open that help me understand the world better.

The core gameplay is truly exceptional. The experience of exploring a planet – especially that first plunge into the ocean and discovering the diverse plant and animal life – is breathtaking. You’ll encounter a wide variety of aquatic creatures, some curious about you and others easily agitated. Valuable Quartz is hidden within the coral, and strong currents can help you navigate. Everything is beautifully animated and realistically lit, and the sound design is equally impressive. Distinct sounds immediately alert you to nearby predators, while unfamiliar noises create a sense of panic.

Your character evolves by changing their DNA, unlocking abilities as you play. For example, eating glowing purple clams lets you handle the planet’s crushing pressure early on, and later you’ll learn to eat alien food to survive. This leads to upgrades like heat resistance, and so on. It’s satisfying to find blueprints and craft new items, especially for building your base, but the game throws more exploration challenges at you than your limited oxygen supply can handle. You can work around this by moving your base, but it’s much better to actually increase how long you can hold your breath.

Okay, so the game still needs a little tweaking, honestly. It’s frustrating that there isn’t an easy way to adjust the field of view – I had to mess around in the game’s files on my PC to zoom the camera out even a little. And it’s weird that it kept recompiling shaders! I’m also pretty sure I used to be able to control DLSS and Frame Generation separately, but now they’re linked, which meant I had to switch to TSR instead. Getting the resolution set to 1440p was a real pain too – my screen was all zoomed in and wouldn’t fix itself until I restarted the whole game! But honestly, despite those issues, the game runs pretty smoothly most of the time, with just the occasional dip in frames. Considering how much detail is on the screen at once, that’s actually pretty impressive.

Despite any flaws, the joy of simply choosing a direction and seeing what you find remains strong. The world is packed with incredible detail, and I constantly stumble upon new hidden areas and objects that add to the experience and deepen my understanding of the environment.

Even though it’s still in development, Subnautica 2 is already capturing the attention of players who love underwater exploration, promising an amazing experience when it’s finally released.

I might stumble upon a completely new creature – like a massive crab covered in coral, perfectly hidden in its surroundings. Or I could find a dangerous infection that I’ll need to eliminate using my Sonic Resonator, when I’m not busy fighting off hordes of pesky parasites. I also enjoy collecting materials to improve my base, which is really satisfying to customize – whether it’s a small expansion or a complete overhaul using items I’ve stored.

Even though Subnautica 2 is already enjoyable in its early access state, I believe it has the potential to become something truly special. It might be best to wait for the full release to experience a complete and satisfying conclusion. However, despite that, I’m still captivated by its mysterious atmosphere and the drive to uncover all of its secrets. If you enjoy exploring, crafting, and surviving in a beautiful underwater world, I suggest trying the early access version. Subnautica 2 is a compelling game for underwater exploration fans, and it promises to be even more impressive once it’s fully finished.

This game was reviewed on PC.

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2026-05-18 15:17