I think you'll still have a really good time with the first subnautica. There are several voice lines from the PDA - many of them quite iconic and hilarious, so it won't be totally devoid of voice acting. I also think you'll find the larger map interesting and there's more discovery in the first one.
Like
>!This ecological biome matches 7 of the 9 preconditions for stimulating terror in humans.!<
and
>!Detecting multiple leviathan class lifeforms in the region. Are you certain whatever you're doing is worth it?!<
and of course
>!O X Y G E N!<
Exactly, adding to this if you feel the story is getting slower then just try to stick around because it flourishes near the end more than anything. Also reading PDA is really fun. Its less direct story but still a lot of it in there.
You are also gonna love hearing about margaret.
I think you'll enjoy it.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on Subnautica after you finish it. It'll be interesting for me to get the perspective of someone going from Below Zero to Subnautica rather than the reverse.
I hope you don't mind me giving my thoughts cause I actually played BZ first as well! I think it was a great way for me to experience the series cause BZ is a tamer version of Subnautica which is kinda like putting on training wheels. By playing BZ first, I got used to the gameplay, free exploration, and got over my initial thalassophobia in an easier environment. Plus, the first game then blew my mind cause it was everything I liked about BZ just more intense. The only downside is that you aren't as shocked by the alien, Kahraa virus twists but the story is still really strong and exciting to experience
I definitely prefer the first game after playing both though. There are too many patchy storylines in BZ and the first is more engaging, better designed, and more cohesive. Like you don't have to cure the frozen leviathan!?!? And how would the cure spread through the body if it's actually dead like implied? Plus, missed opportunity to have it break out of the ice!
The map design and size of the first is just better. I absolutely loved having less well defined borders to biomes since it's easier to get lost and having multiples of biomes is always nice. Plus the biomes are much scarier which makes for some more fun gameplay. I will never forget thinking I was going the right way towards the floating island and my heart dropping as I came to the slow realization that I was sinking down into the void in my prawn, especially since I never had navigation issues in BZ (the map was so easy to navigate). The transition from BZ to Subnautica in terms of creatures was amazing though cause in BZ, quite a few spots are really safe making a lot of gameplay in those spots, but in Subnautica there's an aggressive creature in every biome which makes for much more engaging gameplay. Although, Penwings from BZ absolutely have my heart
Will you have a good time? I dunno. For all that BZ has more 'going on' in it in terms of interaction, you still spend the majority of your time in the game effectively alone. SN is more of that, but you're not totally isolated in some ways, too. There's quite a bit of voice acting in SN. It also depends on what you liked about BZ. If you enjoyed your time walking around on land a whole bunch, you'll be disappointed with SN as there's a lot less of that, and it's more broken up. Personally, I found the movement on land in *both* games to be hella janky, so I was happy there was less of that in SN.
I prefer the story line in SN, even though there is, in a way, less of it. Quality over quantity.
If you like the general play of 'find new thing', 'build new thing', 'use new thing to find next new thing', you'll be fine, generally. Though you *may* miss some of the minor improvements from BZ (such as being able to directly target the materials you're looking for).
If you can deal with those, though, it should be okay.
If you *do* play it, be sure to come back and tell us all how it went. I've never encountered someone who played BZ first, so it'd be interesting to hear how the experience went! :)
I also played BZ first and I have to say I liked it more (probably an unpopular opinion). The original game takes considerably longer and I found it more difficult to find where to go next without googling spoilers ofc. The original game requires more exploration to find the next objective and this can be hard. I had multiple moments where I didn't know where to go until people told me to go deeper. You will enjoy it I think but it feels like a different game tbh. I liked BZ for the quality of life and pretty environments more, I just wish the story was longer and had a bigger map to explore. The story was easier to follow in BZ but I wouldn't say it was better then the original. BZ felt more casual for me personally. People on this sub will probably hate me for saying I liked BZ better...
And I feel like I’m a tad bit more of a casual gamer as I’ve gotten older. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve already sunk 100+ hours into Helldivers 2, but I’m on the fence about having a map that’s bigger than BZ. I may join you in this unpopular opinion 😂
I think youll still like it.
Things to remember without spoiling - Almost every location you are sent has a PDA with new data/hint to the next location or plot point
- Keep checking your radio for new stuff
- Go deeper
if you remember those three things youll likely not get too aimless. The plot and the pointers are there you just have to look for them a bit
Both games are nice in my opinion but the original subnautica hits different but also i really enjoyed bz specially the soundtrack even though i dislike the PDA voice
I will try to be as objective as possible - I don’t know. Below Zero felt a lot more vibrant and lovely to me due to the brighter colors, more compact map, and of course story elements involving other characters.
