I've had The Long Dark sitting in my Steam Library for a long time. Maybe I should try it.
-
Welcome to Talking Time's third iteration! If you would like to register for an account, or have already registered but have not yet been confirmed, please read the following:
- The CAPTCHA key's answer is "Percy"
- Once you've completed the registration process please email us from the email you used for registration at percyreghelper@gmail.com and include the username you used for registration
Once you have completed these steps, Moderation Staff will be able to get your account approved.
Subnautica: Below Zero - Diving Where its Colder than a Sea Monkey's Ass.
- Thread starter Falselogic
- Start date
I tried the Forest, but tonally speaking it felt like it was completely on the other side of the spectrum for me. I much prefer the chill, lonely vibes you get from exploring the ocean.
No Man's Sky has come a pretty long way since the original 2016 release and hits a number of similar gameplay beats. Probably won't have the same kinda moments of fear, and things are procedurally generated, but if you liked Subnautica I'd recommend giving it a shot.
I spent a few hours with No Man’s Sky and left pretty frustrated. Every planet in my starting solar system was a dump, it really made me yearn for the handcrafted environments of Subnautica.
I've got No Man's Sky as well and willing to give it a go. Or I might just try Subnautica with that crazy hard mode.
As it stands now I've got to hop back into Below Zero because for some reason two of the achievements I should have didn't trigger. So, I guess I'll be re-doing the tail end of the game again...
As it stands now I've got to hop back into Below Zero because for some reason two of the achievements I should have didn't trigger. So, I guess I'll be re-doing the tail end of the game again...
It's okay not like there's a terrifying angry leviathan down there or anything...
Just finished! I loved the game, but like others in this thread I felt like I ended up doing things in a very different order from what the game expected. For instance, it took me quite a while to find the pathway to Station Zero, even though I could theoretically have gotten there almost from the beginning of the game. I had assumed that I'd have to go overland from Phi Robotics, so I ended up doing a lot of stuff that was probably intended for late in the story much earlier on.
For those getting lost in the western snowfields, here's something that helped me: it turns out that the map you find in the ruined habitat at Station Delta is a lot more detailed than you might think. Between that and Sam's map of the Spy Pengling research locations, you can get a pretty good idea of the layout of that part of the map.
For those getting lost in the western snowfields, here's something that helped me: it turns out that the map you find in the ruined habitat at Station Delta is a lot more detailed than you might think. Between that and Sam's map of the Spy Pengling research locations, you can get a pretty good idea of the layout of that part of the map.
Purple
(She/Her)
Finally putting some more time in, I spent a TON of time looking around for this damn third sea truck part with no luck at all, finally decided to give up and wander around back by other points of interest and... like literally sitting right there in super shallow water in a direct path between my base and Delta was was last scan I needed. Heh. So now of course I'm searching for all the lithium and lead I need to slap together all the truck bits I have plans for, and maybe it's just the areas I'm hanging out in, but...
One thing I really like about the original Subnautica is that while sure, some bits are hardcore horror town, other places, I'd even argue most, are these very tranquil, safe, bright tropical areas, with only the sound of the ocassional passing reefback or something interrupting the nice chill vibes.
Meanwhile here I am trying to relax and chill out it's like... well, the ground is exploding, the sky is also exploding. There's a brute shark screaming in my ear even when I'm in my base (which, in fairness, I basically built right on said shark's forehead to be fair). It feels like those croc things are just everywhere. And of course when I pop out for groceries I get to listen to this while I drain the batteries down to 0 on my seaglide.
And it's kind of a funny juxtaposition because mechanically I feel so much safer at absolutely all times so far. I'm not dealing with crashfish taking off a third of my HP. I'm not rushing for the surface as I start blacking out. I'm not carefully sketching out the borders of my mental map to make damn sure I never go anywhere near a reaper. Hell, I'm not even sure I've run into the local equivalents of warpers or crabsquids even. Pretty sure I took some damage at some point, but I can't honestly recall from what.
