Table of Content
Have you completed Subnautica and explored the complete depth of an alien underwater world filled with wonder and peril? If yes, then you must have been searching for more games similar to the Subnautica experience.
So, if you’ve explored everything in the game, what next? What to play next after finishing the Subnautica? Don’t worry if you’ve also been stuck in the loop searching for Subnautica-like games; I've got you covered. I have curated a list containing the best open-world survival games that you can play after Subnautica.
These games that I’ve included in my list offer you an unparalleled gaming experience beyond the underwater world and exploration. Believe me, you will come back to my page again after playing the games that I’ve mentioned.
All these games have unique elements that keep you hooked for hours. Moreover, these games can be found easily on Steam, Epic Store, and other gaming platforms.
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So, are you ready to take a new journey to open-world survival games like Subnautica? Turn on your gaming mode, and let’s discover underwater exploration, open-world survival, and Subnautica-style games.
ᴸᵉᵗ'ˢ ᴮᵘⁱˡᵈ ʸᵒᵘʳ ᴰʳᵉᵃᵐ ᴳᵃᵐᵉ. ᴳᵉᵗ ᵃ ᶠʳᵉᵉ Qᵘᵒᵗᵉ ᵀᵒᵈᵃʸ!
Looking for more alternatives to Subnautica, below are the list of top 15 games that share the similar gameplay experience, but with unique storyline, cutting-edge graphics, immersive controls, and much more.
No Man’s Sky is a game about exploration and survival in the infinite world of space. The game was released in 2016 by Hello Games. It has gained very positive reviews and likes regarding the gameplay and experience.
The game has Subnautica-like graphics and gameplay. This is one of the best open-world survival games that includes the perfect mix of exploration, action, and dynamic gameplay. The game has won several awards, including “SXSW Awards 2020 XR Game of the Year”.
It offers you unparalleled freedom to discover galaxies that are filled with numerous planets, lifeforms, and danger. In No Man’s Sky, you can fly spacecraft, fight with unknown creatures, build items underwater, and survive alone or with your friends. This game is epic, and you can find it on Steam, available for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox, and it also supports Steam VR.
Minimum System Requirements for No Man’s Sky
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit versions)
Processor: Intel Core i3
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1060 3GB, AMD RX 470 4GB, Intel UHD graphics 630
Storage: 15 GB available space
VR Support: SteamVR
If you are a fan of horror, survival, and exploration-type games, The Forest stands out among all the expectations. The Forest was initially launched in 2018 by Endnight Games Ltd, and since then, it has been one of the popular games in the Open World Survival Craft genre. With an exceptional 3D world and vibrant graphics, you will feel like you are actually in the forest.
In the game, your jet crashes, and you find yourself in the most mysterious forest. This is a terrifying first-person survival simulator game where you have to do everything to survive and keep yourself alive. In this game, you fight against cannibalistic mutants, build camps by chopping trees, start campfires to stay warm, hunt for food, and craft weapons to defend yourself from enemies.
Want to play this game? Visit Steam or go to Endnight Games' official website. PC and Console players can play The Forest. The game also supports VR, so if you have a VR set, you can immerse into the game with the real-world experience.
Minimum System Requirements for The Forest
OS: Windows 7
Processor: Intel Dual-Core 2.4 GHz
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT
DirectX: Version 9.0
Storage: 5 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX®-compatible
VR Support: SteamVR or Oculus PC
Additional Notes: 32 bit windows users need to ensure they have at least 4gb of ram usable on their system.
When searching for more game options like Subnautica, I can’t help but mention ABZÛ. From the art director of Journey®, ABZÛ is an immersive underwater adventure that takes you to the mysterious world of the ocean. The game was developed by Giant Squid and published by 505 Games in 2016. The game has unique artistic style graphics, vibrant colors, fluid animations, and a lifelike environment, offering you a relaxing experience, nostalgic of the sensory immersion of Subnautica.
This is not a complete survival game but rather an aquatic journey where you explore the underwater world filled with mysterious sea creatures. Interact with more than thousands of fishes that procedurally respond to you, each other, and predators. Perform acrobatics as the diver in the most graceful way with controls.
This game is available on Steam and GOG for PC and also available for Console and Nintendo Switch. If you are the type of gamer who likes to play relaxing and chill games, I would highly recommend you to try ABZÛ at once.
Minimum System Requirements for ABZÛ
OS: Windows 7, 64-bit
Processor: 3.0GHz CPU Dual Core
Graphics: Geforce GTX 750 / Radeon R7 260X
DirectX: Version 11
Storage: 6 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card
Raft is a game developed by Redbeet Interactive in June 2022. Thus, it has some similar gameplay to Subnautica; for example, underwater exploration, items crafting, and surviving. The game is a single-player and online co-op, which means players can play solo and with their friends. The graphics of the game are ultra-realistic, from water and plastic to trees and sky; the textures are very sharp, offering you a real-world-like environment.
