Summary
- Leviathan-class creatures in Subnautica 2 cannot be killed, emphasizing survival and coexisting with nature.
- Players will receive no reward for killing leviathans, with the focus on creating more challenging gameplay.
- Some fans are unhappy with invulnerable leviathans, missing the option to battle and overcome fears.
The developer team behind Subnautica 2 has confirmed that players will not be able to kill the various leviathan-class creatures in the sequel, presenting an interesting departure from the mechanics seen in previous Subnautica games. As the name suggests, leviathans are some of the biggest and nastiest creatures that players will be able to encounter in Subnautica 2, and are typically some of the main contributors to the game's fear factor.
Subnautica's leviathan creatures are an essential element to the experience, but the game has never been about killing them - in fact, quite the opposite. Both the Subnautica games that fans are familiar with, as well as the upcoming sequel, encourage players to survive in union with an unknown alien environment, and teach players that coexisting with nature, rather than slaughtering it, is their key to survival. That said, it's true that most of the Subnautica games' leviathans won't think twice about devouring players, and players do have the option to kill persistent leviathan predators if they deem it necessary.
Subnautica 2 Reveals Gameplay, Teases Early Access Later This Year
A Subnautica 2 dev vlog gives fans a glimpse at some of the new environments and gameplay features that early access will bring later in 2025.
Killing even a single leviathan in Subnautica is no easy feat, and players won't receive any sort of reward or achievement for doing so. Several members of Subnautica 2's development team have shared some hints and small details about the sequel ahead of its release, and have confirmed that, to further reinforce players' understanding of their place in the ecosystem, leviathans will not be able to be killed in Subnautica 2. This will ensure that the game's apex predators ultimately pose a much greater threat to players and create interesting new gameplay opportunities for players seeking to explore the most hazardous environments offered in the sequel.
Some Subnautica 2 Fans Aren't Happy About Facing Invulnerable Leviathans
This decision has sparked some debate among fans, though. Although the Subnautica games offer no incentive for slaying leviathans other than making an area safer to traverse, some players enjoy battling the game's sea monsters once they've sufficiently upgraded their equipment. Some players even consider the option to battle leviathans a form of "exposure therapy," helping them get over their fears of Subnautica's scariest creatures.
That said, it's also important to keep in mind that the Subnautica 2 developers have confirmed that the sequel will not feature any of the familiar vehicles that players can obtain in previous titles. Very little information has yet been shared concerning the new vehicles that players can expect to see in Subnautica 2, and while the game has been teased to include vehicles of similar archetypes, Subnautica 2's invulnerable leviathans may make room for the existence of new tools and technologies that will allow players to evade them in different ways.
- Developer(s)
- Unknown Worlds Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Krafton
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Franchise
- Subnautica