But I don't FEEL safe and secure anywhere. Which... I mean honestly more than anything I blame that on the weather. In 1 I really liked to have my head above water often... or have brine below me which psychologically feels like being above water. But here, yeah, between the intense weather effects, the cold, and the absence of constantly glowly surroundings, up feels like the scariest direction.
One thing I really like about the original Subnautica is that while sure, some bits are hardcore horror town, other places, I'd even argue most, are these very tranquil, safe, bright tropical areas, with only the sound of the ocassional passing reefback or something interrupting the nice chill vibes.
Meanwhile here I am trying to relax and chill out it's like... well, the ground is exploding, the sky is also exploding. There's a brute shark screaming in my ear even when I'm in my base (which, in fairness, I basically built right on said shark's forehead to be fair). It feels like those croc things are just everywhere. And of course when I pop out for groceries I get to listen to this while I drain the batteries down to 0 on my seaglide.
And it's kind of a funny juxtaposition because mechanically I feel so much safer at absolutely all times so far. I'm not dealing with crashfish taking off a third of my HP. I'm not rushing for the surface as I start blacking out. I'm not carefully sketching out the borders of my mental map to make damn sure I never go anywhere near a reaper. Hell, I'm not even sure I've run into the local equivalents of warpers or crabsquids even. Pretty sure I took some damage at some point, but I can't honestly recall from what.
But I don't FEEL safe and secure anywhere. Which... I mean honestly more than anything I blame that on the weather. In 1 I really liked to have my head above water often... or have brine below me which psychologically feels like being above water. But here, yeah, between the intense weather effects, the cold, and the absence of constantly glowly surroundings, up feels like the scariest direction.
It's funny, I would say I was way, way less scared playing Below Zero than I was playing the original. My first run of Subnautica took 50 hours, and for the first 20 I didn't have any vehicles because I was too scared to go looking for fragments in the deeper, weirder areas. I had my first run-in with a reaper leviathan when I was alone and naked by the aft of the Aurora, AT NIGHT, and from then on the entire world was terrifying to me. Exploring wrecks was nerve-wracking because I would get disoriented and run out of oxygen; alien ruins had me jumping at every step of the way even though they wound up being entirely harmless. It was terrifying and I loved it.
Almost nothing in Below Zero came close to that level of fear IMO. I had a couple of close calls with the squidsharks when I wasn't in my Seatruck that were probably the scariest thing that happened to me. There were some times when I got super lost in various caves, but I was always with my truck so I had access to oxygen when I needed it. As for the leviathans, the chelicerate only ever accosted me when I was driving the truck, so it was more annoying than scary. The shadow leviathan is definitely more troubling, because it's just so aggressive, but I got gooped so many times that the scariness wore off really quickly and was replaced by further annoyance. The ice worms weren't very dangerous and had super janky hit detection, so half the time they didn't even damage when when they popped up underneath me. The scariest overall environment was probably the cotton anemone caves, which featured squidsharks, the seahorse things that hypnotize you and even those thorn traps on the floor. But if you upgrade your truck to the point where you can bring it down there, most of those threats are neutralized. Let me tell you, I took great pleasure in mowing down those stupid psychic seahorses with my Seatruck.
Maybe it's just that I have a lot of experience with these games now, but the most scared I ever was was during my first hours with the original game, when I knew there were bad things out there but I didn't know when or where they would find me. Or maybe it's just that the design on the reaper and ghost leviathans was so good.
Almost nothing in Below Zero came close to that level of fear IMO. I had a couple of close calls with the squidsharks when I wasn't in my Seatruck that were probably the scariest thing that happened to me. There were some times when I got super lost in various caves, but I was always with my truck so I had access to oxygen when I needed it. As for the leviathans, the chelicerate only ever accosted me when I was driving the truck, so it was more annoying than scary. The shadow leviathan is definitely more troubling, because it's just so aggressive, but I got gooped so many times that the scariness wore off really quickly and was replaced by further annoyance. The ice worms weren't very dangerous and had super janky hit detection, so half the time they didn't even damage when when they popped up underneath me. The scariest overall environment was probably the cotton anemone caves, which featured squidsharks, the seahorse things that hypnotize you and even those thorn traps on the floor. But if you upgrade your truck to the point where you can bring it down there, most of those threats are neutralized. Let me tell you, I took great pleasure in mowing down those stupid psychic seahorses with my Seatruck.