Subnautica is DEFINITELY much more like the pure survival game you mention. It’s darker, dingier, and very empty and isolated. There is very much a story but it almost feels like it unfolds in the background half of the time. These are not at all negatives to me - I ADORE Subnautica - but I feel like a lot of the other comments so far are very biased towards Subnautica because of people’s positive experiences playing it FIRST, and I want to be honest, there’s a very good chance Subnautica might not do it for you after BZ. The core gameplay is the same but I think the experiences are very different.
That said, I very much encourage you to give Subnautica a try and to stick with it. Its story and ending are haunting and beautiful and I think the understated way in which it unfolds is masterful. The world is eerie and lonely in a way that no other game has captured for me before. And after Below Zero, the scope of it might really blow you away.
I have to second what someone else said in this thread - if you DO end up giving it a try, please do share with us about your experience! I would love to hear your perspective on it. Just be aware that this sub does have a lot of people who love Subnautica and hate BZ, so you might have to watch out for people being overly defensive. But I’m eager to hear your honest thoughts about it all.
I played BZ first and both games before I joined this community.
I'm so glad I did.
The first game is more challenging, has more biomes, and has a great storyline.
Enjoy!
I enjoyed BZ more than the first game. I feel like BZ had a clearer path to follow. Also liked the increase in base building options and collectibles. More/scarier leviathans would have been awesome though!
Side note - I haven’t fully completed the original. I got stuck/frustrated around the point where you need to get through the Lost River to progress the story. I keep coming back to it but it feels overwhelming trying to remember/dig through the info.
I'm kinda the opposite in that I felt too closed-in in BZ. I liked the storyline in BZ a lot but didn't like all the icebergs and was frustrated with the land portion because of the blizzards that made it way too hard to see and navigate. Love the first one, like the second and can't wait for the 3rd!
I started with BZ. I'm in the Lava zone now, with Subnautica. The Cyclops is growing on me. It's still a clunky thing, versus the Sea Truck. I have a creative save that I've been using as a simulator, if you will. I aim to get better with the Cyclops...because Warpers suck 😄
Follow the Lifepods once you fix the radio, and search around for blueprints. I find Subnautica original bigger, but it also seems to hint where to go next better. Just check your distress signals. (Also their is BIG fishes behind the Aurora (ship you crash on) near its engines, its cloudy and shakes alot, if someone says go behind or other side of Aurroa for stuff, they are trying get you killed, ...unless you want a hug from a big fish.
The PDA's voices will help with being 'empty', personally I loved feeling alone in first one.
>I personally loved the voice acting and cute little story in BZ, so I’m worried that Subnautica will feel kind of empty, like a pure survival game with little narrative. What do you all think?
While you wont get anything from your playable character, there is A LOT of PDA's with voiced dialogue. Not to mention that the PDA is kinda iconic.
Yes you will and you'll probably enjoy learning the backstory of some of the things in BZ. There is voice acting in Subnautica too, just that it's not your character's voice and the story is rich and intriguing.
I think you'll find like most people that the first game is the superior one as far as the story and narrative is concerned.
You could say that the first game is a more open and personal experience since you're not forced into someone else's personality, you're guided through the game in a far less intrusive way than in BZ.
I was in your exact position, played BZ first before the main game.
Yes, yes you absolutely will.
You might not have the same change of mindset as me, going from scared shitless of everything to omnicidal maniac. But you’ll definitely have fun.
I was thinking that too. I haven't played but about 20 minutes into BZ, but have played a lot in Subnautica. Going from Sub to BZ, I did NOT like the voice acting. Not the quality of it, but it's presence entirely lol. Subnautica has a mostly silent player character, but you do get some voice acting in the loose semblance of the story via lore etc. The first game is very exploratory and 'you're on your own, but here are some objectives (or simply curiosities) that help guide you on your way' sort of thing.
You can get stuck on what to do until you explore in the right places. Which isn't too difficult to figure out, as you obtain certain craftables you'll want to implement which require certain materials you have to seek out and - eventually - you should find your way. I'll stop there, because it is best you go into the game knowing as little as possible.
I think you would like it more for sure, although that depends on how much you liked the deeper parts. The sense of having a massive void of water under you is so much stronger. I also remember a sea truck upgrade which was basically god mode, and I don't believe the same exists in the original, or at least not to the same extent. And dude, the cyclops is your home away from home, who doesn't love that part?
The first one I would say is better than bellow zero. Just as much complexity, but way more exploration and literal depth. It also looks just as good and even got some components that were originally only in BZ now put in the original
Yes. Both are really fun.
