Subnautica is a survival adventure game that takes place on an alien planet covered by a vast ocean. You play as a survivor of a crashed spaceship, who must explore the underwater world, gather resources, craft tools and equipment, build bases, and unravel the mysteries of the planet. This article will provide you with a comprehensive walkthrough of the game, covering the main story, the optional side quests, the different biomes and creatures, the tips and tricks, and the frequently asked questions.
What is the Subnautica game?
Subnautica is a game that lets you experience the thrill and challenge of surviving in an unknown and hostile environment. You will have to manage your oxygen, hunger, thirst, health, and inventory, as well as deal with the dangers of the deep sea, such as predators, radiation, extreme temperatures, and more. You will also have to discover the secrets of the planet, which involve ancient alien technology, a mysterious disease, and a possible way to escape.
The game is divided into three main modes: Survival, Freedom, and Hardcore. Survival mode is the default and recommended mode, where you have to deal with all the survival aspects. Freedom mode is similar to Survival mode, but without the hunger and thirst mechanics. Hardcore mode is the same as Survival mode, but with permadeath, meaning that if you die, your save file is deleted. There is also a Creative mode, where you have unlimited resources and no survival or story elements, allowing you to build and explore freely.
The game is not linear, and you can explore and progress at your own pace. However, there are some key events and locations that you will need to visit in order to advance the story and unlock new items and blueprints. The game also features a dynamic day and night cycle, a weather system, and a full voice acting for the main character and some other characters.
This Subnautica Walkthrough will guide you through the game in Survival mode, but you can also use it for the other modes, with some adjustments. The walkthrough will follow a logical and efficient order of progression, but you can also deviate from it and explore other areas and options as you wish.
The Beginning: Crash Landing and First Steps
Let’s Start with Subnautica Walkthrough: The game starts with a cinematic cutscene, showing your spaceship, the Aurora, being hit by a mysterious energy pulse and crashing into the planet. You manage to escape in a lifepod, but it is also damaged by the impact. You wake up inside the lifepod, surrounded by fire and smoke. You need to act quickly and put out the fire with the fire extinguisher, which is located on the wall near the exit hatch.
Once the fire is out, you can take a moment to look around the lifepod and familiarize yourself with its features. You will see a fabricator, a storage container, a medical kit fabricator, a radio, and a secondary systems panel. The fabricator is the most important device, as it allows you to craft items and equipment from the resources you collect. The storage container has some basic items that you can use, such as water, food, and flares. The medical kit fabricator produces a first aid kit every 30 minutes, which you can use to heal yourself. The radio and the secondary systems panel are both broken, and you will need to fix them later.
To exit the lifepod, you can use either the top or the bottom hatch. Once you do, you will see the vast ocean that surrounds you, as well as the burning wreckage of the Aurora in the distance. You will also hear a voice in your head, which is your personal digital assistant (PDA), that will provide you with information, objectives, and tips throughout the game. The PDA will tell you that you are in the Safe Shallows biome, which is a relatively safe and shallow area, with plenty of resources and life forms.
Your first objective is to survive. You will need to pay attention to your oxygen, hunger, thirst, and health bars, which are located on the lower left corner of the screen. Your oxygen bar shows how much air you have left, and it will decrease as you dive underwater. You can replenish it by surfacing or by using oxygen tanks, which you can craft later. Your hunger and thirst bars show how hungry and thirsty you are, and they will decrease over time. You can replenish them by consuming food and water, which you can find or craft. Your health bar shows how much damage you have taken, and it will decrease when you are attacked by predators, exposed to radiation, or suffer from other hazards. You can replenish it by using first aid kits, which you can find or craft.
To gather resources, you will need to explore the ocean floor, the surface, and the caves. You can interact with various objects and creatures by using the left mouse button. You can pick up some items, such as metal salvage, quartz, acid mushrooms, and bladderfish, by simply clicking on them. You can also break some rocks, such as limestone outcrops and sandstone outcrops, by clicking on them repeatedly, to obtain materials such as titanium, copper, gold, and silver. You can also scan some objects and creatures with the scanner tool, which you can craft later, to learn more about them and unlock new blueprints.
To craft items and equipment, you will need to use the fabricator in the lifepod. The fabricator has several categories, such as Resources, Personal, Tools, Deployables, and Vehicles. Each category has subcategories, such as Basic Materials, Advanced Materials, Equipment, Sustenance, and so on. To craft an item, you will need to have the required resources in your inventory, and then select the item from the fabricator menu. You can also see the recipe and description of each item by hovering over it.
Some of the items and equipment that you should craft as soon as possible are:
- A scanner. The scanner is a tool that allows you to scan objects and creatures, and learn more about them. Scanning also unlocks new blueprints, which you can access from the PDA menu. To craft a scanner, you will need a battery and titanium. A battery can be crafted from two acid mushrooms and one copper ore. Titanium can be obtained from metal salvage or limestone outcrops.
