Computed from player tags · Not ranked by quality
24 games like Subnautica (2026)
Every game below overlaps with Subnautica on things players said about it rather than on our opinion of what feels alike. Each entry shows what it matched on, so you can throw out the ones matching on the part you did not care about.
The short version
- Closest match: Subnautica: Below Zero, which made by the same studio, Unknown Worlds Entertainment.
- Subnautica is tagged Open World Survival Craft, Survival, Horror, Open World, Underwater, Exploration, Crafting, Base-Building by Steam players. Those tags are what the matching runs on.
- 24 games qualify, each with at least fifty player reviews behind its sentiment figure.
- 1 are free to download, so you can test the resemblance yourself at no cost.
- 1 are from the same studio: Subnautica: Below Zero.
How these were matched
Steam tags carry the most weight, because players apply them and they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Souls-like, Atmospheric and Cozy exist as tags and as nothing else, which is exactly the vocabulary this question needs. Formal genres count for less, themes and a shared studio for more.
Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are thrown out before matching. Nearly everything is tagged Singleplayer, so matching on it is matching on nothing. That cutoff is computed from the catalogue rather than fixed, so it moves as the catalogue grows.
All 24, closest first
- 1
Subnautica: Below Zero
Why it matched: made by the same studio, Unknown Worlds Entertainment; both open world, survival, horror, science fiction and atmospheric; shares 13 player tags including Open World Survival Craft, Survival and Underwater.
Dive into a freezing underwater adventure on an alien planet. Below Zero is set two years after the original Subnautica. Return to Planet 4546B to uncover the truth behind a deadly cover-up. Survive by building habitats, crafting tools, & diving deeper into the world of Subnautica.
Subnautica: Below Zero at a glance Released 2021 Studio Unknown Worlds Entertainment Player sentiment 90% positive of 108,227 Price $29.99 Open World Survival CraftSurvivalUnderwaterHorrorExplorationBase-BuildingIndieCrafting
- 2
No Man's Sky
Why it matched: both open world, survival, science fiction and atmospheric; shares 9 player tags including Open World Survival Craft, Exploration and Sci-fi; released around the same time (2016).
No Man's Sky is a game about exploration and survival in an infinite procedurally generated universe.
No Man's Sky at a glance Released 2016 Studio Hello Games Player sentiment 85% positive of 414,641 Price $59.99 Open World Survival CraftExplorationSci-fiSurvivalFirst-PersonSandboxCraftingIndie
- 3
Breathedge
Why it matched: both open world, survival, science fiction and atmospheric; shares 10 player tags including Open World Survival Craft, Survival and Sandbox.
Survive in outer space! Together with your immortal chicken, discover the truth behind your sudden spaceship crash. Craft tools, pilot vehicles, and even control space stations to survive and explore the wreckage.
Breathedge at a glance Released 2021 Studio RedRuins Softworks Player sentiment 81% positive of 17,816 Price $2.49 Open World Survival CraftSurvivalSandboxIndieBase-BuildingSci-fiFirst-PersonCrafting
- 4
The Forest
Why it matched: both open world, survival, horror and atmospheric; shares 9 player tags including Open World Survival Craft, Survival and Horror; released around the same time (2018).
As the lone survivor of a passenger jet crash, you find yourself in a mysterious forest battling to stay alive against a society of cannibalistic mutants. Build, explore, survive in this terrifying first person survival horror simulator.
The Forest at a glance Released 2018 Studio Endnight Games Player sentiment 96% positive of 680,814 Price $19.99 Open World Survival CraftSurvivalHorrorCraftingSurvival HorrorFirst-PersonExplorationSandbox
- 5
Generation Zero
Why it matched: both open world, survival, horror, science fiction and atmospheric; shares 8 player tags including Survival, Base-Building and Sci-fi.
Generation Zero is a stealth-action shooter where you wage guerilla warfare against lethal mechanical enemies. Explore a vast open world map inspired by the Swedish Cold War era, take part in the resistance alone or with up to three friends in seamless co-op.