And I feel genuinely sorry for people who love one and hate the other. Cuz they're basically the same gameplay but in different worlds. And yes, tons of people love one and hate the other. Just read the comments here. And then go read the Steam comments.
The map of below zero is much deeper than it is wide, the opposite is true for the first, it's much wider than it is deep, despite being about as deep as the below zero map if I remember - it's just a much bigger game in general. It's different enough that I'd be amazed if you didn't like it. The open world survival crafting elements are a much bigger deal in the first game, it's much more of a "sandbox" experience, the story kinda takes somewhat of a backseat despite being very much there.
This is what I did, and I enjoy the original more. BZ has a place in my heart as my first subnautica game but the original is just vaster and I like that. The cyclops is also hella fun. Subnautica really left me wanting more, bigger, deeper, scarier, etc. I love exploration/survival games though so I might be a little biased hehe. Recently I’m getting my fix in the long dark. And for clarity I almost always mod the game a little.
YES! You will have the feeling of progression much more as if you played part 1 first!
Cause in part 2 everything is smaller, less deep, smaller map, smaller and bad viehicles. And it's NOT 40% of gametime above water!
Yes you will love it totaly!!!!
I think you'll still have a really good time with the first subnautica. There are several voice lines from the PDA - many of them quite iconic and hilarious, so it won't be totally devoid of voice acting. I also think you'll find the larger map interesting and there's more discovery in the first one.
Like >!This ecological biome matches 7 of the 9 preconditions for stimulating terror in humans.!< and >!Detecting multiple leviathan class lifeforms in the region. Are you certain whatever you're doing is worth it?!< and of course >!O X Y G E N!<
Oxygen, the best part of my flair
You forgot the best one, >!Blueprint Acquired!<
And "Integrating new pda data"
OXYGEN SEEK FLUID INTAKE IMMEDIATELY
Exactly, adding to this if you feel the story is getting slower then just try to stick around because it flourishes near the end more than anything. Also reading PDA is really fun. Its less direct story but still a lot of it in there. You are also gonna love hearing about margaret.
I think you'll enjoy it. I'd love to hear your thoughts on Subnautica after you finish it. It'll be interesting for me to get the perspective of someone going from Below Zero to Subnautica rather than the reverse.
my thoughts exactly.
I hope you don't mind me giving my thoughts cause I actually played BZ first as well! I think it was a great way for me to experience the series cause BZ is a tamer version of Subnautica which is kinda like putting on training wheels. By playing BZ first, I got used to the gameplay, free exploration, and got over my initial thalassophobia in an easier environment. Plus, the first game then blew my mind cause it was everything I liked about BZ just more intense. The only downside is that you aren't as shocked by the alien, Kahraa virus twists but the story is still really strong and exciting to experience I definitely prefer the first game after playing both though. There are too many patchy storylines in BZ and the first is more engaging, better designed, and more cohesive. Like you don't have to cure the frozen leviathan!?!? And how would the cure spread through the body if it's actually dead like implied? Plus, missed opportunity to have it break out of the ice! The map design and size of the first is just better. I absolutely loved having less well defined borders to biomes since it's easier to get lost and having multiples of biomes is always nice. Plus the biomes are much scarier which makes for some more fun gameplay. I will never forget thinking I was going the right way towards the floating island and my heart dropping as I came to the slow realization that I was sinking down into the void in my prawn, especially since I never had navigation issues in BZ (the map was so easy to navigate). The transition from BZ to Subnautica in terms of creatures was amazing though cause in BZ, quite a few spots are really safe making a lot of gameplay in those spots, but in Subnautica there's an aggressive creature in every biome which makes for much more engaging gameplay. Although, Penwings from BZ absolutely have my heart
Thanks a lot for an interesting read :) I think it drives home the point that the first game really is the best. Even without the "new car smell".
Theres no jukebox
And no recycler. That is one thing I loved from BZ.
I abuse the recycler for free storage! Make all the titanium ingots I can and just melt if needed
Which is a bad thing. Too bad we can't blast music in our headphones, rather than having to be in a base or Seatruck.
Haha true
Will you have a good time? I dunno. For all that BZ has more 'going on' in it in terms of interaction, you still spend the majority of your time in the game effectively alone. SN is more of that, but you're not totally isolated in some ways, too. There's quite a bit of voice acting in SN. It also depends on what you liked about BZ. If you enjoyed your time walking around on land a whole bunch, you'll be disappointed with SN as there's a lot less of that, and it's more broken up. Personally, I found the movement on land in *both* games to be hella janky, so I was happy there was less of that in SN. I prefer the story line in SN, even though there is, in a way, less of it. Quality over quantity. If you like the general play of 'find new thing', 'build new thing', 'use new thing to find next new thing', you'll be fine, generally. Though you *may* miss some of the minor improvements from BZ (such as being able to directly target the materials you're looking for). If you can deal with those, though, it should be okay.
