Subnautica: Below Zero - A Chilly Disappointment 'subnautica below zero penguin'

After the success of its predecessor, Subnautica enthusiasts were eagerly awaiting the release of its long-awaited sequel. Unfortunately, Subnautica: Below Zero fails to live up to expectations in almost every aspect.

The game takes place on an alien planet called Planet 14-6, where players are once again dropped into a hostile environment - this time, however, it's frozen solid rather than the warm waters of its predecessor. The graphics have been slightly improved compared to Subnaitica but overall they still look somewhat dated and lack the polish that modern games such as Sea Of Thieves or No Man’s Sky boast.

In terms of gameplay, there isn't much new under the sun here either. Players will spend most of their time exploring underwater caves while fighting off various sea creatures using an array of basic equipment like harpoons, nets etcetera... The only slight change from before comes in form of submersible vehicles which allow you travel faster through icy waters but even these feel half-baked compared to what we saw back then.

One major disappointment is the lackluster map size. Gone are the expansive underwater worlds that Subnautica was known for, replaced instead by tiny, linear levels that quickly become repetitive and monotonous after just a few hours of gameplay. The variety in submersibles available has also been drastically reduced from five to only three options - hardly enough considering how much time players will spend exploring these barren environments.

To make matters worse, the equipment selection is equally underwhelming with very little new added since Subnautica's release date last year. This combined with poor optimization issues that result in frequent frame rate drops and crashes makes for a subpar gaming experience overall.

Overall, SUBNAUTICA: BELOW ZERO feels like an obvious cash-grab by its developers rather than any genuine attempt to build upon the foundations laid down so well first time round. With such high hopes pinned on it before launch day finally arrived only to be met with this lackluster offering is truly disheartening news for fans of survival adventure games everywhere.

Rating: 2/5 stars (barely worth playing unless you're a die-hard Subnautica fan looking for something new to kill an afternoon)

Recommended For: Casual players who enjoy exploration-based gameplay but are not picky about graphics or variety. Not recommended for anyone seeking a substantial gaming experience with depth and complexity.

System Requirements:

- Windows 10 (64-bit)

- Intel Core i3-2120 @ 2.5GHz / AMD FX-6300

- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (4GB) / AMD Radeon R9 380X (8GB)

Review copy provided by 'Publisher/Developer

Subnautica below zero penguin