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Subnautica: Below Zero

Started by Blue Jam, May 16, 2021, 02:43:32 PM

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Blue Jam

Now available on the Xbox:

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/05/14/subnautica-below-zero-is-available-now/

...and PS4. Squeeeeeee....

Thread on the original game here:

https://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=76638.0

Will be buying this the second I get home from werk and then lamenting the end of lockdown not being ideal for such a timesink of a game, probably. Then playing it with the lights off later and hoping the Reaper Leviathan isn't back.

Any PC gamers played this yet? How does it compare to the original? I get the impression it's more story-driven and the creatures are a bit cuter but probably just as deadly.

Ferris

Ooh on switch as well. Might be time to dust that off...

Blue Jam

First thoughts:
Spoiler alert
Sea Monkeys are absolute fucking bastards
[close]
. Found another
Spoiler alert
Willie Thorne Island
[close]
though!

wooders1978

Does the protagonist talk in this? It would be a most unwelcome addition if so. Trailer seems to indicate your character squeaks  "this cannot be happening!!!!" or something - that would ruin the immersion for me

Blue Jam

#4
The player-character does talk, but it's because the premise is different. This isn't a "sole survivor of a spaceship gone wrong" game like the original, in this you're in contact with a "mission control"-type, and instead of picking up the odd radio message you get instructions and there's a bit of dialogue. For the most part the player-character only speaks at key moments of the story, occasionally talking to herself, and is mostly silent otherwise. You can spend hours exploring without hearing a peep from her so you still get that wonderfully immersive feeling of terrifying loneliness.

Been playing this for a good few hours now and so far one big difference I've noticed is that the difficulty has been altered for certain aspects, apparently in a deliberate attempt to make the gameplay more balanced. In particular certain materials are more scarce than they were in the first game, or are found in more dangerous locations.
Spoiler alert
Table coral
[close]
in particular is a bastard to obtain and the sooner I find a
Spoiler alert
battery charger
[close]
, the better. On the other hand, I am still yet to meet any Leviathans. It feels like crafting is harder but avoiding being eaten is easier. Or the map is huge and I have only just scratched the surface. I dunno- I'm trying to avoid spoilers this time!

I am liking the little
Spoiler alert
handheld scanner
[close]
which seems to be serving as a replacement for
Spoiler alert
the scanner room
[close]
in a base- not having to build and run one of those is nice, although
Spoiler alert
being unable to use it while also using the Seaglide
[close]
is a challenge. Using it also makes me feel like an undersea
Spoiler alert
metal detectorist
[close]
, or like I'm
Spoiler alert
using the scanner from Alien: Isolation but being led to a tasty treat instead of a Xenomorph and certain death
[close]
. Think I have now mastered the art of pressing B to put my tools away whenever
Spoiler alert
I hear the cry of a Sea Monkey wanting to steal my tools like they're just windscreen wipers at Knowsley Safari Park
[close]
.

I have also got a
Spoiler alert
pet Pengwing. The game gave me to option to p-p-p-pick up a Pengling so I did, and when I got back to base I had no idea what to do with it so I released it, and now it's all grown up and just swims in circles round the gaff. Awwwww
[close]
.

evilcommiedictator

Just got the truck to the first level of depth, I'm liking that things are a bit more scarce, but so far the story seems a bit linear, but maybe I'm just not being adventurous enough! I've figured out though how to make hot coffee, and my first death was to pengwings....

BeardFaceMan

That air bladder is bloody handy, saved my arse more than a few times. Just got a rebreather so I'm hoping that helps a bit now in my hunt for diamonds, haven't found a single one yet. And also,
Spoiler alert
I don't care how cute you are, stop nicking my shit!
[close]

Blue Jam

Ulp. Might have to release my
Spoiler alert
Pengling
[close]
back into its natural habitat before it grows any bigger.

Think I'm trying to walk before I can run with this game, thanks to having played the first game and expecting this one to be a bit too similar. Got too excited at the prospect of building a Seatruck that I went and made one before I had even started to build a base, then took it out towards the signal that's about a kilometre away before meeting my first Leviathan when it tried to smack my little seatruck round a bit. Headed back and hit Save, vowing to build a base and a repair tool before I try pootling about in my cute little sub again. Got to get into the Prepper mindset for this.

Has anyone installed a
Spoiler alert
fucking jukebox
[close]
yet?
Spoiler alert
Liven all you stiffs up a bit
[close]
.

Blue Jam

Quote from: evilcommiedictator on May 19, 2021, 04:59:31 AM
I've figured out though how to make hot coffee

I love the fact that this game quite literally lets you install a square front lawn, an eye-level wall-mounted coffee machine and a house sign that reads "Serendipideee". You can go proper Barry Homeowner with it.

What's everyone naming their bases and subs then? In the original game I called my bases "Excalibur Cottage", "The Cinnamons" and "Ye House", my Seamoths "RONALADO" and "KLOPPO", my Cyclops "The Penetrator" and my P.R.A.W.N. suit "LEGEND GARY".

BeardFaceMan

Ooh i just found a
Spoiler alert
mine
[close]
with a
Spoiler alert
prawn suit
[close]
in it, now were talking.

Playing this on the xbox one and it keeps crashing every time I start it, no picking up where I left off. Which is a bit of a pisser as it takes an age to load. Anyone else getting this?

evilcommiedictator

on PC, so can't help you there.

Beacon names and vehicle names I'm normally trying just to be memorable. Where the first set of new minerals are is "Vent Death", but vehicles I'm going to lean towards "I like trucking" and (get away from her) "you bitch".