- A knife. The knife is a tool that allows you to harvest plant life and defend yourself from some of the smaller predators. To craft a knife, you will need silicone rubber and titanium. Silicone rubber can be crafted from creepvine seed clusters, which can be found in the kelp forests near the lifepod.
- An O2 tank. The O2 tank is an equipment that increases your oxygen capacity, allowing you to dive deeper and longer. To craft an O2 tank, you will need titanium and glass. Glass can be crafted from quartz, which can be found on the ocean floor or in caves.
- A repair tool. The repair tool is a tool that allows you to fix damaged devices and structures, such as the radio and the secondary systems panel in the lifepod. To craft a repair tool, you will need silicone rubber, titanium, cave sulfur, and crystalline sulfur. Cave sulfur can be obtained from crashfish nests, which are explosive fish that live in caves. Crystalline sulfur can be obtained from sulfur plants, which are yellow plants that grow near thermal vents.
Once you have crafted these items and equipment, you will be in a better position to survive and explore the ocean. You should also fix the radio and the secondary systems panel in the lifepod, using the repair tool. Fixing the radio will allow you to receive transmissions from other survivors and from the Aurora, which will give you clues and objectives for the story. Fixing the secondary systems panel will restore the lifepod’s power and gravity, and also give you access to the lifepod’s self-scan feature, which will let you check your health status and detect any anomalies.
The Next Steps: Exploring the Biomes and Building a Base
After you have established your basic survival needs, you can start to explore the different biomes and regions of the planet, and build a base to expand your capabilities and comfort. There are many biomes and regions to discover, each with their own unique features, resources, and dangers. Some of the biomes and regions that you will encounter are:
The Safe Shallows. This is the biome where you start the game, and where your lifepod is located. It is a shallow and relatively safe area, with plenty of resources and life forms. You can find metal salvage, quartz, acid mushrooms, bladderfish, peepers, boomerangs, and more. You can also find limestone outcrops, which contain titanium and copper, and sandstone outcrops, which contain silver and gold. The main threats in this biome are the gasopods, which are large creatures that release toxic gas pods, and the crashfish, which are explosive fish that live in caves.
The Kelp Forest. This is a biome that surrounds the Safe Shallows, and is characterized by large green plants called creepvines. It is a deeper and darker area, with more resources and life forms. You can find creepvine seed clusters, which are used to craft silicone rubber and lubricant, and creepvine samples, which are used to craft fiber mesh and bioreactor fuel. You can also find salt deposits, which are used to craft bleach and cured food, and table coral samples, which are used to craft computer chips and aerogel. You can also find metal salvage, quartz, and sandstone outcrops. The main threats in this biome are the stalkers, which are large predators that can bite you and steal your metal salvage, and the biters, which are small fish that can nip you and drain your health.
The Grassy Plateaus. This is a biome that is adjacent to the Kelp Forest, and is characterized by red grass and large plateaus. It is a deeper and more open area, with fewer resources and life forms. You can find metal salvage, quartz, salt deposits, and sandstone outcrops. You can also find lead, which is used to craft radiation suits and reactor rods, and silver, which is used to craft wiring kits and advanced wiring kits. The main threats in this biome are the sand sharks, which are aggressive predators that can burrow in the sand and ambush you, and the warpers, which are mysterious creatures that can teleport you and themselves to different locations.
The Crash Zone. This is a region that is located near the Aurora, and is where the debris and wreckage of the spaceship are scattered. It is a very dangerous and radioactive area, with few resources and life forms. You can find metal salvage, quartz, salt deposits, and sandstone outcrops. You can also find fragments of various vehicles and equipment, such as the seamoth, the cyclops, the prawn suit, the propulsion cannon, and the scanner room. The main threat in this region is the reaper leviathan, which is a massive and terrifying predator that can grab you and your vehicles and deal massive damage.
There are many more biomes and regions to explore, such as the Mushroom Forest, the Jellyshroom Cave, the Lost River, the Lava Zone, and the Void. Each of them has their own unique features, resources, and dangers, and you will need to upgrade your equipment and vehicles to access them. You can also find various points of interest, such as alien structures, wrecks, caves, and islands, that will provide you with clues, blueprints, and items for the story and your survival.
As you explore the different biomes and regions, you will also want to build a base to expand your capabilities and comfort. A base is a structure that you can construct and customize using the habitat builder tool, which you can craft from a computer chip, a battery, and a wiring kit. A base allows you to store your items, craft more advanced items and equipment, grow plants and fish, recharge your vehicles and tools, and more. A base also provides you with a safe and cozy place to rest and relax, and to admire the beauty of the ocean.
To build a base, you will need to find a suitable location, preferably near a source of power and resources, and away from predators and hazards. You will also need to gather the required materials, such as titanium, quartz, copper, lead, and more. You can then use the habitat builder tool to select and place various components, such as foundations, corridors, rooms, windows, hatches, ladders, lockers, fabricators, planters, aquariums, and more. You can also add decorations, such as posters, signs, pictures, and toys, to personalize your base.
