Barotrauma
- March 13, 2023
- Undertow Games
- 61h median play time
Get on SteamBarotrauma is a 2D co-op submarine simulator set in a harsh underwater environment on Jupiter's moon, Europa. Players must work together to explore and survive, with the option to sabotage and let the ship go down in fire and flood. The game features teamwork, physics-based mechanics, alien sea monsters, and multiple factions to interact with.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Epic Games
Linux
Reviews
- story1,732 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story aspect of "Barotrauma" is characterized by emergent storytelling, where players create their own narratives through chaotic missions and interactions. While the game features a basic campaign structure with various mission types—such as transporting goods, hunting monsters, and exploring alien ruins—the overarching narrative is often considered thin and repetitive. Players frequently recount humorous and disastrous experiences during missions, highlighting the unpredictable nature of gameplay rather than a strong, linear story.
“The campaign is also very interesting, offering a great overall narrative, and various enjoyable missions creating a satisfying gameplay loop.”
“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 atmosphere is just perfect, the story is simple on paper but the deeper you go the crazier it gets, and in a good way, the game makes you feel like a nobody, like you can die like everyone else, you're not the center of the universe.”
“The story is weak and barely there until right at the end, and the factions are decent, but ultimately pretty ignorable.”
“I like the game and its generosity; unfortunately, I did not like the game loop design: having to do the same missions with no real variety in missions and dialogues felt quickly dull. Also, I find the whole narration very messy: I would expect a serious game, but you end up meeting clowns in space... that's sad; I wanted the game to keep its general, dark and serious tone.”
“The missions can get repetitive quickly, as there are only a handful of different types, and the gameplay loop can feel monotonous after a while.”
- gameplay1,728 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Barotrauma is characterized by its complex mechanics and steep learning curve, requiring players to master various roles such as captain, mechanic, and engineer to effectively manage a submarine in a hostile underwater environment. While the cooperative multiplayer experience is often praised for its emergent storytelling and chaotic fun, some players find the gameplay can become repetitive or tedious over time, especially in single-player mode. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of survival horror and strategic resource management, making it a compelling choice for those who enjoy deep, team-oriented gameplay.
“Barotrauma offers a unique blend of survival, horror, and cooperative gameplay set in the depths of an alien ocean.”
“The dynamic gameplay keeps you on your toes, as you face unexpected challenges like hull breaches or alien attacks, leading to intense moments of panic and excitement.”
“The depth of gameplay in Barotrauma is staggering, with a multitude of systems to manage and master.”
“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.”
“The gameplay is pretty unique and the pricing is a little bit high in my opinion.”
“The gameplay can be somewhat repetitive, but playing with friends and having a good time or playing as different classes can switch things up entirely.”
- humor650 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Barotrauma" is a standout feature, with players frequently highlighting the chaotic and unpredictable nature of gameplay that leads to hilarious moments, especially when playing with friends. The combination of dark humor, absurd situations, and ragdoll physics creates a unique blend of comedy and horror, resulting in memorable experiences filled with laughter and unexpected disasters. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to generate funny interactions and scenarios, making it a highly entertaining multiplayer experience.
“The gameplay is fun, the situations both tense and hilarious, and it's got fairly good storytelling for a game not focused on it.”
“The amount of times we were panicking about the sub being completely wrecked to then be repairing it 10 minutes later is hilarious and exhilarating.”
“This game is a wonderful mix of creepy, hilarious, simple, and action filled.”
“Now I know how to make unfunny mods and prank random players in public servers with my fart grenade.”
“Funny game, but it's not funny when a large tapeworm attacks and scares the living daylights out of me.”
“Insert unfunny greentext review format talking about the so-called funny in-game story.”
- atmosphere414 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in *Barotrauma* is widely praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, effectively capturing the tension and claustrophobia of deep-sea exploration on an alien moon. Players appreciate the game's unique art style, sound design, and the blend of horror and camaraderie that emerges during cooperative gameplay, making each mission feel both thrilling and perilous. Overall, the game's atmospheric depth is considered one of its standout features, enhancing the experience of survival and teamwork amidst the unknown dangers lurking in the depths.
“The atmosphere the devs manage to create for a 2D game is also extremely impressive.”
“The atmosphere is just perfect, the story is simple on paper but the deeper you go the crazier it gets, and in a good way, the game makes you feel like a nobody, like you can die like everyone else, you're not the center of the universe.”
“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 is tense and claustrophobic... right up until you step out of the airlock and then the only thing you want to do is get back inside.”
- graphics338 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of Barotrauma are characterized by a unique 2D art style that effectively complements its eerie underwater atmosphere, though opinions on its aesthetic vary widely. While some players appreciate the game's distinct visuals and atmospheric design, others criticize the graphics as simplistic or lacking polish, with some even finding them off-putting. Overall, the graphics serve the game's immersive experience, but they may not appeal to everyone, particularly those accustomed to more advanced graphical fidelity.
“Visually, Barotrauma features a distinct art style that complements its eerie atmosphere.”
“For a 2D game, the graphics are stunning.”
“The underwater environment is beautifully crafted, with stunning visuals that bring the depths of the ocean to life.”
“How the hell do you justify me lagging in a 2D game with arguably crap graphics with an i7 13th gen core and an RTX 4090?”
“Basically reused mobs, insanely pixelated textures on some assets, very boring visuals that try their best to impress you with constant flashes, flickering and stuff like that, but in the end it only made my eyes hurt and it's nothing I didn't see before.”
“The graphics look weird at first, and the control mechanics are weird as well, but after an hour or two you love them.”