This is a complete survival game where you are trapped on a small wooden raft and only have an old rusty hook made with plastic. It offers unprecedented freedom to discover the big open sea, underwater creatures, food, and other resources that are a must for your and your friend’s survival. Gather resources like wood, plastics, and much more to build yourself a strong floating home. The journey in this game is not as simple as in the ocean; you will find various kinds of creatures, from fishes to sharks, that will always come to trouble your raft. Therefore, craft survival equipment, weapons, and crop plots to keep yourself alive. The best part of this game is that you can play Raft with your friends in multiplayer mode.
Available on PC only, this is more than just exploring the ocean; to keep you alive, you need to farm, grow crops, cook, catch animals, and overcome challenges.
Minimum System Requirements for Raft
OS: Windows 7 or later
Processor: Intel Core i5 2.6GHz or similar
Memory: 6 GB RAM
Graphics: GeForce GTX 700 series or similar
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 10 GB available space
Additional Notes: 64-bit operating system is required
If you are looking for the best alternative to Subnautica, Voidtrain is the game that I prefer. The game developed by HypeTrain Digital has been awarded the title of “Most Original Game” in 2020. Unlike Subnautica, where you dive into the mysterious creatures-filled ocean, in Voidtrain, you plunge into a strange and mysterious Void. It’s a great survival open-world craft game that takes you to a whole unimaginable world, offering you an immersive experience with cutting-edge graphics and storyline.
In Voidtrain, you play as an engineer, a crew member who is thrust into a strange void or dimensions. You fight with various types of creatures and enemies on your way, from normal soldiers to bloodthirsty sharks. To yourself and your crew mates, you build and customize weapons and kill and escape from being chased. There are many portals known as gates where you and your team members go through trains that you build yourself from scratch. Customize your train, filled with all the equipment, from workbenches to tables for mini-games. The game is super action, filled with a unique storyline and immersive gameplay. There are more in the game, and for that, you need to explore the game's story.
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The game is single-player, online co-op, and also supports cross-platform multiplayer, which means console players can play with PC players. To download this game for PC and Console, you can visit Steam or Epic Store.
Minimum System Requirements for Voidtrain
OS: 64-Bit Windows 7/8/10
Processor: Intel Core i5-2400 @ 3.1 GHz or AMD FX-6300 @ 3.5 GHz or equivalent
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 or analogue with 2GB VRAM
Storage: 35 GB available space
There isn’t much talking about The Grounded; it’s a fantastic first-person, multiplayer, and survival adventure game. Nearly every gamer who follows gaming constantly knows about this game. The storyline of this game is amazing, and the graphics give you a feel like you are the actual character playing. The game was developed by Obsidian Entertainment and Xbox Game Studios and released on 27 Sep 2022.
In Grounded, there are four in-game characters named (Max, Willow, Pete, and Hoops) that got mysteriously shrunk to the size of an ant. You choose one character, and you must survive alone with your friends in the micro-world of a suburban backyard. The gameplay: You explore the micro-world, a dangerous landscape, while fighting with various creatures like Red Soldier Ant, RUZ.T, Spiderling, and many more. To survive in the micro-world, you must craft tools, gather resources, build bases, and search for water and food to keep yourself alive.
You can play this solo in single-player mode, with friends in multiplayer mode, by hosting the online game, inviting your friends to join, and playing together (2 to 4 players can join the game). You can play Grounded on your Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The game is available on Steam and other game distribution platforms.
Minimum System Requirements for Grounded
OS: Windows 10 64bit
Processor: Intel Core i3-3225
Graphics: Nvidia GTX 650 Ti
Storage: 8 GB available space
Green Hell, an award-winning game, is almost as unique as Subnautica. Developed by Creepy Jar, the game throws you into the most challenging, harsh, uncharted Amazon jungle; consider it a hell. The game allows you to feel the thrilling story of anthropologist Jake Higgins, a man stranded in the Amazon rainforest. The story of the game is Jake is searching for his missing wife, Mia, who got lost while conducting anthropological research in the jungle.
Immerse yourself in the open world of the Amazon jungle. The game offers a real-life-like experience, and you must use real-life survival techniques and craft tools, hunt for food, fight with the most dangerous animals and bandits, aid your wounds, build shelter, and much more to survive in the mysterious Jungle. There is much more than just surviving; you discover the mystery of the Jungle as you progress in the game.
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Sounds interesting, right? Believe me, it is. The game has a single-player mode as well as an online co-op mode where you can play online with your friends. To get this game, you can visit Steam for PC, also the game is available for Console players too.
