Games Like Subnautica — 15 Best Similar Games, Sorted by What You Loved

Subnautica is a hard game to follow: survival crafting, an open alien ocean, a story told through exploration, and genuine terror the deeper you go. The good news is the "what to play next" list is long and unusually varied — the closest pick is its own sequel Below Zero, the best surface-survival swap is Raft, the best mystery-exploration pick is Outer Wilds, and if you want the ocean dread without the crafting, Barotrauma delivers. This guide sorts 15 games like Subnautica by why you loved it, so you land on the right one instead of a random "similar" list.

Here's what you'll learn:

• The five picks closest to the Subnautica feel, and why
• Best options for exploration-lovers, base-builders and co-op players
• The underwater alternatives (chill and terrifying)
• Whether Below Zero or the new Subnautica 2 is your next stop

Official resources: Subnautica on Steam · IGN Subnautica page · Wikipedia — Subnautica · Subnautica 2 on Steam

The Five Closest Matches

These are the games that hit the same combination of survival, crafting, exploration and dread — ranked by how close the feel is:

Per Wikipedia: "Subnautica is an action-adventure survival video game developed and published by Unknown Worlds Entertainment… it allows the player to explore an open ocean environment." That open-ocean exploration-plus-survival formula is exactly what each pick above re-creates in its own setting.

If you want the single most Subnautica-like game that isn't Subnautica, the community answer is consistently Raft — same loop of "manage resources → build the next thing → go further from safety," with co-op on top. If you want the emotion of Subnautica — the wonder of uncovering a mystery through exploration alone — it's Outer Wilds, which many players consider the better game but a completely different genre.

If You Loved the Exploration and Discovery

• Outer Wilds — a solar system stuck in a 22-minute time loop, and you piece the whole mystery together by learning, not by collecting XP. No combat, no crafting, but the single best "aha" moments in gaming. This is the critical darling of every "played Subnautica, what next" thread.
• No Man's Sky — endless procedurally generated planets, base building, survival elements and a relaxed pace. It's Subnautica's "discover a whole planet" fantasy scaled to a universe, and it's had a decade of updates since its rough launch.
• Abzu — pure underwater exploration with no survival pressure at all. Three to four hours of the prettiest ocean art in games. Perfect palette cleanser, not a challenge.

If You Loved the Survival and Base Building

• Raft — build a floating base one plank at a time, sail to story islands, fight off a shark that keeps eating your hull. Full co-op (up to 4). The inventory and blueprint loops feel like Subnautica's.
• Stranded Deep — the grittier, less forgiving cousin: shipwreck survival with a raft you assemble from wreckage, sharks, and limited resources. No story to speak of; pure survival.
• Grounded — shrunk to the size of a bug in a backyard, with a genuine mystery story, base building and 4-player co-op. Much more combat than Subnautica, but the exploration-gated progression is identical.
• Sons of the Forest — the modern survival-crafting benchmark: deep building, a mysterious island, co-op, and the same "the map is your reward" exploration philosophy. More horror, more combat.

If You Want the Ocean Dread (Without the Crafting)

• Barotrauma — a co-op submarine crew sim set in an alien ocean where the submarine itself is the survival puzzle. Maintain the reactor, patch hull breaches, deal with abyssal horrors. The closest thing to "Cyclops only, forever."
• Breathedge — "Subnautica in space" with a sense of humor: you're a guy in a spaceship wreck with a chicken, crafting and drifting through the void. Same loop, sillier tone, solo only.

Should You Just Play Below Zero First?

Honestly — yes, before anything else on this list. Subnautica: Below Zero is more of a spin-off than a sequel: a smaller map (roughly half the area), a colder climate with land sections, the Seatruck instead of the Cyclops, and a more character-driven story. If you finished Subnautica wanting more of the same but tighter, it delivers in 20–30 hours. If you finished it wanting something different, skip it and go to Outer Wilds or Raft. Our Below Zero map guide breaks down exactly how the map and vehicles differ so you can decide.

The other obvious next stop is Subnautica 2, which launched into Early Access on May 14, 2026 on PC and Xbox Series X|S at $29.99 — and for the first time in the franchise, it has up to 4-player co-op built in. It's still in active development (Unknown Worlds expects 1.0 in roughly two to three years), so it's a "jump in and watch it grow" proposition rather than a finished game.

FAQ

What games are similar to Subnautica?

The closest are Subnautica: Below Zero (sequel), Raft (ocean survival co-op), Stranded Deep (island survival), Outer Wilds (exploration mystery), Grounded (tiny survival), No Man's Sky (space exploration) and Barotrauma (co-op submarine). Pick by whether you want survival, discovery, or ocean dread.

Is there a game exactly like Subnautica?

Not exactly — the "open underwater survival with story" niche is nearly empty. Below Zero is the only true match from the same developer. Raft and Stranded Deep are the closest in mechanics; Outer Wilds is the closest in spirit.

What should I play after Subnautica?

For more of the same: Subnautica: Below Zero. For the discovery magic: Outer Wilds. For survival co-op: Raft or Grounded. For ocean horror: Barotrauma. For scale: No Man's Sky.

Is Subnautica: Below Zero better than Subnautica?

Different, not better: smaller map, colder setting, land sections, Seatruck instead of Cyclops, and a more guided story. It's excellent but shorter and less terrifying. Many players prefer the original's scale and dread.

Is Subnautica 2 out yet?

Yes — it entered Early Access on May 14, 2026 on Steam, Epic, Microsoft Store and Xbox Series X|S ($29.99), with up to 4-player co-op for the first time in the series. Full release is expected in roughly 2–3 years.

Related Guides

• Subnautica Below Zero Map — Biomes, Coordinates & Navigation
• Subnautica Cyclops Guide — Fragments, Upgrades and Pilot Tips
• Subnautica Mods Guide — Best Mods and How to Install
• Subnautica on Switch — Performance, Versions & Worth It

Last updated: August 13, 2026.