Unknown Worlds has just released its second Early Access update for Subnautica 2, one that focuses on the co-op experience, making it easier for players to communicate and coordinate with each other.
The most notable addition is the proximity voice chat, which allows players to speak to one another if they are closeby. Proximity chat is more engaging for a lot of co-op players than traditional VoIP as it helps maintain a sense of dread in a game like Subnautica 2.
More teamwork improvements have also been introduced, including an emote system that lets players signal one another without voice, and players can now access a teammate’s inventory directly to share their resources. Lastly, a new revive system has also been added where players will now enter a downed state instead of dying immediately, allowing players to revive them within a limited window.
We do like the revive system being added, however, with features like these I think it is important to have single player equivalents as the game can get harder or easier if you only play in one mode or another, and so a fallback is important to keep parity.
Unknown worlds also shared that they are continuing their support for The Ocean Cleanup, an NGO that develops and scales technologies to remove plastic pollution from our ocean. Unknown Worlds previously donated a portion of proceeds from the original Subnautica to The Ocean Cleanup on World Environment Day in 2019, and has continued to support ocean conservation efforts since.
It is a great gesture in our opinion and something that fits with their work on Subnautica, which has themes of saving alien oceans to make them habitable again for the local wildlife.
Both the update and Subnautica 2 are now available through Early Access on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass and Epic Game Store.
