Barotrauma
- March 13, 2023
- Undertow Games
- 59h median play time
Get on Steam"Barotrauma" is a horror simulation game that takes place in a submarine traveling through the treacherous waters of Jupiter's moon Europa. Players must work together in multiplayer mode, with up to 16 players in co-op or single-player, to operate the submarine and fend off dangerous creatures and equipment malfunctions. The game is heavily inspired by Space Station 13 and Pressure, and features 2D graphics with a focus on survival and teamwork.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Epic Games
Linux
Reviews
- gameplay2,454 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Barotrauma is characterized by its complex mechanics and cooperative multiplayer experience, where players assume various roles such as captain, engineer, mechanic, and medic to manage a submarine navigating the depths of Europa. While the game offers a steep learning curve and can feel overwhelming for newcomers, it rewards players with engaging and emergent gameplay moments, especially when played with friends. However, some players note that the gameplay can become repetitive over time, and the reliance on teamwork and communication is crucial for success, making it less enjoyable in solo play.
“The gameplay is great and the freedom is amazing.”
“The combination of tense submarine simulation, survival horror elements, and emergent gameplay creates a highly addictive and rewarding gameplay loop.”
“The cooperative gameplay, where players work together to pilot a submarine through dangerous, alien seas, is intense and rewarding.”
“It's just a pity and a huge misunderstanding that there are a lot of mechanics missing, which are fortunately available in mods, but which should be included in the basic game!”
“The gameplay, although quite monotonous, but a lot of emerging situations cause a lot of emotions.”
“The gameplay loop, without mods, the base game's loop is very bare bones and after a few voyages it will become boring to just go from point A to point B, putting in more random events and actual dangers between those two points would greatly benefit it.”
- story2,417 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story aspect of "Barotrauma" is characterized by its emergent storytelling, where players create their own narratives through cooperative gameplay and chaotic missions. While the game features a basic campaign structure with various mission types—such as transporting cargo, hunting monsters, and salvaging wrecks—the overarching narrative is minimal and often relies on player interactions and experiences rather than a scripted plot. Many players find the lack of depth in the story disappointing, but the unpredictable nature of missions and the potential for humorous or disastrous outcomes contribute to a unique and engaging gameplay experience.
“Barotrauma is a very open-ended game about navigating through the waters beneath the ice of Jupiter's moon with your crew in progressively more advanced submarines, in a short-term quest for resources and power and a long-term quest of reaching the depths of Europa's underwater caverns.”
“The game’s immersive, 2D side-scrolling visuals and eerie sound design enhance the feeling of isolation and vulnerability, while the unpredictability of each mission ensures that no two sessions are ever alike.”
“Barotrauma is a story generator, as it does leave you with tales to tell, despite missions going about the same way for the most part; it's not a boring and tiring kind of repetitiveness, but rather a very apprehensive one.”
“The story is weak and barely there until right at the end, and the factions are decent, but ultimately pretty ignorable.”
“The missions can get repetitive quickly though as there are 5ish categories of missions in the current build.”
“The actual goal is relatively basic; the missions only exist to provide a setting for the aforementioned disasters (and reward you so).”
- humor955 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in "Barotrauma" is a standout feature, with players frequently highlighting the chaotic and unpredictable nature of multiplayer gameplay that leads to hilarious mishaps and absurd situations. The combination of ragdoll physics, dark humor, and the potential for friendly sabotage creates a unique blend of terror and comedy, making it particularly enjoyable when played with friends. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to generate memorable, laugh-out-loud moments amidst the tension of survival horror.
“Combining tense submarine simulation with survival horror elements and a robust modding community, it creates a deeply immersive and often hilariously chaotic gameplay loop.”
“The complex systems governing the submarine, combined with the unpredictable nature of the underwater world, create countless unexpected and often hilarious situations.”
“The crisis management aspects make for lots of funny and intense moments when you're all scrambling around panicking, yelling at your crewmates, while the submarine is being attacked and sinking to the ocean floor.”
“But not funny enough sometimes.”
“Funny game, not funny when a large tapeworm attacks and scares the living daylights out of me.”
“Not funny.”
- atmosphere614 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Barotrauma" is widely praised for its immersive and tense qualities, effectively capturing the claustrophobic and eerie experience of piloting a submarine in the depths of an alien ocean. Players highlight the game's exceptional sound design, atmospheric visuals, and the sense of dread that accompanies exploration and teamwork, making it a standout title for those who enjoy cooperative gameplay in a survival horror setting. Overall, the game's ability to evoke feelings of fear and camaraderie amidst chaos is a significant draw for players.