Generation Zero at a glance Released 2019 Studio Systemic Reaction™ Player sentiment 72% positive of 42,169 Price $24.99 SurvivalBase-BuildingSci-fiSandboxHorrorCraftingSurvival HorrorExploration
- 6
Chernobylite Complete Edition
Why it matched: both survival, horror, science fiction and atmospheric; shares 9 player tags including Survival, Horror and First-Person.
Chernobylite is a science-fiction survival horror RPG. Set in the hyper-realistic, 3D-scanned wasteland of Chernobyl’s Exclusion Zone, explore a non-linear storyline in your search to uncover the truth of your tortured past.
Chernobylite Complete Edition at a glance Released 2021 Studio The Farm 51 Player sentiment 82% positive of 15,553 Price $29.99 SurvivalHorrorFirst-PersonExplorationSurvival HorrorBase-BuildingSci-fiCrafting
- 7
Astroneer
Why it matched: both open world, survival, science fiction and atmospheric; shares 8 player tags including Open World Survival Craft, Survival and Exploration; released around the same time (2016).
Interact with strange new worlds in a unique and tactile way, molding the environment itself as if it were clay in your hands. Build your base, master resource management, automate your production lines, and more as you unravel the mysteries of the universe, alone or with friends.
Astroneer at a glance Released 2016 Studio System Era Softworks Player sentiment 92% positive of 139,052 Price $29.99 Open World Survival CraftSurvivalExplorationBase-BuildingSandboxCraftingSci-fiIndie
- 8
Don't Starve
Why it matched: both open world, survival and horror; shares 8 player tags including Survival, Open World Survival Craft and Crafting; released around the same time (2013).
Don’t Starve is an uncompromising wilderness survival game full of science and magic. Enter a strange and unexplored world full of strange creatures, dangers, and surprises. Gather resources to craft items and structures that match your survival style.
Don't Starve at a glance Released 2013 Studio Klei Entertainment Player sentiment 97% positive of 113,392 Price $9.99 SurvivalOpen World Survival CraftCraftingIndieSandboxExplorationSurvival HorrorHorror
- 9
Alien: Isolation
Why it matched: both survival, horror, science fiction and atmospheric; shares 7 player tags including Horror, Survival Horror and Sci-fi; released around the same time (2014).
Discover the true meaning of fear in Alien: Isolation, a survival horror set in an atmosphere of constant dread and mortal danger.
Alien: Isolation at a glance Released 2014 Studio Creative Assembly Player sentiment 93% positive of 66,658 Price $11.99 HorrorSurvival HorrorSci-fiAliensFirst-PersonSurvivalVR
- 10
Prey
Why it matched: both open world, survival, horror, science fiction and atmospheric; shares 6 player tags including Sci-fi, Horror and First-Person; released around the same time (2017).
In Prey, you awaken aboard Talos I, a space station orbiting the moon in the year 2032. You are the key subject of an experiment meant to alter humanity forever – but things have gone terribly wrong. The space station has been overrun by hostile aliens and you are now being hunted.
Prey at a glance Released 2017 Studio Arkane Studios Player sentiment 91% positive of 54,539 Price $29.99 Sci-fiHorrorFirst-PersonExplorationAliensSurvival Horror
- 11
Starbound
Why it matched: both open world, survival, science fiction and atmospheric; shares 7 player tags including Open World Survival Craft, Sandbox and Survival; released around the same time (2016).
You’ve fled your home, only to find yourself lost in space with a damaged ship. Your only option is to beam down to the planet below, repair your ship and set off to explore the universe...
Starbound at a glance Released 2016 Studio Chucklefish Player sentiment 90% positive of 123,280 Price $14.99 Open World Survival CraftSandboxSurvivalCraftingExplorationIndieSci-fi
- 12
Sons Of The Forest
Why it matched: both open world, survival, horror and atmospheric; shares 8 player tags including Survival, Survival Horror and Base-Building.
Sent to find a missing billionaire on a remote island, you find yourself in a cannibal-infested hellscape. Craft, build, and struggle to survive, alone or with friends, in this terrifying new open-world survival horror simulator.
Sons Of The Forest at a glance Released 2024 Studio Endnight Games Ltd Player sentiment 88% positive of 318,107 Price $29.99 SurvivalSurvival HorrorBase-BuildingHorrorCraftingFirst-PersonExplorationSandbox
- 13
Green Hell
Why it matched: both open world, survival, horror and atmospheric; shares 8 player tags including Open World Survival Craft, Survival and Crafting.
