Barotrauma is a cooperative game and submarine simulator on Steam that sends you on a creepy dive tour. Work together to survive in the depths of the ocean or make each other’s lives difficult.
Barotrauma combines survival horror with RPG elements. You are either alone or with friends as part of a submarine crew in cooperative mode. Together, you discover what lies beneath the ocean’s depths and complete missions.
In this process, you can operate complex systems and equipment of the submarine, such as sonar, engines, and pumps, and you must defend yourselves in tactical real-time battles against hostile monsters.
The game is also playable on the Steam Deck, but you will need to make some adjustments yourself. The font size is very small, and you must manually adjust it in the menu.
Here you can see the latest trailer for Barotrauma for the update “Urban Expanses”:
Discover a dark underwater world full of dangers
What does the gameplay in Barotrauma look like? You work with your crew to keep the submarine in shape. Take care to navigate the vehicle, repair leaks, and craft items.
The game is said by the developers to “follow in the footsteps of games like FTL: Faster Than Light, Rimworld, Dwarf Fortress, and Space Station 13” (via Steam). It combines teamwork, betrayal, and alien deep-sea monsters with a dark 2D environment.
However, you are not alone in the depths of the sea. Gruesome alien monsters lurk in the water and can quickly put an end to your journey. Fight the creatures or flee from them. You can not only create your own submarine but also design your own deep-sea creatures in the editor.
But even within your submarine, you must always keep your eyes open. There could be a traitor among your crew members. So always stay vigilant!
You can play Barotrauma in both singleplayer and together in online cooperative mode with a crew of up to 16 players. Choose from 6 different classes for the position on board that you would like to fulfill:
- Captain
- Engineer
- Mechanic
- Doctor
- Security Officer
- Assistant
Through procedurally generated maps and missions as well as various game modes, the game aims to create high replayability.
If you are still not sure whether Barotrauma is right for you: You can find a detailed review of the submarine game at our colleagues at GameStar.
Players praise the game for its complex gameplay mechanics
How do players rate Barotrauma? The cooperative game performs very well on Steam. Of the total 30,571 reviews, 93% are positive (as of March 14, 2023, via Steam). This includes the reviews of the early access version of the game.
Users praise in the reviews how deep and complex the gameplay mechanics are. At the same time, this can be a bit overwhelming, especially for newcomers, and it requires some familiarization with the game.
Many recommend the cooperative mode as a fun experience:
- FuuChan: “What a great game! What I did not expect was this level of depth! (Pun intended). Although it is not marketed as such, this game is very similar to Project Zomboid in its level of detail. Engineers can redesign the ship using computer logic chips to make it do what they want. Doctors have one of the most detailed medical systems I’ve ever played. […] A true passion project that I think will have a player base for a long time to come.”
- High Roller: “Fun game, I’ve only seen a few titles that went from rough prototypes to a complete game like this, so bonus points for an early access game that delivered. The game reaches its fullest potential in cooperative mode with friends.”
How much does Barotrauma cost? Currently, you can get the cooperative game on sale. Instead of €34.99, you currently pay €26.24, saving 25% off the original price. The offer ends on March 16, 2023.
All bundles and additional content for the game are also discounted between 29% and 68%.
If you like dark games, you can find another Steam game here: New horror survival has a release date on Steam – relies on deadly escape rooms in cooperative mode
