Subnautica: Below Zero Gets Cinematic Trailer

One month ahead of its console release, Subnautica: Below Zero has received a brand new trailer. A goofy but intense cinematic trailer has just gone live for the underwater survival game. Subnautica: Below Zero is set to launch on May 14 on PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch, and the new video sets the stage for what is on the way for players.

Subnautica: Below Zero is the follow-up to 2018's Subnautica and has been in Early Access on Steam since 2019. Game Rant went hand-on with the Early Access version of Subnautica: Below Zero recently--and although not perfect--the game can be compared to the freedom of Minecraft with the intensity of sci-fi novels. The recent cinematic trailer showcases that as well.

The new cinematic Subnautica: Below Zero trailer shows the perils of being a researcher in the game's open-world underwater environment. Around every turn, it seems that creatures are trying to halt the study of the character in the video, and this is done to comical effect. By the end of the video, however, the protagonist is running for his life from fierce monstrous beasts in an arctic-like outdoor icy habitat.

The Subnautica games can often be ones that are popular for streaming, because just like the cinematic trailer, everything can go haywire at any given moment. Subnautica: Below Zero has been a long time coming, as the development has been a bit bumpy at times and console players have been waiting patiently. It is exciting to know that the wait is almost finally over, as the underwater adventure game is right around the corner, and so are the monstrous creatures.

Subnautica: Below Zero has changed a lot since it first became available via Steam early access in January 2019. Initially conceived as DLC for the original Subnautica, Below Zero has since grown into a fully-voiced sequel with a greater emphasis on character-driven narrative than its predecessor, inspired by sci-fi like Ursula K. Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness and Stainslaw Lern's Solaris. Developer Unknown Worlds Entertainment is a tremendous proponent of open development, incorporating feedback from fans in real-time, and this already-challenging approach to making a game was further complicated by the coronavirus pandemic, which forced team members to collaborate from home.

While the original Subnautica did not achieve the same sensational success as other indie darlings like Minecraft, Stardew Valley, and Hades, it established a dedicated following that encompasses fans of sci-fi, base building, and survival games. Originally nicknamed "Don't Drown" by the community, Subnuatica stranded players on an alien-rich ocean planet where thorough investigation and clever crafting are the keys to survival. Below Zero promises more of the same, albeit with fresh, frigid challenges, based on a recent press conference that Game Rant attended (virtually).

With Below Zero scheduled to exit early access in spring 2021, the title serves as an interesting mirror for an era where everyone's voice can be heard, but essential work practices and strategies, like meeting with colleagues in-person, can no longer be taken for granted. Below Zero's Project Lead, David Kalina, opened up about what it is like to develop hand-in-hand with fans while being far apart from their teammates.