I’ve never survived long in survival games: for one, I’m simply not very good at them; but I also don’t tend to find their mechanics especially compelling — survival for survival’s sake doesn’t feel fulfilling and the grind and constant demands for micro-managing essential resources doesn’t appeal.
Subnautica was the first survival game to grab me, in large part due to its remarkable storytelling. It has an exquisitely designed narrative structure which ties a loose, flexible plot into its core mechanics and progression systems, such that story is never a distraction or interruption from the game; instead, the story is woven into every single action you do in the game, providing deeper meaning and a drive to keep exploring.
This has an immediate effect on the survival mechanics, disguising the endless need to find food and water behind a compelling setting and story. Tonally it avoids being one-note, shifting between beauty and mystery and dread in a regular basis.
It’s a very good game.
What I’ve only appreciated now that I’m a fair way into the game is how it taps into the usual feedback and satisfaction loops of a roleplaying game, without falling into the usual tropes and traps.
