The world of exploration video games is one of many discoveries and questions. While finding these out for yourself is half the battle, simpler concerns can often be overlooked by players. Subnautica Below Zero is the best showcase of this, with some important details which may not even cross your mind. To help you get through them, let’s check out Subnautica Below Zero map tips and guidelines for beginners.
Read new databank entries
There are hundreds of odd things about the planet you are stranded on in Subnautica Below Zero. The experience is bound to leave quite a few questions unanswered, hence why databank entries are useful. However, useful tips aren’t all they contain. The databank entries also contain pieces of the story and guidelines on how to proceed.
Subnautica games have always focused on scarce information that encourages exploration. The information being hidden in the logs you collect was the former games approach. Now, we get this new method of information scavenge hunt. Even if some of the data entries could seem long, it’s worthwhile to check what’s available.
Be mindful of your base’s placement
Your base is where you’ll house most of the crafting ingredients, leave your vehicles, and get comfortable in. However, it’s easy to poorly place it. There are a lot of things to consider when doing so, especially when you consider the resource cost of it which makes making multiples hard.
The key thing you should make sure to do is place the base at a safe enough location. Having too many dangerous wildlife around may make your base trips more hassle than worth. If some of the bigger predators of the planet are near the base, you could end up having quite a bad time while transporting items to the storage.
Next important step is to ensure the position of the base acts as a hub between biomes. Subnautica Below Zero has a lot of oceanic biomes to explore and each of them contains unique materials you’ll need to progress. In order to gather them, it’s suggested to have a base nearby. This goes double for biomes that contain a ton of rare resources. You want those stacked up in the base for quick access.
Do not stray too deep or far
A frequent mistake we can make is drifting too far away from our base or any established location we put down. This will be somewhat instinctual to people as they feel the freedom of the world pulling them to explore deeper.
However, every nook and cranny of this world is filled with dangers. Twice as many when you start diving deep down or going towards the edges. While some limits may keep the players in the shallower areas, it’s equally as possible for them to stumble into a deadly situation.
Exploring and learning are a part of the game but they should be done with ample precautions. There is a whole slew of tools you’ll acquire throughout the game that can serve as fruitful members of your arsenal. However, even just remembering to stock up on food and water can make a difference between life and death. It pays to have a look at the Below Zero map before going on a mining trip.
Picking appropriate tools is important but so is gauging how deep you plan to go. Having some deeper diving vehicles is a difference between life and death in Subnautica Below Zero. These also keep you safe from bigger dangers while aiding you escape much easier if confronted.
Oxygen tank upgrades are crucial
On the note of surviving, you’ll need oxygen to do so. The oxygen tank in this game allows you to dive and stay underwater for prolonged periods of time. Initially, the oxygen tank will start low with enough oxygen to last a few minutes of underwater exploration. As the game progresses, resources to upgrade it will show up.
Upgrade the oxygen tank as soon as you get the appropriate resources. There are no better uses for those items than the oxygen tank simply due to its universal utility. Allowing for longer farming runs, keeping your vehicle-less diving longer, and ability to breach critical depth for longer are all good reasons to upgrade it.
Oxygen tank upgrades will also come in handy even if you end up stranded in a dangerous place with your vehicle destroyed. The extra time could allow you to escape to the surface, protecting your progress.
Scan everything
Knowing is half the battle and the best way to know is by scanning. The activity requires a scanner which will give you a better idea of the things you find in the world. Of course, it will require crafting first. Although it is rather cheap to craft, it pays to keep one running by switching its batteries.
No matter what biome you find yourself in, it will be a formidable tool. The most important of its features is that it unlocks new recipes for crafting. To do so, you need to scan a certain number of items related to the recipe. The number of required items varies but you can expect it to increase as the size of the craftable thing increases. Simple tools usually require two components while some complicated ones could take a dozen.
Watch out for ice floes
When it comes to oxygen and breathing in, we can get quickly stumped if there are any ice floes around. These are patches of ice on the ocean’s surface that prevent us from surfacing. Making sure to maneuver past them and locate an exit point is key for anybody who wishes to avoid drowning.
Ice floes should be scouted out before diving and once again when we are about to surface. That way, we can intuitively find the best place to dive out of. A lot of the dangers ice floes pose can be mitigated by resurfacing with some extra oxygen. That will give you more time to navigate, creating a safer experience.
Conclusion
There are plenty other tips to be had but these will be the ones most important to new players. The intricacies of the game are plenty, as the entire ecosystem has various uses and threats to figure out. However, by following the above information, you should be capable of dealing with them.
