By Anna C
Subnautica and Below Zero aren’t horror games, but the way they utilize the ocean as a setting makes for some pretty scary experiences.
Subnautica is an open-world survival game where the player explores a huge expanse of ocean on an alien planet. There, they’ll need to traverse the waters in search of a way off the planet, coming across all sorts of alien life forms as they go about their mission.
Even though the Subnautica titles aren’t explicitly horror games, many in the community view them as such. In fact, Subnautica games are lauded as some of the most terrifying titles in recent years, and there’s good reason for this. While the Subnautica series is primarily marketed as an undersea exploration experience, it has plenty of horror elements that make for a terrifying time.
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Why Subnautica is So Scary
The Subnautica titles are non-horror games with plenty of scary aspects - the most instantly recognizable one being the leviathans that lurk in more dangerous sections of the map. Though there are plenty of hostile animals swimming in the vast ocean, nothing comes close to the magnitude of the leviathan-class creatures of Subnautica. The second a player leaves the shallower areas of the map to dive into its depths, there’s a sense of dread accompanied by the lingering thought of impending leviathan attacks.
Of course, this trepidation quickly goes away once the player familiarizes themselves with each location on the map. Yet there are plenty of other elements that contribute to Subnautica’s unsettling experience. In the original Subnautica, there was a prevalent feeling of loneliness. The player is stuck by themselves own on an alien planet, and they soon find out that all of their companions are dead. It’s a slow, creeping fear, especially considering no one else is around to help in the player’s quest.
Another aspect that adds to the horror is the general feeling of being out of one’s depth - literally and figuratively. While many of Subnautica’s environments are vivid and gorgeous, they don’t make the player feel welcome. The games’ deeper biomes are difficult to navigate, even when the player has the tools to do so, because of narrow cave systems or leviathans threatening to attack. It’s even worse when the player arrives at a new biome for the first time, as that comes with the anxiety of having to figure out what they need to steer clear of. All this leads to the player feeling overwhelmed or overburdened with the tasks at hand.
All that said, the worst horror element in the Subnautica games is probably the ever-present darkness. Darkness envelops the player as they travel down the depths of the ocean, and even their flashlights do little to illuminate what’s in front of them. Bioluminescent flora and fauna offer a bit of help, but not enough to stave off the discomfort. This all-encompassing darkness racks up the fear factor, plunging the player into an environment they can’t fully comprehend. It also makes them that much more vulnerable to getting attacked by a leviathan.
The Subnautica games don’t quite fall under the horror umbrella, but they have plenty of elements that are more than capable of scaring the player. Whether it’s the intimidating leviathans or the overwhelming sense of loneliness, there’s sure to be something about the Subnautica series that will unnerve the player. After all, the ocean is already a terrifying place, but one on an alien planet, filled with hostile alien lifeforms, is a setting ripe for scares. This is something the Subnautica games embrace, while still staying true to their survival-adventure genre.
Subnautica is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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