Minimum System Requirements for Green Hell
OS: Windows 7/8/10 64-bit
Processor: 3.2 GHz Dual Core Processor
Graphics: GeForce GTX 660, Radeon RX 460 or equivalent with 2 GB of video RAM
Sound Card: DirectX compatible
Ocean World Eden Crafters is an open-world survival experience set on an unknown planet where your scanner detects the sign of water. This game has some similar experiences to Subnautica, such as underwater exploration, resource gathering, crafting, etc. The immersive graphics, weather details, and overhaul environment of this game enhance your gaming experience even more.
In Ocean World Eden Crafters, you and your crew find a planet that shares a similar environment to Earth. You craft tools and equipment, gather resources and lay the foundation for establishing civilization. Eden Crafters is a full co-op, open-world survival and offers you an amazing crafting experience. In the game, you take steps towards transforming a hostile planet into a habitable haven for humanity, where crafting and automation are the keys to success.
Currently, the game is only available for PC users, and to download, Steam is the best place, and it’s free as well.
Minimum System Requirements for Ocean World: Eden Crafters Prologue
OS: Windows 7/8/10
Processor: 3 GHz
Graphics: Nvidia® GTX 1050 or better / AMD® RX 560 or better
Storage: 2 GB available space
ICARUS is a PvE survival game developed by RocketWerkz in 2021. The graphics and audio in the game are truly immersive and engaging, enhancing your gaming experience dynamically. You can play this open-world game with 8 players in co-op mode; however, you can also choose single-player mode to play solo.
In ICARUS, you embark on a journey to find a planet that shares a similar atmosphere to Earth, but it turns out to be a terrifying experience. You must build your orbital station, explore, harvest, craft, and hunt while seeking your fortune. The environment of this planet is toxic, filled with apex predators, destructive storms, and forest fires that convert your exploration into a terrifying survival experience. In order to keep alive, you must craft weapons, advanced composites and electronics, farm, hunt, gather resources, and much more.
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You can download this game from the Steam platform for your desktop. If you are searching for Subnautica-like games, ICARUS is the game that offers you everything from open-world survival experience to craft, build, hunt, and fighting elements.
Minimum System Requirements for ICARUS
OS: Windows 10 (64-bit versions)
Processor: Intel i5 8400
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB
Storage: 70 GB available space
Subnautica Below Zero is the next chapter of Subnautica where the underwater adventure begins again. The game was also developed by Unknown Worlds Entertainment and released in 2021. This chapter comes with a more immersive underwater exploration journey where you submerge yourself in an all-new, sub-zero expedition in an arctic region of Planet 4546B.
In the Subnautica Below Zero journey, you dive into the ocean with equipment to investigate what happened to your sister. The story of the game continues from where the first chapter ended. You need to uncover the truth behind the deadly cover-up. In this exploration, you face many mysterious challenges, and to survive, you build habitats and craft tools and dive deeper into the world of Subnautica once again to uncover the alien lifeforms.
Similar to Subnautica but with more twist, danger, and mystery, this game is super engaging, improved graphics, quality, and controls, and offers a more immersive open-world survival experience. The game is available for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. You can download this game from various game platforms like Steam and Epic Games.
Minimum System Requirements for Subnautica Below Zero
OS: Windows 7 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i3 4XXX series / AMD Ryzen 3 2.6 GHz+
Graphics: Intel HD 530 or better
Developed by NIGHTBOX, Bermuda Lost Survival is an immersive underwater world exploration game that offers a similar gaming experience to Subnautica. Just like Subnautica takes you into the journey of underwater exploration, similarly this game also takes you into the mysterious world of Bermuda Triangle. Soothing and relaxing gameplay with terrifying underwater nightmares, this game has every element that will keep you engaged with its story.
Will you be able to survive long enough to reveal the secret of the Bermuda Triangle? In this game, you will have to do everything to keep yourself alive in the world of water. There are sea creatures like killer sharks and fishes. To keep alive, you must hunt, gather resources, craft and upgrade tools and equipment, and travel with your raft between outposts and reefs. To survive, you must adapt and observe underworld wildlife behavior.
Minimum System Requirements for Bermuda Lost Survival
OS: Windows 7 / 8 / 10
Processor: Intel i3 or AMD equivalent
Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 750 with 1GB RAM
Fade to Silence is an open-world survival RPG set in the cold and deadly world of a post-apocalyptic winter. The graphics of this game are amazing and completely realistic. It’s a single-player and co-op survival adventure game where the atmosphere is freezing, and undefined monstrous creatures roam all around the frozen wasteland.
In Fade to Silence, you take Ash named character, on the journey. Ash is a natural but tormented leader who doesn't fear so easily, always ready to take down his opponents no matter how strong they are. You explore the post-apocalyptic, frozen wasteland, and throughout your journey, you gather resources, craft weapons, and tools, upgrade them, hunt for food, and fight with Eldritch monsters to free your world from the deadliest darkness. The storyline is great, the controls are highly interactive, the gameplay is engaging, and the gaming experience is non-comparable.
