Missing Subnautica? Try A Game About Digging A Hole

Subnautica is one of my all-time favorite games, in part because of the way it gets into your head. You’re stranded on an alien planet made entirely of water, no one is around to help you, and your survival depends on your willingness to plunge ever-deeper into the crushing depths of the alien ocean, foraging for minerals and other raw materials to upgrade your tech. Unfortunately, I’ve had a hard time finding anything else like it. Even its spin-off, Subnautica: Below Zero doesn’t quite hit the mark, mainly due to the overabundance of chatty-Cathy NPCs who never shut up long enough for the player to experience a building sense of dread.