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Issue 01 · Autumn 2026

Independent buying advice. Official retailers only. No key marketplaces.

Subnautica

Stranded on an ocean planet: gather, build a base and dive ever deeper. Beautiful and a little frightening.

Gamebrief verdict: Best solo
Mood illustration for Subnautica
Illustration: Gamebrief. Original artwork, not an image from the game.

After a crash landing you are alone in a small escape pod on an alien ocean. To survive you collect materials, craft tools and build vehicles and underwater bases. The deeper you dare to dive, the stranger and more impressive the world becomes, and the more there is to be wary of.

There is a real story to uncover, but nobody tells you where to go. If managing food and water is not your thing, a gentler mode switches those needs off and leaves you free to explore.

What we like

  • A breathtaking underwater world
  • Exploration that genuinely rewards curiosity
  • Gentler modes for relaxed play

Worth knowing

  • The deep sea can be genuinely tense
  • Little guidance, especially at the start

Where to buy Subnautica

RetailerFormatLink
Humble StoreSteam keyView offer
FanaticalSteam keyView offer
GamesplanetSteam keyView offer

You'll see the current price at the retailer. It often changes daily, so we don't quote it here.

Compared: Subnautica, Valheim or Terraria: which survival game suits you?