Subnautica, with its vast ocean depths, alien landscapes, and survival mechanics, quickly became a fan favorite for those who crave adventure beneath the waves. Its immersive underwater world, captivating storylines, and creative crafting systems captured the hearts of players worldwide. 

But what if you’ve explored every corner of Subnautica and are looking for something equally engaging? So several other games bring the same sense of wonder, exploration, and survival, though not all necessarily set beneath the ocean.

List of Games like Subnautica

Five games resemble Subnautica, offering stunning worlds, survival mechanics, and a strong focus on discovery and adventure.

  1. The Forest
  2. No Man’s Sky
  3. Ark: Survival Evolved
  4. Stranded Deep
  5. Green Hell

1. The Forest

Imagine surviving a horrific plane crash only to find yourself stranded on a mysterious island populated by cannibalistic mutants. “The Forest” is a first-person survival horror game that mixes base building, crafting, and intense action. While it’s not an underwater adventure like Subnautica, it offers the same thrill of survival. You’ll need to forage for food, create shelters, and defend yourself from dangerous creatures lurking in the forest. The game also features an open-world environment, where players can explore caves, encounter strange anomalies, and uncover a story that’s shrouded in mystery.

What sets The Forest apart is the terrifying dynamic with hostile AI enemies that will keep you on your toes. The deeper you venture into the island’s secrets, the more you’ll be drawn into its creepy lore, offering a similarly gripping experience as Subnautica’s story unfolds.

2. No Man’s Sky

While Subnautica takes players underwater, No Man’s Sky takes them to space. The vast expanse of the universe is your playground in this sci-fi survival adventure. Released with some initial criticisms, No Man’s Sky has evolved into one of the most expansive Games ever, offering an almost infinite number of planets to explore, each with unique ecosystems, landscapes, and lifeforms. Much like Subnautica, No Man’s Sky offers crafting systems, base building, and resource gathering, along with the thrill of exploration.

Bustling coral reef teems with life under the clear blue sea, a symphony of marine biodiversity.

In No Man’s Sky, players can choose to explore peaceful planets, mine resources, or engage in space battles. The discovery element, paired with the vastness of the universe, evokes the same sense of wonder and discovery as Subnautica’s oceanic world. Plus, the game has made significant improvements in multiplayer, allowing you to share the exploration experience with friends.

3. Ark: Survival Evolved

If you loved the survival mechanics of Subnautica, Ark: Survival Evolved is a perfect follow-up. This game places you in a prehistoric world filled with dinosaurs, where survival is just as challenging. You’ll need to hunt, gather, and craft items while fending off threats, including not only dinosaurs but other players. The game’s vast open world is filled with diverse biomes, including jungles, mountains, and even underwater environments that mirror Subnautica’s aquatic exploration.

What makes Ark stand out is its unique twist on survival—taming dinosaurs. Players can tame and ride a variety of creatures, using them to fight off enemies or assist in resource gathering. The game’s deep crafting system, complex survival elements, and large world make it a great choice for fans of Subnautica who want to experience life in a different, more prehistoric setting.

4. Stranded Deep

Much like Subnautica, Stranded Deep challenges you to survive in a harsh and unforgiving environment. After surviving a plane crash in the Pacific Ocean, you find yourself stranded on a series of desert islands. The game blends the thrill of open-world survival with oceanic exploration. The survival mechanics are deeply rooted in gathering resources, managing hunger and thirst, and crafting the tools needed to stay alive.

The difference between Subnautica and Stranded Deep lies in the world’s open beaches and islands instead of the expansive oceanic depth. That said, there are plenty of underwater experiences, as you’ll dive into the ocean to harvest resources and explore sunken wrecks and underwater caves. The peaceful yet deadly environment, along with the importance of crafting and exploring, makes it a perfect match for fans of Subnautica’s survival-driven gameplay.

5. Green Hell

If you’re drawn to Subnautica’s immersive survival experience but prefer the challenge of land rather than water, Green Hell might be your next obsession. Set in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, Green Hell forces you to survive the brutal wilderness while managing your mental and physical well-being. Like Subnautica, it features crafting, resource gathering, and survival mechanics, but it takes place in a lush, hostile jungle environment rather than the ocean.

What sets Green Hell apart is the intense psychological aspect. Your character’s mental health is as important as their physical state, and isolation in the jungle can lead to hallucinations and delusions. It’s a tense, realistic survival game that, while land-based, shares the same sense of immersion and dread that makes Subnautica so gripping.

Conclusion

If you’re a fan of Subnautica, it’s clear that the thrill of exploring and surviving in an unfamiliar, immersive world is addictive. These games transport you to different worlds, with the common theme of uncovering secrets, crafting tools, and fighting for survival.

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