In good news, I explored and found new things, yay! And now I have photos of a cat! I'm sure there's a beacon for this location, but at least you can find them out of order

Blue Jam

#11
Found a creepy
Spoiler alert
abandoned laboratory
[close]
with half a P.R.A.W.N suit and
Spoiler alert
an underwater Willie Thorne cave full of alien tech including a cute little four-legged robot
[close]
. Not found a
Spoiler alert
mine
[close]
yet and can't find diamonds for love nor money.

Built myself a sweet-ass vertical base with a bedroom in the penthouse suite with lots of motivational posters and framed photos of cats. Feel a bit like Jake from Corporate but whatever, it's homey. Want to build myself a glass dome for the roof but need some effing diamonds first.

My main base is in the safe shallows near the drop pod and I have named it Sandpiper Crossing. I have also built one on Willie Thorne Island II and named that one Ice Station Zebra. When I can find some means of powering it I'll build one near the deep twisty bridge caves and call it Belize. Think I'll rename my little truck NAMAST3 when I get the thing that lets you do that.

Had a pretty infuriating glitch when I died and respawned and found my Seatruck gone. It's possible that a Leviathan ate it but I didn't see or hear any around the place where I left it. I guess the Seatruck is just as flimsy as the Seamoth and I'll have to build a wee fleet of 'em.

Blue Jam

Actually I might call one of my subs "HMS Prince Philip RIP In Peace"

PlanktonSideburns

alright, im in, downloading now

Bluejam's storytelling is too compelling

PlanktonSideburns

also want to feel the dread of another willie thorn island

is this as eerie as the last one? looks a bit more colourful and cheerful this one

Blue Jam

Yaaaaaay! Enjoy.

Quote from: PlanktonSideburns on May 21, 2021, 12:47:24 PM
is this as eerie as the last one? looks a bit more colourful and cheerful this one

As cute and colourful as the Pengwings are they can still kill you if you get too close. The Sea Monkeys are also cute and colourful but that noise they make is already inducing a feeling of dread and a Pavlovian response.

Yes, it's as eerie as the last one, so far it has a very similar feel to the original, but with a new map (which already seems huge), a few new toys to play with and a lot of new dangers.

I've only scratched the surface but, as with the first game, I've already had some hairy moments trying to escape deep underground cave systems before my oxygen runs out, and I've found lots of abandoned seabases and sad broken robots. Also because this one is set at the pole of the planet the bits above ground are mainly snowy and windswept and bleak. It's fucking great.

Blue Jam

Just realised I missed a trick by not putting five bedrooms in Excalibur Cottage. And then sleeping in the box room.

BeardFaceMan

I always get the feeling with this game that I'm exploring and pushing things a little further than I should be, I never seem to have the right stuff and never have the proper ingredients when I find blueprints. So I piss off somewhere else for a bit and get what I need, only I've forgotten where it was I was previously exploring. Currently tearing my hair out trying to re-find the
Spoiler alert
bridge
[close]
on the
Spoiler alert
island
[close]
so I can stick a
Spoiler alert
battery
[close]
in the blighter. I've learned the hard way that you should always have at least one beacon with you.

Bloody good game.

PlanktonSideburns

fukin
Spoiler alert
seam monke
[close]
is a cheeky little cunt isnt he?

Blue Jam

Quote from: PlanktonSideburns on May 21, 2021, 04:48:01 PM
fukin
Spoiler alert
seam monke
[close]
is a cheeky little cunt isnt he?

Spoiler alert
semen key
[close]
stole my survival knife earlier and I managed to follow him and grab it back. Yeah, you're not going to defeat me that easily you little wanker.

Has anyone else been enjoying ramming every Sea Monkey they see with the Seatruck, like they're James Martin writing about cyclists in the Daily Heil?

PlanktonSideburns

second i get truckin monke gonna be paste

Blue Jam


Ham Bap

Probably gonna get this. Huge lack of new games for the PlayStation 4/5 at the minute. First world problems from the pandemic.
This looks a good game I can arse around on and listen to podcasts/chilled music on Spotify.

I never played the first one though.
Sounds like you can build a big base to chill in?

£30 on PSN. Looks the job.

Blue Jam

Quote from: Ham Bap on May 21, 2021, 08:53:30 PM
Sounds like you can build a big base to chill in?

Oh hell yeah:


Ham Bap


jobotic

Which is best to get if you can only afford one? This or the original?

Blue Jam

Quote from: jobotic on May 22, 2021, 09:18:12 AM
Which is best to get if you can only afford one? This or the original?

They're pretty similar, think I'd prefer to play them in order though. They're both good value for money, think I spent more time on the first one than I did on RDR2 and it looks like I'll be spending as much time on the sequel.

Quote from: Ham Bap on May 21, 2021, 08:53:30 PM
Probably gonna get this. Huge lack of new games for the PlayStation 4/5 at the minute.
This looks a good game I can arse around on and listen to podcasts/chilled music on Spotify.

I'm not so sure about that, I find it very immersive, but I'd only ever play on Survival Mode. There is a Wuss Mode if you just want to twat about exploring without worrying about hunger or thirst or Leviathans trying to eat you, or you can play with just the hunger and thirst mechanics turned off. I imagine the Wuss Mode is nice and chilled but I like the nasty scary Survival Mode.

Also the soundtrack is great, not heard Donald Trump in this one yet though:

https://youtu.be/sGnfnVU1ltE?t=1m05s

PlanktonSideburns

loving this so far

feels like ive had a completley different gameplay experience to you lot so far tho! is this one less linear?

Blue Jam

I'm not finding it very linear at all, I'm all over the shop!

PlanktonSideburns

same! quite like that mind, now that im used to it

seem to have got a million diffent cool vehicles and mods, but no mobile vehicle bay yet, so i feel  like ive missed something really obvious