Plunge into the open-world survival simulation set in the extreme conditions of the uncharted Amazon jungle. Use real-life survival techniques to craft, hunt, fight, and gather resources, set a makeshift shelter, or raise a fortress. Survive alone or team up with your friends and challenge the jungle together.
Green Hell at a glance Released 2019 Studio Creepy Jar Player sentiment 85% positive of 101,599 Price $2.79 Open World Survival CraftSurvivalCraftingBase-BuildingExplorationFirst-PersonSandboxSurvival Horror
- 14
Satisfactory
Why it matched: both open world, survival and science fiction; shares 9 player tags including Base-Building, Crafting and Sandbox.
Satisfactory is a first-person open-world factory building game with a dash of exploration and combat. Play alone or with friends, explore an alien planet, create multi-story factories, and enter conveyor belt heaven!
Satisfactory at a glance Released 2024 Studio Coffee Stain Studios Player sentiment 97% positive of 278,668 Price $39.99 Base-BuildingCraftingSandboxExplorationOpen World Survival CraftSurvivalFirst-PersonSci-fi
- 15
The Planet Crafter
Why it matched: both open world, survival and science fiction; shares 9 player tags including Open World Survival Craft, Base-Building and Survival.
A space survival open world terraforming crafting game, designed for 1 to 10 players. Alter the ecosystem of an inhospitable planet to render it habitable for humanity. Survive, gather resources, and build your base. Then, generate oxygen, warmth, and pressure to create a brand new biosphere.
The Planet Crafter at a glance Released 2024 Studio Miju Games Player sentiment 96% positive of 73,208 Price $23.99 Open World Survival CraftBase-BuildingSurvivalCraftingExplorationSandboxFirst-PersonSci-fi
- 16
Abiotic Factor
Why it matched: both open world, survival and science fiction; shares 9 player tags including Survival, Open World Survival Craft and Crafting.
Abiotic Factor is a survival crafting experience for 1-6 players set in the depths of an underground research facility. Caught between paranormal containment failure, a military crusade, and chaos from a dozen realms, the world’s greatest minds must survive against the universe’s biggest threats.
Abiotic Factor at a glance Released 2025 Studio Deep Field Games Player sentiment 96% positive of 58,569 Price $34.99 SurvivalOpen World Survival CraftCraftingBase-BuildingSci-fiExplorationSandboxFirst-Person
- 17
State of Decay
Why it matched: both open world, survival, horror and atmospheric; shares 7 player tags including Survival, Base-Building and Sandbox; released around the same time (2013).
The end is here. Life as you knew it has gone to hell after the mother of all zombie outbreaks. Now you and the few scattered survivors must band together to survive and rebuild in a 3rd-person action game set in a dynamic open world.
State of Decay at a glance Released 2013 Studio Undead Labs Player sentiment 85% positive of 17,480 Price Not listed SurvivalBase-BuildingSandboxExplorationHorrorSurvival HorrorIndie
- 18
We Happy Few
Why it matched: both open world, survival, horror and atmospheric; shares 7 player tags including Survival, First-Person and Indie; released around the same time (2018).
From the independent studio that brought you Contrast, We Happy Few is an action/adventure game set in a drug-fuelled, retrofuturistic city in an alternative 1960s England. Hide, fight and conform your way out of this delusional, Joy-obsessed world.
We Happy Few at a glance Released 2018 Studio Compulsion Games Player sentiment 77% positive of 13,772 Price $59.99 SurvivalFirst-PersonIndieHorrorExplorationCraftingSurvival Horror
- 19
Transmissions: Element 120
Why it matched: both open world, survival, horror, science fiction and atmospheric; shares 5 player tags including Horror, First-Person and Indie; released around the same time (2016).
TE120 is a short single player experience set in the Half-Life Universe featuring a gravity defying weapon that allows you to jump buildings and sustain large falls. The story takes place at a mysterious date & location. Where are you? Why have you been sent?
