Subnautica 2: Story Guide – Experience the Story in Full

In Subnautica 2 you will explore not only the vast underwater world but also dive into a profound story. What you need to know is here.

How is the story of Subnautica 2 structured? The story of Subnautica 2 is not linear, so you cannot simply follow it through a clear quest log. Instead, you collect “story morsels” while exploring, through radio messages, data logs, and environmental details.

If you find yourself stuck, it’s always worth a trip to your AI system NoA, which will ping you from time to time when new clues arise that you can investigate.

If you focus on the various points of interest, old bunkers, and alien ruins, the story of Subnautica 2 will gradually come together. But even though there is no linear story, there are some narrative threads and orientation points that collectively form the story. We will summarize them here for you in a sensible order.

Since Subnautica 2 is currently in early access, new parts may be added or changes may occur at any time.

Attention: There may be occasional minor spoilers. However, we make sure not to reveal too much but to help you experience the story yourself.

The premise – this is roughly what it’s about

You are working as a pioneer and colonist on behalf of the megacorporation Alterra. Your original goal was actually a desert planet called Zezura. However, due to an incident, your ship accidentally crash-lands on a hostile moon almost completely covered by oceans called Proteus.

The problem: The stubborn AI of your ship, NoA, ignores this and vehemently insists that you continue the colonization mission on this world that is completely unsuitable for humans.

Finding story snippets – here’s how to do it

Before you were others on site, and their thoughts and memories need to be found. Only the ocean knows what happened to them – and hopefully soon you will too.

NoA will regularly check in with you at first when you enter new areas and will mark certain waypoints on your HUD that you should investigate further.

The pieces of the story are scattered throughout the environment. To put all the puzzle pieces together, you need to specifically look for the following elements:

• Black boxes
  • These are the most important story items. They contain the last voice recordings and logs of the missing colonists (like Anita or Chap). You often receive signals for these black boxes from NoA.
• Engel combs
  • These gigantic, tree-like alien organisms with pink flowers are extremely important. Here you not only gather story hints in the immediate vicinity, but also interact with the flower to unlock genetic adaptations like heat resistance or improved digestion. The latter is crucial for advancing into later story areas.
• Abandoned habitats & Camp One
  • As you follow the signals, you will encounter destroyed outposts of the former colonists. Here you will find PDAs that tell you more about the lore and the presumed demise of the crew.
• Bio-beds
  • Hidden in colonist bunkers or shipwrecks, such as the Cicada. Interacting with them often brings inventory upgrades and additional small lore entries.

First clues – here’s how to get started best

If you feel lost at the beginning, you should target the following locations to find your flow:

• The welcome center
  • You will find this southeast of your escape pod; you can spot it from there and hardly miss it. If you put the necessary battery in there, you will receive your first biolab for biomods and the first hints about the story.
• Black box Anita
  • If you move about 160 meters northeast of your escape pod, you will come across your first important black box of the pioneer Anita.
  • Here you will also receive your first angel comb and thus your first adaptation.
• Colonist bunkers & black box Chap
  • About 250 meters southeast of your escape pod, you will find a tunnel that leads you to a hidden bunker.
  • Here you will find the black box of Chap and your first bio bed for an inventory upgrade.

Once you’ve checked off the points above, NoA will eventually lead you to Camp One and the old base. Here you will find lots of stuff that you can scan for blueprints, as well as PDAs that will provide you with more story snippets.

After this, NoA will guide you via the signal from Pioneer Wander into a zone tainted by a plague – from here on, you will need to apply what you have learned before.

What to do if you get stuck?

In the meantime, NoA will no longer provide you with points of interest, and you will be left to explore on your own. Here you need to see what you are missing to progress. Is there a biome you cannot travel to? Do you lack the necessary adaptation for it? Look for potential angel combs in the previous area and try again.

Once you can enter the new area, NoA will provide you with new markers to help you explore.

Subnautica 2 is a game that thrives mainly on exploration. Aspiring pioneers must therefore fight their way through the wild ocean and gradually secure their survival. If you encounter any problems, we have some guides for you that hopefully provide the solution: Subnautica 2: All guides, tips, and lists at a glance