The game is available in a wide range of languages and is available for Windows, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms. You can download this from Steam and GOG.
Minimum System Requirements for Fade to Silence
OS: Windows 7/8/10 64bit
Processor: Intel Core i5-2400/AMD FX-8320 or better
Memory: 12 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 or AMD Radeon R9 270 (2gb or more)
Storage: 30 GB available space
Looking for the best alternative to Subnautica? Stranded Deep is an open-world underwater survival game that takes you on an adventure where your plane crashes mysteriously in the deep, dark ocean. The game is highly interactive as there are many things like objects, creatures, and the world itself you can interact with.
Developed by Beam Team Games, they have truly brought the real-life nightmare of the deep dark sea into the game. In order to stay alive, you must build and craft the tools, weapons, and shelter. Moreover, for food, you have to explore the island and sea but be aware that in the ocean, there are bloodthirsty sharks who are roaming around for hunting. Apart from sharks there are Whales, fishes, and other sea creatures.
But the challenge doesn’t end here; you need to survive health, hunger, thirst, and sunstroke. You need also to heal yourself if you get hurt by creatures as your health is not infinite. As you progress in the game, you unlock more new skills and level up your hunting, craftsmanship, cooking, physical, etc. There are more in the game that will unlock only after constant progression.
You can play this game solo and with your friend in the online co-op mode. If you want to play this game, you can download it from Steam and Epic Games.
Minimum System Requirements for Stranded Deep
Processor: X64 Quad Core CPU 2.0GHz+
Graphics: 2GB VRAM
Storage: 4 GB available space
The Infected is a survival crafting open-world sandbox game. It’s a single-player game where you build your base, defend, and protect yourself from wildlife and infected Vambies (Hybrid Vampire-Zombies).
The story of this game is terrifying; it all starts in a lab where drug trials went wrong, where, after some time, Mutations appeared in DNA and unexpected side effects took place. Now, you must survive this global mutant outrage and build and craft tools and equipment to keep yourself alive. In The Infected, you can build a home by gathering resources, wood, steel, and raw materials. While you go out gathering food, you face infected mutants, and you must fight with and stay away from them. There are more in the game that take your gaming experience to the next level.
This game is not exactly similar to Subnautica but offers you great gameplay, storyline, and experience that can hook you up for hours. The game is available on Steam for Windows platform.
Minimum System Requirements for The Infected
OS: Windows 7+ (64 bit)
Processor: Intel Core i5-2400/AMD FX-8320
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB or AMD Radeon RX 570 4GB
DirectX: Version 12
Additional Notes: SSD (Preferred)
This is the last open-world survival game in our list of top games like Subnautica. Not exactly like Subnautica, but it offers a dynamic gaming experience to players who enjoy open-world and survival games. It was developed by Iron Gate AB in 2021, and since then, it has gained tremendous popularity in the survival game genre.
Valheim is a brutal open-world exploration and survival game that takes you on the journey of the tenth world. This survival game can be played by 1 to 10 players in the online co-op mode. In the game, you explore a world filled with mysterious things like distinct environments, unique enemies, and bloodthirsty monsters.
In the game, to survive, you gather resources, craft powerful weapons, and construct longhouses, armor, tools, ships, and defenses. You can also upgrade your equipment, sharpen your blades, grow crops and vegetables to prepare healthy food, brew meads, and potions to heal yourself when wounded, and progress as you encounter more difficult bosses and discover new recipes for food and blueprints for new equipments.
Available on PC via Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox, Valheim is more than just a survival and exploration experience; its unique story and mystery make it a one-of-a-kind game. If you like survival and adventure games, trust me, you will like this game a lot.
Minimum System Requirements for Valheim
Processor: 2.6 GHz Quad Core or similar
Graphics: GeForce GTX 950 or Radeon HD 7970
Storage: 1 GB available space
Subnautica is a game that has captivated millions of gamers' hearts in the world of open-world survival and underwater exploration experience. It’s a fantastic game that offers great gameplay and adventure experience. However, it is not alone in that area, as similar experiences can be found in many other titles.
These games come with many improvements, like engaging storylines, unique gameplay, immersive controls, enhanced open-world survival experience, and much more. We have presented you with the best games like Subnautica, where the main goal is survival in the open world filled with dangers and unexpected mysteries. These games will keep you glued to the screen for long hours.
The 15 games I have mentioned each offer a unique gameplay style and storyline, so there are no good or bad. If you are someone who frequently plays games, you can try them all one by one; trust me, you won’t feel regret. So, have fun and good luck on your survival journey 😉.
DC Kumawat is the CEO of Orion InfoSolutions, a leading provider of IT solutions to businesses of all sizes. He has over 14+ years of experience in the IT industry. He is a passionate advocate for the use of technology to improve business performance.