- music153 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the tension and horror of underwater exploration. Many players find the soundtrack memorable and fitting, with eerie and ambient sounds that contribute to the game's unique atmosphere, while some mods further enrich the musical experience. Overall, the sound design, including creaking metal and sonar pings, complements the gameplay, making it a standout feature for many players.
“The soundtrack is eerie and mysterious and it somehow makes you feel as if you were submerged in your room yourself.”
“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.”
“This game's soundtrack fills me with anxiety I never knew I had.”
“The music blends into the background, providing little more than a generic drone.”
“However, the soundtrack is lacking.”
- grinding135 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 78 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, especially in solo play, where players often feel overwhelmed by micromanagement and resource collection. Many reviews suggest that the experience improves significantly when playing with friends, as cooperative gameplay can alleviate some of the monotony. Overall, while some players find enjoyment in the depth of mechanics, the consensus is that the grinding can detract from the overall fun, making it a challenging experience for those who prefer more dynamic gameplay.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“A bit grindy sometimes.”
“A bit grindy.”
“But grinding missions from outpost to outpost isn't as satisfying a gameplay loop as they want it to be.”
“There is no real payoff to the complexity which just makes everything feel 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.”
- stability124 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among players, with many reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and performance issues, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some users find the game enjoyable despite these problems, others express frustration over the lack of fixes and support from developers. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" and "unstable," with varying experiences depending on individual setups and play styles.
“Sure, it booted up fine; there were no glitches or installation errors.”
“Runs great on most systems, though it does require a stable connection when playing with friends.”
“Good when it's not being buggy.”
“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.”
“Very buggy, brand new updated gaming PC but get lots of crashes to desktop with errors saying my CPU and RAM are overstressed, lol, the game barely uses 5% of my system's resources.”
“The campaign is currently buggy as all get out and is pretty likely to crash after every other session, and yet it's still the best part of the game, and that's not to say the other parts are bad.”
- optimization111 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting severe performance issues, including lag, stuttering, and unresponsive gameplay, particularly in later stages and during multiplayer sessions. Many users have resorted to community-created mods to alleviate these problems, highlighting the game's reliance on external fixes rather than robust internal optimization. Despite some improvements over time, the overall sentiment remains that the game is poorly optimized, often requiring high-end hardware to run smoothly.
“The only downside to this game is that it is horribly optimized, runs on one CPU core, and tends to stutter itself into oblivion mostly in the 3rd and 4th biome, making a modded 'lag fix' almost mandatory.”
“After some updates, the performance has improved considerably, and the dev team is still adding/improving features and game modes.”
“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!”
“The only downside to this game is that it is horribly optimized, runs on one CPU core and tends to stutter itself into oblivion mostly in the 3rd and 4th biome, making a modded 'lag fix' almost mandatory.”
“This game feels like someone's side project that they farmed out to the modding community, only to have them cram more subs and more items and more options into it that bog down its performance to unplayable levels while ignoring the fact that maybe some people gravitate toward 2D games for lack of a GPU.”
“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.”
- replayability106 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, driven by its procedural generation, diverse gameplay modes, and a vibrant modding community that continually adds new content. Players appreciate the depth and complexity that encourage experimentation and strategic decision-making, making each playthrough feel unique. While some note a potential for repetitiveness, the overall consensus is that the game remains engaging and fun, especially in multiplayer settings.
“The game's complexity adds depth and replay value, offering endless opportunities for strategic decision-making and experimentation.”
“The game's procedural generation ensures that each playthrough feels unique, enhancing replayability and the sense of discovery.”
“With its deep systems, customization options, and dedicated modding community, Barotrauma offers endless replayability and variety.”
“I just feel like it doesn't really have any replay value.”
“The biggest downside at this time is the lack of complexity and replayability.”
“I cannot recommend this game to someone looking for a single-player experience, as you will lose most of the replay value for singleplayer within four hours at most.”
- emotional35 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a wide range of emotional experiences while playing the game, from heartwarming moments with crew members to intense feelings of grief and loss. The game's ability to evoke laughter, tears, and a sense of camaraderie among players is frequently highlighted, despite the presence of toxic elements in the community. Overall, it offers a unique emotional rollercoaster that resonates deeply with many, making it a memorable experience.
“Give it a shot, and thanks devs. It's been a while since a game made me feel this way.”
“Beautiful game, I laughed, I cried.”
“You made me feel something, besides dread, in a game about surviving the cruel depths of an alien ocean.”
- character development8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted as a strong point, with players appreciating the depth of roleplaying elements, interactions, and the evolving storyline throughout the campaign. While some feel the character designs could be improved, the overall atmosphere and unique features contribute positively to the character development experience. The combination of crafting, factions, and a rich narrative enhances player engagement and immersion.
“It's the player roleplaying and character development that pushes it even further. I love the interactions, the mood, atmosphere, and setting.”
“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.”
“This game is not just interesting and scratches my exploratory itch; it also captivates me with its unique art style and character designs.”
“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.”
- monetization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Reviewers express a preference for a one-time purchase model over microtransactions, valuing polished games at a lower price point. While some appreciate the game's unique qualities and the developers' success in gaining official support, there are concerns about monetization strategies, particularly regarding the implementation of a karma system that feels exploitative. Overall, the sentiment leans towards favoring fair pricing and transparency in 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 DLC on release.”
“The monetization model is fair and doesn't feel exploitative, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend more.”
“I appreciate that the game offers cosmetic items for purchase, but they don't impact gameplay, making it a balanced experience.”
“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.”
