Best tips and tricks for starting Subnautica

Subnautica is an open-world experience that continues to captivate fans years after its launch. Newcomers diving into the first entry of the series ahead of the sequel's launch next year should buckle up for an immersive and challenging survival crafting game. This one will likely make them face their thalassophobia.

Here are some handy tips and tricks for beginners to sink their teeth into, because Subnautica is a title that will not make things easy for them. Read on to know more.

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5 best tips for beginners in Subnautica

1) Explore every corner and scan everything

The world is teeming with discoveries, but also danger (Image via Unknown Worlds Entertainment)

As an open-world game, Subnautica has a clear focus on survival and resource management. Therefore, players should thoroughly comb through the early Shallows and Kelp Forest areas for resources, like mineral ores and harvestable flora. Additionally, they can use the Scanner tool to locate most things in the environment.

This doesn't just fill up the PDA's (Personal Digital Assistant's) dex, but also unlocks significant lore regarding the target subject. Players should leave no stone unturned, even in the face of danger, as they can gain access to valuable info about fauna, flora, and biomes in the game.

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2) Avoid starvation

Keep food and water handy to stave off hunger and thirst when exploring tricky locations (Image via Unknown Worlds Entertainment)

Unless players opt into the Freedom difficulty mode, they must contend with hunger and thirst in Subnautica, satiated by eating food and drinking liquids, respectively. Ignoring these needs can put the protagonist in danger, which is undesirable during already tense moments like navigating vast, harsh environments.

Thankfully, the needs are easy to meet, as there are plenty of easy-to-catch fish in the starting areas, like Peeper, Boomerang, and Bladderfish, with the latter also doubling up as a water source when chucked into the Fabricator. In regions where fish are scarce, players can combine Salt Deposit and Coral Tube Sample to make Bleach, which, in turn, can be converted into Disinfected Water.

To summarize, be sure to carry along food and water supplies when out on expeditions, as it is not always possible to head back to base. Vehicles like the Seamoth also have handy compartments to store items.

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3) Build essential tools first

The Scanner is the first handy tool that players should build (Image via Unknown Worlds Entertainment)

As established previously, gamers will be heavily relying on the Fabricator machine to craft consumables, tools, and equipment to aid their journey. We recommend building key tools and equipment first so they can get to exploring and progressing faster. This includes the likes of the Scanner, Repair Tool to repair machinery and vehicles, Habitat Builder to construct a base, and more.

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4) Be wary of the dark

The world can be beautiful yet terrifying at night (Image via Unknown Worlds Entertainment)

When night falls, visibility drastically decreases, even in the starting Shallows area. As such, venturing out to hunt for resources or reach a location is ill-advised, at least during the early hours of the game. The waters of Subnautica are teeming with hostile fauna, which get more dangerous as players go into the sea.

While access to the early-game Seaglide negates this, users will only have a real opportunity to navigate the dark and crushing depths in a Seamoth or higher-grade submersibles, like the Prawn Suit or Cyclops. As such, we recommend spending much of the daylight farming for resources.

Players should do this until they at least have access to the Seaglide so they can traverse the world faster to progress in the title.

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5) The Seaglide is your best friend

Craft a Seaglide as soon as possible (Image via Unknown Worlds Entertainment)

There will be no tool that users will rely on as much as the Seaglide. This is the first vehicle that can be easily crafted in the game after scanning the required amount of Seaglide parts scattered around the Shallows and Kelp Forest.

It drastically increases movement speed through water, which is key for evading incoming foes, and makes surfacing for oxygen much easier.

The handy Flashlight function also makes navigating cavernous areas easy, but the real star of the show is its map. Subnautica lacks a map system for immersion purposes, but the Seaglide is a notable exception with its minimap that can make traversing harder-to-reach areas of underwater terrain easier.

This ensures players do not get lost. Lastly, it being battery-powered makes the Seaglide easier to manage.

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Subnautica is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS platforms.