Subside
- September 17, 2024
- A2D
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Submerge into a serene underwater world in Subside, a visually stunning VR simulation game. Explore multiple areas while interacting with lifelike aquatic creatures, all designed with unparalleled realism. Experience the freedom of swimming and d in shallow waters, creating a truly immersive aquatic adventure."
Reviews
- Stunning graphics and sound design create an incredibly immersive underwater experience.
- The swimming mechanics are intuitive and realistic, making exploration enjoyable and engaging.
- The game encourages exploration and discovery, with a variety of collectibles and unlockable content.
- Currently lacks substantial content, with some players feeling it resembles a tech demo rather than a full game.
- The need to surface for air can be frustrating, and some players wish for more interaction with the environment and wildlife.
- There is a lack of guidance or tutorials, which can lead to confusion about controls and objectives.
- graphics41 mentions
- 76 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many users praising the stunning visuals, realistic water effects, and detailed environments that create an immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to rival AAA titles despite being developed by a solo developer, noting exceptional lighting, textures, and responsive wildlife. Overall, the graphics are described as top-tier, making it one of the best visual experiences in VR gaming.
“The graphics of the game are simply stunning, beating out a lot of AAA-type games especially given it's by a solo dev, with very detailed environments and reactive wildlife.”
“From the moment I put on my headset, I was drawn into a visually mesmerizing world with stunning graphics, where every detail—lighting, textures, and environments—felt vivid and alive.”
“The graphics are gorgeous, the level of detail insane and, combined with the realistic and detailed sound effects, the experience becomes extremely immersive.”
“The water effects, both in visuals and sound, are incredibly realistic making it feel like you're truly submerged.”
“Very relaxing to play and extremely crisp graphics; so many small details and the physics is amazingly realistic. It's borderline hypnotic just to watch how the water physics works!”
“Hoping the developer continues to make more areas to explore either free or as DLC, but I'm gonna want more for this in some way. There are so many possibilities with those graphics.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay is highly immersive, featuring intuitive swimming mechanics that closely mimic real-life snorkeling experiences, allowing players to glide and explore underwater environments with ease. The game combines impressive graphics with engaging mechanics, creating a fun gameplay loop that enhances the overall experience. While some minor issues exist, the overall design and execution reflect a deep commitment from the developers, making it a standout in VR gaming.
“Very immersive, all the game mechanics work beautifully together to give you that great sense of presence.”
“The swimming gameplay mechanics are particularly impressive, with controls that feel extremely intuitive, allowing you to naturally glide, dive, and explore underwater environments with ease.”
“The sea life animations, environmental interactions, and swimming mechanics are all fantastic.”
“I think the gameplay loop and amount of content stretches this just beyond a limited tech demo.”
“It's really about the journey more than the gameplay itself.”
“Sell the mechanics and engine to Subnautica, or work with them.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is highly praised, with users reporting excellent performance, achieving up to 90fps on high-end hardware like the 4090. It supports both native Oculus and SteamVR drivers, ensuring optimal performance for most users, and its graphics quality is comparable to other well-optimized titles like Kayak VR: Mirage.
“Performance is better than a lot of other equivalent games. With everything maxed out, I was locked at 90fps (admittedly on a 4090).”
“The visuals are fantastic and performance is top-notch as well for the most part.”
“Performance is better than a lot of other equivalent games too, with everything maxed out I was locked at 90fps (admittedly on a 4090).”
“The game supports native Oculus drivers and native SteamVR drivers, so most users should get optimal performance.”
“Performance and graphics quality are similar to Kayak VR (Mirage), so all is great.”
- story3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The story aspect of Subside is minimal, as there is no traditional plot or enemies; instead, it focuses on a relaxing underwater exploration experience. Players engage in treasure hunting to unlock additional levels, but the game prioritizes exploration over narrative.
“There is no plot, no story, or enemies; these things could not improve what this is - a fantastic underwater exploration experience.”
“Subside is a wonderfully relaxing experience where you explore stunning underwater environments without forced quests or objectives, though there is a hunt for treasures that unlock more levels.”
- music1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music aspect is characterized by a rich soundscape filled with ambient noises that enhance the game's atmosphere, creating a vibrant and immersive world, despite the absence of traditional music.
“A great soundscape, no music mind you, but always ambient noises that make the world feel alive.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the collecting system somewhat tedious, yet acknowledge that it encourages deeper exploration of the game’s environments, balancing out their frustrations with its implementation.
“The grinding feels endless and often tedious, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I find the grinding mechanics to be overly repetitive, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.”
“The collecting system is a chore, and while it has its moments, the grind often feels like a slog.”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game exhibits strong stability, with smooth performance, impressive visuals, and responsive controls.
“The game looks great, runs great, and controls well.”
“I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which makes for a smooth gaming experience.”
“The performance is consistently stable, allowing me to focus on gameplay without interruptions.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is highlighted for its stunning water rendering and overall immersive quality, creating a captivating environment that enhances the gaming experience.
“Come for the stunning water rendering, stay for the rich, immersive atmosphere.”
