

Two years after the events of the original game, scientist Robin Ayou smuggles herself onto planet 4546B in order to investigate the circumstances of her sister Samantha's death, which Alterra claims was a result of "employee negligence". They do not need an energy source and cannot be damaged (unless the player damages them intentionally). Additionally, the submersibles, a Seaglide, mobile vehicle bay, knife, flashlight, habitat builder, scanner and a propulsion cannon are provided. Creative Mode - Health, hunger, thirst, oxygen and temperature are disabled, all the crafting blueprints are acquired, and no resources are required to craft.Hardcore Mode - Just like survival, but if the player dies, the player will no longer be able to respawn and the save file is permanently deleted.Freedom Mode - Just like survival, but with hunger and thirst disabled.Upon death, they respawn, but certain items are lost from their inventory. Survival - The player must manage health, hunger, thirst, oxygen and temperature.Upon beginning a new game, players must select a difficulty mode from the following four: This can be prevented by finding shelter in caves or buildings, utilizing plants or tools which can warm the player up, and by crafting appropriate survival gear which allows the player to stay outside in harsh weather for longer periods of time. If the player is exposed to harsh weather, they will begin to develop hypothermia. Īlongside returning mechanics such as health, hunger, and thirst, players now have a temperature gauge which activates when they are on land. In addition, the game introduces new gadgets like the Flashlight Helmet, the Mineral Detector, and the Booster Tank. There is a day-night cycle which affects visibility and dynamic weather which further affects visibility, such as wind, snow, fog, and hail. There are more explorable structures to find both above ground and underwater which serve both as key locations for the story, but also for blueprints that the player can find for crafting.

The game primarily takes place underwater, but unlike its predecessor, there are significant land-based areas to explore in the north of the game's world. Players collect resources, construct tools, build bases and submersibles, and can interact with the planet's wildlife. Like its predecessor, the player's goal is to explore the environments and survive in an alien environment while also completing objectives to advance the game's plot. The player controls a scientist who arrives on planet 4546B in search for clues about the research team that vanished there. Subnautica: Below Zero is a survival adventure game set in an open world environment and played from a first-person perspective.
