Subterrain

Subterrain manages to be an interesting challenge, but can feel masochistic for the sake of it. Those looking for that challenge will find it, but not much else.

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Subterrain is uncompromising Sci-Fi survival on Mars! Manage the entire colony single-handed! Craft, Research, Explore and Fight against evolving mutants. Vast open world and randomly generated levels to explore! Can you survive long enough to escape the horror?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 473 reviews

gameplay42 positive mentions

grinding77 negative mentions

Engaging atmosphere that creates a sense of tension and urgency.
Complex survival mechanics that require careful resource management.
Interesting crafting and research system that allows for weapon and equipment upgrades.

Extremely grindy and repetitive gameplay, especially in the mid to late game.
Limited variety in enemies and environments, leading to a lack of excitement.
Frustrating difficulty spikes, particularly with the final boss encounters.

gameplay
166 mentions
25 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Subterrain is characterized by a complex mix of survival mechanics, crafting, and resource management, which can be engaging but often leads to repetitive and grindy experiences. Players appreciate the innovative infection system and the pressure of managing basic survival needs, but many find the gameplay loop tedious after several hours, particularly due to the reliance on randomly generated levels and limited enemy variety. While the game offers a solid foundation with interesting mechanics, it struggles with pacing and can become overwhelming or frustrating, especially for those not accustomed to its demanding gameplay style.
- “I've enjoyed playing Subterrain in the first couple of hours of gameplay; the infection system and crafting system are pretty good, and the combat system is alright for a top-down indie game.”
- “The gameplay is solid, focusing on a loop of explore/loot/fight -> return to base/recycle loot/get upgrades.”
- “The gameplay is really intense - you are juggling multiple crises at any given time.”
- “But the gameplay loop killed it for me, got bored after around 3 hours in.”
- “Tldr: Subterrain is 2D Resident Evil for about the first 10 hours, but then the gameplay becomes a tedious and repetitive loop that you will need to suffer through for about another 50 hours before you can beat the game.”
- “The game world is littered with food items and crafting ingredients, turning the survival gameplay into obnoxious inventory management.”
story
115 mentions
30 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally viewed as minimal and somewhat clichéd, often conveyed through text logs and journals rather than engaging cutscenes or character interactions. While some players appreciate the atmospheric elements and the potential for deeper lore, many find the narrative lacking in depth and progression, leading to a sense of repetitiveness and disconnection from the plot. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay, with mixed opinions on its execution and impact on the overall experience.
- “The story is well-written and interesting, and the cutscenes look pretty.”
- “The story behind the action is more than the usual fare.”
- “The greatness of this game comes from how well all of those pieces have been carefully chosen and pieced together into a seamless whole that will have you firmly embedded into the survivor's desperate attempt to escape before the things that lurk in the dark manage to catch you.”
- “The story is minimal, but there are a number of quite funny logs to be found - these comic parts stand out much more than the main story, which has been done a thousand times already.”
- “The story itself is a little weak, riddled with clichés, but that aspect fades into the background very quickly and instead you find your own narrative in exploration and time management.”
- “The devs ruined their own game with a bad end-level design and a story that disappears halfway through - how stupid is that?”
grinding
77 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and repetitive, with many players feeling that it transforms enjoyable gameplay into a chore. While some players appreciate the satisfaction of progress through grinding, the overwhelming consensus is that the game becomes monotonous, requiring players to engage in repetitive tasks and resource management that detracts from the overall experience. Despite its engaging mechanics and potential for fun, the grind often leads to frustration and a sense of wasted time.
- “This game is extremely grindy.”
- “However, after attempting to play for a long while on the normal difficulty, which it states as hard, I just uninstalled after a while because after day 10 in-game, it just becomes tedious by nature.”
- “To make things worse, the game doesn't even introduce anything new you haven't seen already once you finish the tutorial area and reach the hub, so you'll be grinding through the same looking generic maps, killing the same enemies, using the same weapons and hearing the same music for the next 50 hours.”
atmosphere
58 mentions
50 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its immersive and tense qualities, effectively creating a sense of dread and urgency that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the dark, creepy environments, the clever use of light and sound, and the oppressive tone that compels them to push through challenges despite some repetitive elements. While the graphics may not be top-tier, the atmosphere is described as a standout feature that captivates and engages players throughout their journey.
- “It all comes together to craft an atmosphere of oppression you want to defeat, against all odds, that you put up with the repetitive game elements, that you overlook the flaws and missed opportunities, and give you the will to see it through to the end.”
- “The atmosphere and sense of dread this game carries is best represented by hardcore mode.”
- “The atmosphere is dark, you feel alone and scared, and there are many things to manage as you attempt to survive and save yourself from doom.”
- “The atmosphere and music is suitably creepy, and since you can usually only see what's in the cone of light from your torch, you inevitably get nervous and start waving it around in a manner similar to someone trying to shoo away a wasp, because those grunting and growling mutants sound really close...”
graphics
35 mentions
43 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, featuring a unique art style that evokes nostalgia for classic top-down titles while maintaining a modern polish. While some players note that the visuals are not groundbreaking and can feel repetitive, the overall atmosphere and pixel art quality contribute positively to the immersive experience. The game's graphics effectively complement its dark sci-fi theme, enhancing the tension and engagement despite some criticisms regarding object clarity and animation quality.
- “With an art style reminiscent of Barotrauma and the like, it really nails the look of it all – the environment, interface, items, creatures, etc. Paired with the sound design, you really get immersed in your surroundings, and I love that.”