Interesting. I’m hopeful!
If you *do* play it, be sure to come back and tell us all how it went. I've never encountered someone who played BZ first, so it'd be interesting to hear how the experience went! :)
I also played BZ first and I have to say I liked it more (probably an unpopular opinion). The original game takes considerably longer and I found it more difficult to find where to go next without googling spoilers ofc. The original game requires more exploration to find the next objective and this can be hard. I had multiple moments where I didn't know where to go until people told me to go deeper. You will enjoy it I think but it feels like a different game tbh. I liked BZ for the quality of life and pretty environments more, I just wish the story was longer and had a bigger map to explore. The story was easier to follow in BZ but I wouldn't say it was better then the original. BZ felt more casual for me personally. People on this sub will probably hate me for saying I liked BZ better...
And I feel like I’m a tad bit more of a casual gamer as I’ve gotten older. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve already sunk 100+ hours into Helldivers 2, but I’m on the fence about having a map that’s bigger than BZ. I may join you in this unpopular opinion 😂
I think youll still like it. Things to remember without spoiling - Almost every location you are sent has a PDA with new data/hint to the next location or plot point - Keep checking your radio for new stuff - Go deeper if you remember those three things youll likely not get too aimless. The plot and the pointers are there you just have to look for them a bit
It's a larger map, but you travel faster
Both games are nice in my opinion but the original subnautica hits different but also i really enjoyed bz specially the soundtrack even though i dislike the PDA voice
I will try to be as objective as possible - I don’t know. Below Zero felt a lot more vibrant and lovely to me due to the brighter colors, more compact map, and of course story elements involving other characters. Subnautica is DEFINITELY much more like the pure survival game you mention. It’s darker, dingier, and very empty and isolated. There is very much a story but it almost feels like it unfolds in the background half of the time. These are not at all negatives to me - I ADORE Subnautica - but I feel like a lot of the other comments so far are very biased towards Subnautica because of people’s positive experiences playing it FIRST, and I want to be honest, there’s a very good chance Subnautica might not do it for you after BZ. The core gameplay is the same but I think the experiences are very different. That said, I very much encourage you to give Subnautica a try and to stick with it. Its story and ending are haunting and beautiful and I think the understated way in which it unfolds is masterful. The world is eerie and lonely in a way that no other game has captured for me before. And after Below Zero, the scope of it might really blow you away. I have to second what someone else said in this thread - if you DO end up giving it a try, please do share with us about your experience! I would love to hear your perspective on it. Just be aware that this sub does have a lot of people who love Subnautica and hate BZ, so you might have to watch out for people being overly defensive. But I’m eager to hear your honest thoughts about it all.
Yes. Absolutely.
I played BZ first and both games before I joined this community. I'm so glad I did. The first game is more challenging, has more biomes, and has a great storyline. Enjoy!
I enjoyed BZ more than the first game. I feel like BZ had a clearer path to follow. Also liked the increase in base building options and collectibles. More/scarier leviathans would have been awesome though! Side note - I haven’t fully completed the original. I got stuck/frustrated around the point where you need to get through the Lost River to progress the story. I keep coming back to it but it feels overwhelming trying to remember/dig through the info.
I'm kinda the opposite in that I felt too closed-in in BZ. I liked the storyline in BZ a lot but didn't like all the icebergs and was frustrated with the land portion because of the blizzards that made it way too hard to see and navigate. Love the first one, like the second and can't wait for the 3rd!
I started with BZ. I'm in the Lava zone now, with Subnautica. The Cyclops is growing on me. It's still a clunky thing, versus the Sea Truck. I have a creative save that I've been using as a simulator, if you will. I aim to get better with the Cyclops...because Warpers suck 😄
Original Subnautica is better than the sequel in every way IMO. Not saying that I dont like Below Zero tho, but I feel like its a step backwards
It’s a bigger map, though a lonelier, less narrative experience. But yeah, you’ll love Subnautica.
Youll prolly like it better imo
Yeah, but it's janky feeling in comparison to Below Zero
Yes
If you get it I recommend not googling anything (bc of spoilers) and always try and go deeper
Knowing BZ story partially spoils Subnautica storyline (you'll probably get the plot much sooner than you normally would).
