The first thing you'll notice about this sequel is that it takes place in a portion of Planet 4546B—the same planet we visited in Subnautica—that's covered in snow and ice. This region is called Sector Zero and, as you can imagine, several unknown creatures live there. The other thing you'll notice is that this time, we have a different protagonist.

In Subnautica: Below Zero, we are Robin, a zoologist who works for a company called Xenowork recently bought by Alterra. When Robin learns that her sister Samantha—who also worked for Alterra—died in a tragic accident, she decides to investigate what happened. As we know, big corporations like Alterra don't always tell the truth, so what if what happened to Sam was not an accident after all?

After crash-landing in this giant antarctic biome, Robin's plans drastically change. Now, she needs to explore the ocean and the surrounding icy terrain, gathering resources to craft some vehicles and equipment. Although she won't stop looking for clues regarding Sam's accident, everything will be worthless if she can't return home alive.

In Subnautica, we explored a tiny portion of this colossal planet. After playing Below Zero, however, we're left with even more answers than before. Sector Zero is the home of dozens of cute, harmless creatures, but it also houses several gigantic beasts known as leviathans. One of the reasons why we love this game is because it encourages you to explore your surroundings, learning as much as possible about Planet 4546B's flora and fauna. It's a psychological horror sandbox adventure, and you never know what you'll find in the depths of the ocean. Another reason to love Subnautica: Below Zero is how it deals with the lore. This sequel gives us tons of new info about Planet 4546B and its inhabitants, while introducing new characters and even more mysteries related to ancient alien races and Alterra's secret agenda.

It may not be as impactful as the first game, but Subnautica: Below Zero is another example of a game that really cares about the details, combining engaging exploration with touches of psychological horror and a robust plot. Is spent several months in Early Access, something that really helps when you have such a solid community giving you ideas and devs who are open to changes and really understand what's best for their game.

Subnautica was an indie gem, but now we have two games in this franchise, it can't be a surprise anymore. Robin's story is as compelling as Ryley's was, and both Alterra and 4546B has still a lot to offer, so there's plenty of room for yet another sequel somewhere in the future.