13 Games Like Subnautica That Blend Crafting and Exploration

Subnautica is one of those rare games that makes you feel small in the best way possible. Its combination of survival, crafting, and deep-sea discovery turns every dive into a story of curiosity and courage. If you love games that pair hands-on creation with a sense of wonder — whether in oceans, outer space, or on alien frontiers — these titles deliver that same blend of crafting, exploration, and quiet awe.

The Planet Crafter

Transform a lifeless planet into a thriving ecosystem using your tools, creativity, and perseverance. It channels Subnautica’s mix of survival and hope, turning barren worlds into living art.

No Man’s Sky

Explore a near-infinite universe filled with alien flora, ancient ruins, and secrets waiting to be uncovered. Its crafting, base-building, and freedom of movement make it Subnautica’s interstellar cousin.

Raft

Start with nothing but a few planks and your wits as you drift across a vast, watery world. Gathering debris, expanding your raft, and exploring distant islands feels like Subnautica’s oceanic survival — but above the waves.

ABZU

Dive into a meditative underwater world full of color and life. While there’s no crafting or danger, it captures Subnautica’s serene exploration and emotional connection to the ocean’s mysteries.

Below Zero

A standalone expansion to Subnautica, this game refines the formula with frozen biomes and a new narrative thread. It’s just as thrilling and atmospheric, but with a colder, more personal touch.

Grounded

Shrunk to the size of an ant, you’ll craft tools, build shelters, and explore the dangers of a backyard wilderness. It transforms ordinary surroundings into a massive, mysterious survival playground.

Core Keeper

Delve underground to gather resources, fight creatures, and build sprawling subterranean bases. It trades the ocean for earth but keeps that Subnautica feeling of constant discovery and growth.

Green Hell

Survive the harsh Amazon rainforest by crafting tools, building shelter, and maintaining your sanity. It’s tougher and more grounded than Subnautica, but shares that deep connection between humanity and nature.

No One Survived

Combine exploration, crafting, and survival in a post-apocalyptic world filled with environmental challenges. Its open-world crafting systems echo Subnautica’s sense of preparation and perseverance.

Breathedge

Survive in space after a cosmic accident, armed with duct tape and a sarcastic sense of humor. It’s like Subnautica in zero gravity — darkly funny, absurd, and full of clever survival mechanics.

Forever Skies

Pilot a high-tech airship above the ruins of Earth, scavenging materials and rebuilding civilization from the clouds. It flips Subnautica’s oceanic depths into aerial heights, but keeps that same survival-driven curiosity.

Astroneer

Explore colorful, alien planets and terraform landscapes to uncover rare materials. Its lighthearted art style hides deep crafting and discovery systems that reward experimentation and teamwork.

DREDGE

A cozy fishing game tinged with cosmic horror, where you explore strange seas and uncover dark secrets. It’s calmer than Subnautica, but evokes the same haunting sense of beauty and unease.