However, it does leave for moments of occasional obtuseness where it isn't clear what you need to actually do. It makes sense- you're marooned on an alien world with no working civilization anywhere and must craft/survive your way back to the stars.

Outside of the computer voice on some of your space aged tech, there is relatively few instances of any dialogue. The story is a mix of quirky and isolating, like the feeling of a MASH episode. It's not a perfect journey, but like a saying that is often attributed to Voltaire, 'don't let perfect be the enemy of good'. I really felt like I was Jacque Cousteau, documenting plants and animals for my own interests as I explored the sea floor. Along the way, you'll discover the involvement of an amazingly designed abandoned alien civilization that works as a background story framing device for your journey to escape this thassalaphobic unfriendly world. It is presented as a beautiful, comprehensive functioning, alien world terrarium/simulator where you play as a hapless crash landed human from a heavy capitalist/Heinlen-like civilization who must work to get himself out of this fascinating but ultimately dangerous alien petri dish. Subnautica is where you take that NMS element, gradually give things the non-tech atmosphere of the water stages of Super Metroid, and cram the creative genius that is Wayne Barlowe's Alien Worlds into one package. Now, I've played No Man's Sky, but there's a glossed over abstractness to what's on a planet in that game, versus actually seeing an ecosystem making some measure of sense. Subnautica is probably the most on point representation of a functional appearing alien world simulator that I've ever seen. Yes, it's a very good game, easily recommended.

Subnautica game keeps crashing