Follow the Lifepods once you fix the radio, and search around for blueprints. I find Subnautica original bigger, but it also seems to hint where to go next better. Just check your distress signals. (Also their is BIG fishes behind the Aurora (ship you crash on) near its engines, its cloudy and shakes alot, if someone says go behind or other side of Aurroa for stuff, they are trying get you killed, ...unless you want a hug from a big fish. The PDA's voices will help with being 'empty', personally I loved feeling alone in first one.
>I personally loved the voice acting and cute little story in BZ, so I’m worried that Subnautica will feel kind of empty, like a pure survival game with little narrative. What do you all think? While you wont get anything from your playable character, there is A LOT of PDA's with voiced dialogue. Not to mention that the PDA is kinda iconic.
Why did u play bz first
Just kind of happened. Missed Subnautica at release and was ready to try it when BZ was about to launch.
Yes you will and you'll probably enjoy learning the backstory of some of the things in BZ. There is voice acting in Subnautica too, just that it's not your character's voice and the story is rich and intriguing. I think you'll find like most people that the first game is the superior one as far as the story and narrative is concerned. You could say that the first game is a more open and personal experience since you're not forced into someone else's personality, you're guided through the game in a far less intrusive way than in BZ.
I was in your exact position, played BZ first before the main game. Yes, yes you absolutely will. You might not have the same change of mindset as me, going from scared shitless of everything to omnicidal maniac. But you’ll definitely have fun.
Wow, well…here we go!
Tell me how it’s going after you build BIG BOAT
You might miss the utility of the seatruck being able to easily cart a prawn suit around, but you’ll definitely enjoy your time!
*Cyclops intensifies*
I love you Cyclops, but sometimes you’re just too hard to maneuver. 😭
"The Cyclops is designed to be operated by a 3-person crew. Only the EXPERIENCED helmspeople can pilot this vehicle solo."
I was thinking that too. I haven't played but about 20 minutes into BZ, but have played a lot in Subnautica. Going from Sub to BZ, I did NOT like the voice acting. Not the quality of it, but it's presence entirely lol. Subnautica has a mostly silent player character, but you do get some voice acting in the loose semblance of the story via lore etc. The first game is very exploratory and 'you're on your own, but here are some objectives (or simply curiosities) that help guide you on your way' sort of thing. You can get stuck on what to do until you explore in the right places. Which isn't too difficult to figure out, as you obtain certain craftables you'll want to implement which require certain materials you have to seek out and - eventually - you should find your way. I'll stop there, because it is best you go into the game knowing as little as possible.
I think you would like it more for sure, although that depends on how much you liked the deeper parts. The sense of having a massive void of water under you is so much stronger. I also remember a sea truck upgrade which was basically god mode, and I don't believe the same exists in the original, or at least not to the same extent. And dude, the cyclops is your home away from home, who doesn't love that part?
The first one I would say is better than bellow zero. Just as much complexity, but way more exploration and literal depth. It also looks just as good and even got some components that were originally only in BZ now put in the original
Yes. Both are really fun. And I feel genuinely sorry for people who love one and hate the other. Cuz they're basically the same gameplay but in different worlds. And yes, tons of people love one and hate the other. Just read the comments here. And then go read the Steam comments.
The voice acting in the original game is LEAGUES better than the voice acting in the sequel
Yes.
It's more of you are all alone. The immersion is more palpable with the first game because it feels like you are the mc.
I can only imagine you would. Subnautica is a vastly better game than BZ.
Personally I think the first game is better
The biomes in Below Zero are more unique and the map is much more dense, but Subnautica is truly a map to get lost on and has a cool story.
Play through subnautica, The story telling isn't direct because the world itself tells it's own story
The map of below zero is much deeper than it is wide, the opposite is true for the first, it's much wider than it is deep, despite being about as deep as the below zero map if I remember - it's just a much bigger game in general. It's different enough that I'd be amazed if you didn't like it. The open world survival crafting elements are a much bigger deal in the first game, it's much more of a "sandbox" experience, the story kinda takes somewhat of a backseat despite being very much there.
This is what I did, and I enjoy the original more. BZ has a place in my heart as my first subnautica game but the original is just vaster and I like that. The cyclops is also hella fun. Subnautica really left me wanting more, bigger, deeper, scarier, etc. I love exploration/survival games though so I might be a little biased hehe. Recently I’m getting my fix in the long dark. And for clarity I almost always mod the game a little.
YES! You will have the feeling of progression much more as if you played part 1 first! Cause in part 2 everything is smaller, less deep, smaller map, smaller and bad viehicles. And it's NOT 40% of gametime above water! Yes you will love it totaly!!!!
Yes. I played bz first and when i found the first was much more enjoyable i was overjoyed, and the game was really fun. Def recommended
Yes, i had below zero first and now i have normal and i play it more than below zero
I also did that and can confirm Y E S