- “Loved the art style and feel of the game.”
- “Graphics are very good and suit the game perfectly, with a 2D presentation that pays homage to top-down titles of yesteryear, yet with a silky smoothness added that lets us know it’s running on modern tech.”
- “The graphics are fine enough for a top-down shooter; the atmosphere is nice and scary, although it gets repetitive quickly because everything looks the same.”
- “The crafting is a nice idea, but having to slowly get each software upgrade one at a time is just empty make-work. Given the repetitive environments and difficult-to-discern objects (the graphics for many of the objects make everything look like a weird couch or chair, whether it's a table or pipe or display case), and extremely boring combat, the game just didn't hold my interest.”
- “The graphics are not impressive, nor are they meant to be.”
music
29 mentions
17 % positive mentions
72 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and monotonous, often leading them to turn it off or listen to other audio during gameplay. While some appreciate the atmospheric and fitting nature of the soundtrack, particularly in creating tension, others criticize its lack of diversity and the overwhelming presence of a few tracks that become grating over time. Overall, the music contributes to the game's atmosphere but may detract from the experience due to its repetitiveness.
- “The music is apt, well-made and atmospheric, if a bit too uneventful.”
- “This game is an intense, gripping and musically disturbing experience.”
- “The atmosphere and music is suitably creepy, and since you can usually only see what's in the cone of light from your torch you inevitably get nervous and start waving it around in a manner similar to someone trying to shoo away a wasp, because those grunting and growling mutants sound really close...”
- “What I don’t love is the extremely repetitive soundtrack and ambience.”
- “I couldn’t honestly tell you if there are more than 2 songs in this game because the ones I’m thinking about are played on constant loop - considering how waiting is a key mechanic, this is a nightmare scenario.”
- “Only complaint is the music which becomes annoying quite quickly; other than that, highly recommended.”
replayability
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the random level generation and multiple difficulty modes that enhance replay value, others feel that once completed, there is little incentive to replay it due to a lack of additional content or features. Overall, it may appeal to those seeking a challenge but lacks significant depth for extended play.
- “Very much enjoyable and nice replayability.”
- “Love the random levels, good replay value.”
- “With multiple difficulty modes and randomly generated levels, replayability is strong with this one.”
- “It's also technically a rogue-like with the option of permadeath, but the randomizing of levels doesn't seem significant enough that it would increase replayability much, except to avoid a bit of exploring if you are going for a specific item.”
- “Game replayability: once you beat it once, which may take maybe 20 hours or less if you catch onto things fast, there's really no reason to play it again unless you just enjoy it and want to challenge yourself on higher difficulties.”
- “No map maker, no custom content, or anything that would add more replayability.”
humor
7 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its minimal story, which is overshadowed by amusing logs and comedic situations, such as prioritizing trivial tasks in dire circumstances. While some reviews highlight the humor as a key aspect, others suggest that many positive reviews may be more about seeking attention than providing genuine feedback on the game's quality. Overall, the humor is a mixed bag, with standout moments that can be entertaining despite the repetitive main narrative.
- “The story is minimal, but there are a number of quite funny logs to be found - these comic parts stand out much more than the main story, which has been done a thousand times already.”
- “Plus it's funny when you're somewhere with low oxygen, you're slowly freezing to death but priority is taking a crap lol.”
- “There is a story to it, so it's quite funny at times.”
optimization
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant lag even on high-end machines, indicating poor performance. While a few users report no issues and commend the optimization, the general consensus suggests that improvements are needed to enhance gameplay efficiency and overall performance.
- “Puzzles are there, but they're puzzles of efficiency and optimization and not specific game-implemented ones.”
- “This game is perfectly optimized.”
- “Good idea, very nice realization, but still needs optimization.”
- “Game performance leaves much to be desired.”
- “Also the game lags incredibly on my relatively high-end machine, which shows that this 2D game is extremely poorly optimized; there is nothing that justifies such bad performance.”
- “This is a good game for early access, and I hope they will do something about optimization.”
stability
6 mentions
17 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
83 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some players encountering significant glitches, particularly during the final boss fight, while others report a polished experience on PC. Although there are occasional bugs and design issues, the developers appear to be responsive to feedback. Controller compatibility is notably problematic, leading some users to prefer keyboard and mouse controls.
- “The gameplay is great, but by god are the glitches either annoying or game breaking.”
- “Stressful, slightly buggy, some odd design things but the dev seems very responsive.”
- “My only disappointment so far is that, although it's supposed to be compatible with controllers, the controls with a gamepad are very buggy so you'll probably just end up using keyboard and mouse like I did.”
character development
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is widely criticized for being severely lacking, with reviewers noting a complete absence of lore, story progression, and meaningful character design. Many feel that the developers missed significant opportunities to enhance the narrative experience, which detracts from overall engagement.
- “Absolutely atrocious UX combined with abysmal world and character design.”
- “There was ample opportunity for the devs to hire writers to create lore, stories, and diaries for players to find, like in Fallout and many other games, but they didn't see the need for lore, story progression, or character development.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a mix of emotions regarding the game's mechanics; moments of triumph, such as discovering essential crafting solutions, evoke excitement, while the lack of a more engaging tutorial leaves some feeling lost and frustrated in managing inventory and crafting.
- “When I figured out that all I needed to do was make an oxygen and thermal filter so that I didn't have to keep going back to central, I cried out in excitement.”