“Barotrauma is a standout game for its unique blend of teamwork, tension, and strategy, all set in a hauntingly atmospheric underwater world.”
“The atmosphere is heavy and it takes you in as you go.”
“The sound design works well, creating an immersive atmosphere with underwater noises and environmental sounds.”
“The oppressive atmosphere, coupled with the constant threat of hostile creatures and malfunctioning systems, creates an intense and nerve-wracking experience.”
“The atmosphere is eerie, claustrophobic, and really makes you feel like you're piloting a submarine underneath the icy surface of Jupiter's moon, Europa.”
“The atmosphere in this game is without comparison.”
- graphics500 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning visuals and atmospheric design that effectively convey the eerie underwater setting. While some players appreciate the unique 2D art style and detailed environments, others find the graphics simplistic or lacking in depth, suggesting that the visuals may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the game's aesthetic is often described as fitting for its themes, enhancing the immersive experience despite its modest graphical fidelity.
“The game has stunning visuals that shift as you descend deeper into Europa; at every biome, you will see significant changes to your environment and your enemies.”
“Barotrauma features a 2D art style with detailed submarine interiors and atmospheric underwater environments.”
“The graphics and sound design are incredible, and you feel deep underwater.”
“The graphics are like nostalgia from a vintage Atari system, dipped in murky water.”
“The graphics look weird at first, and the control mechanics are weird as well, but after an hour or two you love them.”
“The graphics are very poor at giving a sense of depth between background and foreground items.”
- music226 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall experience with a mix of eerie, intense, and memorable tracks that complement the underwater horror theme. Players appreciate the sound design, which includes ambient noises and musical cues that heighten tension and create a unique atmosphere, although some note that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and emotional impact.
“It's a game that is truly unique and one-of-a-kind, with an incredible and dark soundtrack, with amazing sound design that you'll never forget.”
“The sound design further enhances the immersion, with eerie ambient sounds and tense musical cues adding to the suspense and excitement of underwater exploration.”
“The soundtrack is superb, in my opinion it really encapsulates the world and its feel.”
“The soundtrack kinda just plays random tracks and sometimes it doesn't fit what's going on at all.”
“The game is very immersive and immediately is off-putting just by the music and sounds of the ship, it makes my stomach drop.”
“Even the soundtrack for this game offers no respite, it is a strange collection of music, or more like tunes made using only the sounds you would hear while on a submarine, like sonar beeping or pieces of floating debris hitting the hull.”
- stability194 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among players, with many reporting frequent bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, especially in multiplayer modes. While some users find the occasional bugs add to the charm and humor of the experience, others express frustration over game-breaking issues and performance problems, particularly when using mods. Overall, the game is still considered fun, particularly with friends, but players should be prepared for a somewhat unstable experience due to its early access status.
“Sure it booted up fine, there were no glitches, no installation errors.”
“Runs great on most systems (though it does require a stable connection when playing with friends).”
“Really love this game, but can't recommend until the game is tested and bug free.”
“However, large amounts of mods and playing with friends leads to very unstable gameplay, with several of my friends having repeated issues when trying to join despite following every single troubleshooting guide.”
“This game is a buggy, unfinished mess in which you can't go one session of play without having to restart the mission through no fault of your own.”
“As much as I love this game, the amount of insufferable game-ruining bugs, glitches, lack of optimizations, and more truly ruins the experience of a fun and unique game.”
- grinding180 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 78 % negative mentions
The reviews consistently highlight that grinding in the game is a significant and often tedious aspect, requiring players to invest substantial time in repetitive tasks such as resource gathering and mission completion. Many players find solo play particularly burdensome due to the extensive micromanagement required, while multiplayer experiences can alleviate some of the tedium, making the game more enjoyable. Overall, while some players appreciate the depth and complexity, the grinding mechanics are frequently criticized for being overly time-consuming and monotonous.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“A bit grindy sometimes.”
“A bit grindy.”
“Mineral gathering and plant gathering is a tedious and boring thing; nothing ever happens.”
“Singleplayer is unbearably tedious.”
“The later stages of the campaign are very grindy and they make for one boring trip of fighting the same enemies and stopping at outposts for necessities.”
- optimization157 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, particularly in multiplayer and during intense gameplay scenarios. While some improvements have been made over time, including community-created mods to enhance performance, players still experience lag, stuttering, and crashes, especially on lower-end systems. Overall, while the game can run smoothly on decent hardware, it often struggles with optimization, leading to a frustrating experience for many users.
