
That said, some of the visuals are absolutely stunning.

My TV did not receive a HDR signal, and while it did show 2160p displaying on my screen, that was most likely upconverting, so I don’t think this is a true 4K game either. states that it is “X Enhanced”, but under 4K graphics and HDR it has the dreaded N/A. I played though Subnautica on an Xbox One X and a 4K TV and using 7.1 headphones for sound. Just know it is very much worth playing through the story. I won’t go into the story at all passed 'the crash', because even the smallest of details could spoil where it is going, and with a game like this that is so heavily focused on exploring, I don’t want to take any of those surprises away from you. The story beats come in data logs found among other crash sites, radio transmissions from other emergency pods and potential rescue ships that are nearby. While those systems are featured heavily in the game, it’s nice to have a story that ties it all together and progresses while you are focusing on upgrading your tools, suits, base and vehicles. What sets Subnautica apart from other survival games is that it actually has a story to follow, where others are more focused on the gathering of materials and crafting upgrades and tools. From there you are mostly on your own to survive. Subnautica starts as most games and movies based survival do You are traveling along, minding your own business, and your FedEx plane (yes, that’s a Cast Away reference) is going down and your character is forced to escape to a strange and unknown place. Don’t worry, I’ll explain the story about my 6 year old below, and please discard the email to child services, I did not hit him.

I looked it up, it’s real, and it’s called Thalassophobia.

Now that I’ve spent some serious time with Subnautica, I can say that deep dark oceans, and the huge creatures that inhabit them, are a serious issue for me. I’m not saying things don’t scare me, but I don’t have any of your typical fears like heights, clowns, the dark or spiders. I have to admit one thing right off the bat here, this game scared me so bad I nearly punched my 6 year old son.

Subnautica is a diving exploration game that’s heavy on atmosphere and survival, and as you dive deeper, you’ll find a story filled with mystery and suspense.
