Subside
- September 17, 2024
- A2D Software
- 4h median play time
"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
- Incredible graphics and immersive environments that create a stunning underwater experience.
- Intuitive swimming mechanics that feel natural and enhance the exploration aspect of the game.
- Relaxing gameplay focused on exploration and collecting items, making it a great showcase for VR technology.
- Limited content and gameplay can lead to boredom after the initial wow factor wears off.
- Some technical issues, including frame rate drops and awkward interactions with objects and wildlife.
- The requirement to find collectibles to unlock new levels can feel tedious and detracts from the overall experience.
- graphics57 mentions
- 74 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics in this VR game are widely praised for their stunning realism and high attention to detail, with many reviewers highlighting the impressive water effects, immersive environments, and responsive wildlife. While some users experienced frame rate drops and noted a few areas with lower-quality textures, the overall consensus is that the visuals are among the best in VR, creating a captivating underwater exploration experience. Many consider it a must-have for its breathtaking graphics and immersive sound design, often comparing it favorably to AAA titles.
“Simply the king: the most beautiful underwater game on the market, a must-have freediver simulator with incredible graphics and physics and a solo-developer gem!”
“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.”
“The graphics are stunning and deeply immersive – the water rendering, both above and below the surface, is exceptional.”
“I also experienced some fairly harsh random frame rate drops with an RTX 4080, even when lowering all the graphic options.”
“Nothing special, areas are quite small, graphics aren't that great, lighting is okay I guess, textures are low res, muddy and rough looking, lack of settings/options, creatures look mid though the animations look great, overall a low quality tech demo with unrealistic graphics, teleport is crap, you just teleport 2 feet in front of you which gets irritating fast.”
“Do not expect a full 'game' as per se, but explore the ocean and creatures with some top-notch AAA graphics that fully immerse.”
- gameplay25 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay primarily revolves around a swimming simulator that emphasizes exploration and immersion, with intuitive swimming mechanics that replicate real-life snorkeling experiences. While the game lacks depth in terms of objectives and rewards, the engaging environments and natural movement mechanics create a captivating experience. Overall, players appreciate the immersive aspects but desire more content and narrative to enhance the gameplay loop.
“The swimming mechanic works really well with surprisingly little VR jank, hand motions in the water propel you in the correct direction, and it does recreate the feeling I get snorkeling in real life.”
“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.”
“Very immersive, all the game mechanics work beautifully together to give you that great sense of presence.”
“This is first and foremost a swimming simulator with very little gameplay.”
“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.”
- story6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game lacks a traditional narrative, focusing instead on exploration and discovery within beautiful underwater environments. Players appreciate the absence of a plot or enemies, highlighting the experience as a relaxing treasure hunt that unlocks new levels rather than following a structured story.
“As others have noted, there isn't a typical game story; instead, the focus is on exploring and finding things, including a few kinds of collectibles that fit right in.”
“There is no plot, no story or enemies; these things could not improve what this is - a fantastic underwater exploration experience.”
“As others have noted, there isn't a typical game story; the focus is instead on exploring and finding things, including a few kinds of collectibles (they fit right in).”
“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.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for delivering excellent performance, particularly on high-end machines, with users reporting stable frame rates even at maximum settings. While some players desire enhancements like clearer water visuals, the game generally supports native drivers for VR, ensuring optimal performance across various setups.
“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 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.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its exceptional level design and stunning water rendering, creating a rich and immersive experience for players.
“Atmosphere and level designs are top notch.”
“Come for the stunning water rendering, stay for the rich, immersive atmosphere.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the game may have limited content, players find it highly replayable, suggesting that its mechanics or experiences encourage multiple playthroughs.
“On the small side for content, but very replayable.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music aspect is characterized by a rich soundscape filled with ambient noises that enhance the immersive experience, though it notably lacks traditional music. This creates a vibrant atmosphere that makes the game world feel alive.
“A great soundscape, no music mind you, but always ambient noises that make the world feel alive.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, enhancing the emotional experience.”
“Each musical piece is thoughtfully crafted, immersing players deeper into the game's atmosphere.”
- 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 excessively tedious and takes away from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“I find the collecting system to be a chore, making the gameplay feel more like a grind than an adventure.”
“The constant need to grind for resources becomes frustrating and detracts from the fun of exploring.”
- 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 fully immerse myself in the gameplay.”