One of the most important components of a base is the power source, which provides electricity to your base and its devices. There are several types of power sources, such as solar panels, bioreactors, nuclear reactors, and thermal plants. Each of them has their own advantages and disadvantages, and you will need to choose the best one for your location and needs. You can also use power transmitters and power relays to extend the range of your power source.
Another important component of a base is the oxygen supply, which allows you to breathe inside your base and refill your O2 tank. You can provide oxygen to your base by using either air pumps or oxygen generators. Air pumps are devices that pump air from the surface to your base, and they require power to operate. Oxygen generators are devices that produce oxygen from water, and they do not require power to operate. However, they produce a byproduct of hydrogen, which can be explosive if not vented properly.
You can also add various upgrades and modules to your base, such as scanners, cameras, floodlights, spotlights, speakers, alarms, and more. These devices can enhance the functionality and security of your base, and provide you with useful information and alerts. You can also use the modification station and the vehicle upgrade console to upgrade your tools and vehicles, such as increasing their durability, speed, storage, and more.
Building a base is not only useful, but also fun and rewarding. You can design and decorate your base according to your preferences and style, and create a home away from home. You can also invite other survivors to your base, if you manage to find them, and share your experiences and stories with them. You can also name your base and your vehicles, and give them a personality and a history.
The End: Solving the Mystery and Escaping the Planet
As you survive and explore the planet, you will also uncover the mystery behind the Aurora’s crash, the alien presence, and the deadly disease that infects the life forms and yourself. You will need to follow the clues and objectives that you receive from the radio transmissions, the PDA data, and the alien structures. You will also need to craft and use various items and equipment, such as the radiation suit, the laser cutter, the propulsion cannon, the stasis rifle, the prawn suit, the cyclops, and more.
The mystery and the story of Subnautica are complex and intriguing, and they will take you to different places and situations, such as exploring the Aurora, visiting the floating island and the mountain island, entering the alien facilities, encountering the sea emperor leviathan, and more. You will also learn more about the history and culture of the aliens, the origin and nature of the disease, and the fate of the other survivors and the Aurora’s crew.
The ultimate goal of the game is to escape the planet, and to do that, you will need to build a rocket, called the Neptune Escape Rocket. The rocket consists of four parts: the launch platform, the gantry, the boosters, and the cockpit. You will need to gather the required materials and blueprints, and construct each part using the mobile vehicle bay. You will also need to disable the alien quarantine enforcement platform, which is a huge cannon that shoots down any spacecraft that tries to leave the planet.
Once you have built the rocket and disabled the cannon, you can board the rocket and initiate the launch sequence. You will need to confirm your departure with the PDA, and say goodbye to your base and your vehicles. You will also need to take care of any loose ends, such as curing the disease, hatching the sea emperor’s eggs, and releasing the cuddlefish. You can then enjoy the final cutscene, showing your rocket leaving the planet and entering the orbit, and listen to the credits song, which is a parody of the song “Space Oddity” by David Bowie.
Conclusion
Subnautica is a game that offers you a unique and immersive experience of surviving and exploring an alien ocean. You will face many challenges and dangers, but also many wonders and discoveries. You will craft and use various items and equipment, build and customize your base and your vehicles, and uncover the mystery and the story of the planet and its inhabitants. You will also have a lot of fun and enjoyment, and create your own adventure and memories.
Subnautica is a game that you should definitely play, if you are looking for a game that combines survival, exploration, adventure, and science fiction. It is a game that will captivate you, surprise you, and inspire you. It is a game that will make you feel alive.
FAQ
Q: How long is Subnautica?
A: Subnautica is a game that can vary in length, depending on your playstyle and preferences. Some players can finish the game in less than 20 hours, while others can spend more than 100 hours. The average playtime is around 40 hours, according to [HowLongToBeat].
Q: Is Subnautica multiplayer?
A: Subnautica is a game that is designed to be a single-player experience, and it does not have an official multiplayer mode. However, there is an unofficial mod called [Nitrox], which allows you to play Subnautica with your friends. The mod is still in development, and it may have some bugs and issues, but it is a great way to enjoy Subnautica with others.
Q: Is Subnautica scary?
A: Subnautica is a game that can be scary, depending on your tolerance and sensitivity to horror and suspense. The game features many dark and deep areas, where you can encounter dangerous and terrifying creatures, such as the reaper leviathan, the ghost leviathan, the warper, and more. The game also has a dynamic sound design, which can create a tense and immersive atmosphere. The game can also trigger some common phobias, such as thalassophobia (fear of the sea), claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces), and nyctophobia (fear of the dark). However, the game is not meant to be a horror game, and it also has many beautiful and peaceful moments, where you can admire the scenery and the wildlife, and relax and enjoy the game. The game also gives you the option to play in Creative mode, where you can disable the survival and story elements, and explore the ocean without any danger or stress.