Maybe it's just that I have a lot of experience with these games now, but the most scared I ever was was during my first hours with the original game, when I knew there were bad things out there but I didn't know when or where they would find me. Or maybe it's just that the design on the reaper and ghost leviathans was so good.
Purple
(She/Her)
Yeah. A huge part of it, which... really tempered the hell out of my expectations to the point I was really surprised how much I am ending up enjoying this one is that if you're going in with few to no spoilers, the original Subnautica hits you with so many curveballs about what sort of game it even is for... really at least like the first half of the game that you genuinely don't know what to expect, or even really what sort of verb set you have for approaching the world. But, all the lessons you learn floundering around there transfer over here no problem. Especially when there's as many ubiquitous familiar critters. Oh that's a peeper, I should eat it. Oh that's a bladderfish, gonna get some water. These are all new-ish, but they're clearly simple food fish. There's a shark of some sort, but there's plenty else around here for it to eat so especially if I just hurry through, whatever, etc.
So far other than dealing with a squidshark while truck hunting, I haven't even really felt like I should give anything a wide birth (and even then, I just swam right up and scanned it, only getting the impression that I maybe got lucky with how it was basically stuck in a little cave and couldn't turn around until later when it started chasing me). Maybe crocs unnerved me for like a second, but unless they have a bite that does like 50 damage they're slow enough and in clear enough areas I think I'm more intimidated by stalkers and sand sharks?
But again, it's atmospherically all shockingly hostile so far.
So far other than dealing with a squidshark while truck hunting, I haven't even really felt like I should give anything a wide birth (and even then, I just swam right up and scanned it, only getting the impression that I maybe got lucky with how it was basically stuck in a little cave and couldn't turn around until later when it started chasing me). Maybe crocs unnerved me for like a second, but unless they have a bite that does like 50 damage they're slow enough and in clear enough areas I think I'm more intimidated by stalkers and sand sharks?
But again, it's atmospherically all shockingly hostile so far.
Purple
(She/Her)
Having put more time in, and I think at this time having seen every critter there is to see that lives underwater, yeah it very much feels like a design thing. Chelicerates fill the role of reapers (and ghosts for that matter) of being the big bad you came to the wrong neighborhood and now I'm gonna just wreck your sub" critters, and objectively, they're more dangerous, since they're harder to just give a wide berth to, make very little noise when they see you, and can wreck a much more sizable sub than the seamoth. But they aren't scary, because I mean, it's just a big weird shrimp. When one clamps down on my hull, I'm just like, sorry pal, I know you're hungry but I'm not really an extra fat cryptosuchus. You keep hunting though, you'll get one! whereas the reaper has charm, pazazz, a real sense of showmanship. They'll grab you, make eye contact, grin in your face and drag you off while crushing you like a grape. And ghosts look so darn angry charging out at you, which they should. And crabsquids... yeah still just the absolute worst.
Also the worst: I seem to have hit kind of a dead end on 2 of the main plot branches. I still have plenty of fetch quests to do for ALAN, but I seem to have hit a wall helping Maeda (and wow am I still bothered by how little effort they went to to save that reveal for a surprise, she was in a trailer even) who has most recently pointed me at a PDA on a table which seems to have no further advice for me than... find a cave somewhere. And that just leaves checking greek letters off a map, but the two that are left both seem fully landlocked and unless I'm missing something that's also me just looking for some cave somewhere. Which is also the case for ALAN's stuff but at least I have markers to get started.
Also just while kind of wandering around aimlessly and double checking I didn't miss things in interesting places, I seem to have stumbled across the one underwater creature that... kinda makes up for how non-threatening all the rest feel. That's a... very friendly fellow. With a bite reach a little too close to maximum scan range.
jpfriction
(He, Him)
I’m still plugging along but at a definite wall.
Guess I’ll wander around a bit. I’ve got the depth modules to explore 1100 m down so just need to find somewhere deep I haven’t been yet I suppose.
edit: gave myself some hints. Guess I’ve already been everywhere I’ve needed to be just need to explore better up on land. Joy.
