i didn't go into this game expecting much of anything, really ... i anticipated enjoying a water world, dying a lot trying to manage survival mechanics, & then putting it down when i felt satisfied. imagine my surprise, then, when subnautica presented me ... a narrative! and a witty sense of humor! and survival that felt ... more than manageable! good, even!!

i sometimes feel that survival games overwhelm me with tasks, & getting started can be a hill i get too stressed about to want to climb. perhaps subnautica is not the experience veteran survival-lovers crave, but i personally found it to strike a good balance between being "realistic" & being fun. it felt like the game, more than anything, wanted to encourage you to explore & learn about its world ... so while it also wanted you to keep track of your hunger & such, it never felt like i was spending the majority of my time worrying about whether i'd die of thirst or not. ( again ... maybe not what genre die-hards are looking for? )

i should also say: i love water levels, but the lack of love put into swimming & underwater design by devs ( i get it, don't worry ) can be disappointing. not in subnautica, though: the whole game is basically underwater -- these devs can put as much love into the diverse deep sea biomes as they wish. and they did! interesting cave structures, unique lifeforms, beautiful & distinct colors ... not to mention the fantastic water physics & visuals when you've surfaced.

while the story did take me for a surprise -- it's good, but nothing too remarkable -- i think the world itself is this game's best selling point. how many other lovely, thoughtful games about being in the sea are there?