Transmissions: Element 120 at a glance Released 2016 Studio Shokunin Player sentiment 95% positive of 9,952 Price Free HorrorFirst-PersonIndieSurvivalSci-fi
- 20
Metro: Last Light
Why it matched: both open world, survival, horror, science fiction and atmospheric; shares 5 player tags including Horror, First-Person and Survival; released around the same time (2013).
It is the year 2034. Beneath the ruins of post-apocalyptic Moscow, in the tunnels of the Metro, the remnants of mankind are besieged by deadly threats from outside – and within. Mutants stalk the catacombs beneath the desolate surface, and hunt amidst the poisoned skies above.
Metro: Last Light at a glance Released 2013 Studio 4A Games Player sentiment 91% positive of 81,499 Price $19.99 HorrorFirst-PersonSurvivalSurvival HorrorSci-fi
- 21
ARK: Survival Evolved
Why it matched: both open world, survival and science fiction; shares 8 player tags including Open World Survival Craft, Survival and Crafting; released around the same time (2017).
Stranded on the shores of a mysterious island, you must learn to survive. Use your cunning to kill or tame the primeval creatures roaming the land, and encounter other players to survive, dominate... and escape!
ARK: Survival Evolved at a glance Released 2017 Studio Studio Wildcard Player sentiment 83% positive of 776,582 Price $9.89 Open World Survival CraftSurvivalCraftingBase-BuildingSandboxFirst-PersonSci-fiIndie
- 22
Grounded
Why it matched: both open world, survival and horror; shares 8 player tags including Survival, Open World Survival Craft and Base-Building.
The world is a vast, beautiful and dangerous place – especially when you have been shrunk to the size of an ant. Can you thrive alongside the hordes of giant insects, fighting to survive the perils of the backyard?
Grounded at a glance Released 2020 Studio Obsidian Entertainment Player sentiment 90% positive of 95,557 Price $39.99 SurvivalOpen World Survival CraftBase-BuildingCraftingHorrorExplorationSandboxFirst-Person
- 23
RAGE
Why it matched: both open world, survival, horror, science fiction and atmospheric; shares 5 player tags including First-Person, Sci-fi and Horror; released around the same time (2011).
Powered by id’s revolutionary id Tech® 5 technology, RAGE is an intense first-person shooter with breakneck vehicle combat, an expansive world to explore, and jaw-dropping graphics!
RAGE at a glance Released 2011 Studio id Software Player sentiment 78% positive of 18,288 Price $9.99 First-PersonSci-fiHorrorCraftingSurvival
- 24
Outlast
Why it matched: both survival, horror, science fiction and atmospheric; shares 6 player tags including Horror, First-Person and Survival Horror; released around the same time (2013).
Hell is an experiment you can't survive in Outlast, a first-person survival horror game developed by veterans of some of the biggest game franchises in history. As investigative journalist Miles Upshur, explore Mount Massive Asylum and try to survive long enough to discover its terrible secret... if you dare.
Outlast at a glance Released 2013 Studio Red Barrels Player sentiment 96% positive of 138,407 Price $14.99 HorrorFirst-PersonSurvival HorrorSurvivalIndieSci-fi
Common questions
What game is most like Subnautica?
Subnautica: Below Zero, on the evidence we have. It made by the same studio, Unknown Worlds Entertainment. That is a statement about overlap, not a promise you will like it as much: two games can share every tag and still feel different to play.
How is "similar to Subnautica" decided?
By overlap on the tags Steam players applied to each game, the formal genres, the themes both sit in, and whether the same studio made them. Tags carry the most weight because players write them, so they describe how a game feels rather than how it was filed. Tags carried by more than a third of the catalogue are ignored: matching on "Singleplayer" is matching on nothing. Every entry below shows exactly what it matched on.
Are these ranked by quality?
No. They are ordered by how much they overlap with Subnautica. Where two games overlap equally, the better received one goes first, but that only moves a game a place or two. Each entry shows its own player sentiment so you can weigh that separately.
What else did the makers of Subnautica do?
Subnautica: Below Zero is also from Unknown Worlds Entertainment, and appears in the list below for that reason as well as on tag overlap.
Do you get paid for these recommendations?
No. The order is computed from tag and genre overlap and nothing else. No placement here can be bought, and a game appearing high on this page is a statement about resemblance rather than an endorsement.