I’ve got 10 artifacts scanned for ALAN and recipes for two of his bits but he hasn’t given me any more breadcrumbs. Found Sam’s old base and the frozen leviathan where I’m presumably supposed to administer/manufacture a plague cure at some point. Marguerite and I are also on good terms and she told me how/why everything got blowed up, but didn’t really give me anything to do with that information.
Guess I’ll wander around a bit. I’ve got the depth modules to explore 1100 m down so just need to find somewhere deep I haven’t been yet I suppose.
edit: gave myself some hints. Guess I’ve already been everywhere I’ve needed to be just need to explore better up on land. Joy.
Last edited:
jpfriction
(He, Him)
Done. Agreed that the end game kind of gives up on hinting on where to go and that gets a bit frustrating. I thought I had explored the Crystal caves completely already when I was looking for the last area but apparently not.
Anyway, s'good game. I enjoyed it. The bigger focus on story worked out well, although I found it a bit odd that finishing Sam's work or even figuring out what happened to her is completely optional? Or does Robin not agree to go with Alan until you get to a certain point in that storyline? Also not offering the only other human on the planet a ride too is a bit of a dick move.
Anyway, s'good game. I enjoyed it. The bigger focus on story worked out well, although I found it a bit odd that finishing Sam's work or even figuring out what happened to her is completely optional? Or does Robin not agree to go with Alan until you get to a certain point in that storyline? Also not offering the only other human on the planet a ride too is a bit of a dick move.
zonetrope
(he/him)
I finally feel like I have the energy to put some time into this game, though I'm a bit mixed on it so far. I feel like I'm being pulled in several different directions on a "find the doodads" quest, whereas in the first game the primary objective was "go DOWN," and it was a very powerful motivator. And the on-land segments just can't match the underwater parts in terms of atmosphere. I'm still having a good time, it's just that the first game very well might be the best game I've ever played, and so far this one seems to be merely a very good game fashioned in its mold.
I can’t really sugarcoat it, the on-land segments in this game suck. You can mitigate the pain by always bringing a couple of beacons with you, and I’d suggest ignoring the game’s new land vehicle in favor of just using a Prawn suit.
Last edited:
zonetrope
(he/him)
That helps a lot, thanks. The Snowfox was really giving me Half-Life 2 airboat vibes.
This game feels a lot smaller than the original, both in terms of size (it is, in fact, a lot smaller) and the scope of your quest. I respect the effort to try something new for the second go-around, but there isn't very much going on at all in these snow areas.
Last edited:
I'm pretty much on the same page as you: Subnautica is one of my all-time favorite games, and the sequel doesn't really stack up in comparison. But at the same time, it's similar enough to Subnautica that I'm still happy to revisit it every year or two. The developers' most recent game is a total departure, some sort of TRPG with gacha elements that I've never tried, but I'd love to see them revisit the ocean exploration concept in a few years. Hopefully they can come up with a fresh take on their own genre, but if they can't, I'll still play a mediocre game in the style.
One thing I have to give them credit for in Below Zero, the game looks fantastic. Some of the biomes are absolutely beautiful, and the lighting effects were a big step up, too. They actually updated the original game with some of this tech, so original-flavor Subnautica looks a bit nicer than it used to.
One thing I have to give them credit for in Below Zero, the game looks fantastic. Some of the biomes are absolutely beautiful, and the lighting effects were a big step up, too. They actually updated the original game with some of this tech, so original-flavor Subnautica looks a bit nicer than it used to.
zonetrope
(he/him)
I'll have to give the original another go now that I have a PS5, because playing it on PS4 there were some pretty serious performance issues that I had to grit my teeth through.
I rolled credits on Below Zero last night. As a standalone game, this would have been one of my favorites of any given year — it just falls somewhat short relative to the first game.
I rolled credits on Below Zero last night. As a standalone game, this would have been one of my favorites of any given year — it just falls somewhat short relative to the first game.
Glad you wound up enjoying it! I have my list of gripes about the game, but even so-so Subnautica is still pretty fun.