“Rocky start but over the years they fixed every major issue I can think of, improved performance to an insane level, and they continue to put in a lot of effort, thought, and work into this game.”
“It runs smoothly on most mid-range systems, so you won’t need the latest hardware to play.”
“Now with the latest performance and balance update, the performance has never been better and we can actually try and make it to the end for once!”
“Performance, lag, camera snapping, MP disconnects, wonky hitboxes, damage not registering on enemies, and eclectic physics dog the experience - which can put a real damper on trying to do much of anything.”
“The game is horrendously unoptimized and can become unplayably choppy on even decent hardware with 16+ GB of RAM, especially on larger subs or with more than 4 or 5 bots in your crew.”
“The only problem I find with this game is the performance itself.”
- replayability155 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
Barotrauma boasts exceptional replayability, largely due to its rich modding support, procedural generation, and diverse gameplay modes, which keep each session fresh and engaging. Players can customize their experience through various roles, missions, and community-created content, ensuring that no two playthroughs are alike. While some users note a potential for repetitiveness, the overall consensus highlights the game's depth and the endless opportunities for strategic decision-making and cooperative play, making it a highly recommended title for fans of the genre.
“With its rich modding support and growing community, Barotrauma provides endless replayability, making it a must-play for fans of cooperative survival games.”
“The game's procedural generation ensures that each playthrough feels unique, enhancing replayability and the sense of discovery.”
“The dedicated modding community has produced an array of player-generated content, including new submarines, monsters, and gameplay mechanics, further enhancing the game's replayability and variety.”
“While the game offers a lot of engagement and replayability, its current price point might not justify the investment for everyone.”
“The game doesn't provide the amount of content or replayability to justify it.”
“I cannot recommend this game to someone looking for a single-player experience, as you will lose most of the replay value for single-player within four hours at most.”
- emotional58 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a wide range of emotions while engaging with the game, from laughter and joy to heartache and nostalgia. Many highlight the game's ability to foster deep connections with crew members and evoke strong feelings through both cooperative and chaotic gameplay experiences. Despite some criticisms regarding depth and community issues, the overall sentiment is that the game provides a memorable emotional journey, often described as a rollercoaster of feelings.
“Dark Souls 2’s difficulty may be punishing, but its sense of accomplishment and emotional resonance make it the best game ever made.”
“This game really takes you for an emotional rollercoaster.”
“You made me feel something, besides dread, in a game about surviving the cruel depths of an alien ocean.”
- monetization15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- -13 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players expressing a preference for a one-time purchase model without microtransactions, valuing a polished experience over AAA titles with additional costs. While the game has been praised for its unique gameplay and community-building potential, there are concerns about the effectiveness of its advertising and the need for better support and updates from the developers. Overall, players appreciate the game's value but desire more transparency and commitment from the developers regarding monetization practices.
“I would much rather pay $30 for a polished game with no microtransactions than a $60 AAA game that is broken and has only 3 maps with DLC on release.”
“The monetization model is fair and allows players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend more money.”
“I appreciate that the game offers cosmetic items for purchase, but they don't affect gameplay, which keeps the experience balanced.”
“That being said, I would much rather pay $30 for a game that is polished with 0 microtransactions than a $60 AAA game that is broken with 3 maps and DLC on release.”
“Coding the karma system should have been done faster and not a cash grab.”
“These devs need to step up the advertising because what they have created here is such a treasure.”
- character development10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted as a strong aspect, with players appreciating the ability to create and customize their own characters, which enhances immersion and roleplaying. While some feel the character designs could be improved, the overall atmosphere, interactions, and regular updates from developers contribute positively to the experience. The game's unique art style and engaging storyline further enrich the character development aspect, making it a compelling feature for players.
“It's the player roleplaying and character development that pushes it even further; I love the interactions, the mood, atmosphere, and setting.”
“Excellent game that keeps getting better and better with regular updates from the devs. Recently, they overhauled character development and I can't wait to hop back in and check it out!”
“It is a unique simulation unto itself with a smorgasbord of features including character development, crafting, factions, and a unique storyline that develops as you progress through the single-player campaign.”
“Character designs leave something to be desired, but enemy designs are quite fantastic and some of them will send a chill through your blood.”
“It's the player roleplaying and character development that pushes it even further though; I love the interactions, the mood, atmosphere, and setting.”
“This game is not just interesting and scratches my exploratory itch; it also interests me with its unique art style and character designs.”
