Summary
- From ancient predators to eerie mutants, Subnautica offers a diverse array of terrifying creatures, each requiring unique strategies to survive.
- Players must utilize defensive tools to evade, distract, or defeat these fearsome underwater predators.
- Some creatures, like the mesmer and leviathans, not only pose physical threats but also affect player psychology with hypnotic attacks and eerie atmospheres.
Subnautica is an open-world action-adventure game where players have to survive the deep oceans on an alien planet. Everyone knows that our planet's oceans are filled with uncovered secrets and mysteries. But for the creators of Subnautica, that wasn't enough, so they introduced the terrifying underwater ecosystem of planet 4546B.
Some creatures are mesmerizing, some are breathtakingly beautiful, and some are even adorable, but most are either scary or just unsettling. A lot of these alien lifeforms might look disturbing for players, leaving them uncomfortable just looking at them. For this list, we've gathered all the scariest Subnautica creatures that make the hair stand up on every player's back and ranked them according to their actual strength.
Updated on March 25, 2025, by Mati Kent-Nye: With the highly anticipated release of Subnautica 2 into early access right around the corner, there's no better time for players to reacquaint themselves with the terrifying creatures that lurk in the depths of planet 4546B. Subnautica 2 may take place on a new planet, but there will likely be some similarity in the types of life it harbors. They're both oceanic planets, after all! Now is the time to refresh that knowledge and prepare for a new underwater adventure.
Subnautica's oceans still amaze players, who continue to find wondrous and shocking things lurking in its depths. This list has been updated to include even more terrifying aquatic monsters.
25 Research Specimen Theta
Intimidating Predator With a Tragic Story
- Found in an Architects' research facility in the lost river.
- A skeleton of a large and powerful long-dead predator.
- Met its end at the hands of the Architects.
This mysterious skeleton only appears in the Architects' research facility in the Lost River labeled as "research specimen theta." From what can be discerned, it would have been an imposing predator. The heavy-plated bones and blunt jaws appear similar to Dunkleosteus, a real prehistoric apex predator, characterized by a jaw that could bite harder than any living shark today. Imagine something like that, but over twice as big, with more armor and four eyes. This could easily have split Riley in half with one hit.
Piecing together the clues left in the facility paints a bleak picture of its life. Theta appears to have been captured and put into an aquarium for study, where it might have been deliberately infected with the Kharaa virus. Its remains are still there when Riley arrives, suggesting one of two outcomes: either it was terminated when the Architects evacuated the lab, or it was simply abandoned and left to die of starvation.
24 Blood Crawler
Swift, Unpredictable Movements & Spider-Like Appearance
- An unsettling, fast, and spider-like creature.
- Found in the darker and deeper areas of the ocean.
- Best defeated using ranged weapons.
Gamers who love scary video games will enjoy getting to know Subnautica's creepy Blood Crawler. This nightmarish being has spindly legs and sharp, elongated appendages, resembling a cross between a crab and a spider. Thanks to its swift movements and aggressive nature, it is a formidable challenge, especially for new players who are just learning how to navigate the game's complex ecosystem. While it might not be a gigantic beast, it is a dangerous creature that has startling speed and can appear suddenly seemingly out of nowhere.
Dealing with a Blood Crawler requires a blend of caution and quick reflexes. Players are advised to maintain a safe distance and use ranged tools or weapons for defense. In situations where escape is the only option, swift swimming or the use of vehicles like the Seamoth can provide a crucial advantage in evading these menacing creatures.
23 Shuttlebug
Eerie, Unsettling, Spider-Like Creature
- An incredibly unsettling foe.
- Found more commonly in shallow water.
- A largely passive species.
The Shuttlebug in Subnautica earns its reputation as one of the game's scariest creatures not through direct threat or aggression, but through its ability to create an eerie and unsettling atmosphere. This visual eeriness, combined with its behavior of suddenly appearing and disappearing in the murky waters, can startle players, especially in the game's immersive, deep-sea environment.
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Although the Shuttlebug isn’t as aggressive as some of Subnautica's other inhabitants, it still can be quite startling, particularly for new players. Gamers can find Shuttlebug mostly in the shallower areas, and it's often one of the first mysterious creatures they'll encounter, which adds an element of surprise to the game. Observing from a distance or gently steering clear is usually the best course of action.
22 Stalker
Fearsome Predator With Sharp Teeth & Aggressive Behavior
- A swift and territorial predator.
- Attracted to metallic objects, including those carried by the player.
- Can be distracted by dropping metal objects.
Subnautica players know that Stalker is a true terror of the deep. This creepy creature is one of the most terrifying monsters in games and has a predatory fish vibe that's complete with razor-sharp teeth and a body built for speed. Its piercing blue eyes and metallic gleam make it look like the ocean's own terminator. They're also pretty fast, unpredictable, and love to charge at players when they least expect it.
Players will have to use their strategic thinking if they want to deal with the Stalker successfully. Avoiding carrying metallic items will reduce the likelihood of attracting their attention as Stalkers love metal. If confrontation is inevitable, it is best if players try to distract the Stalkers by deploying metal salvage until they can escape.
21 Ancient Skeleton
The Remains Of A Terrifying Predator
- The remains of a nameless but massive creature.
- Has teeth the size of the player character, Riley.
- The biggest creature known to inhabit this oceanic planet.
This skeleton is so old it doesn't even have a name, though the popular fan nickname is "Titan Leviathan." There isn't a lot known about it, especially since only one skeleton has been found, but it seems to be a large predatory creature from a time when Leviathan-class creatures were even more common than they are now. The part that is visible has teeth of similar size to Riley's body, and he can literally swim through a gap in the creature's jawline.
It is theorized that this creature would have been able to easily take on reaper leviathans or sea dragons, while its armored plating would have protected it from most injuries. The question of the mysterious large holes in its rib cage, of which there are at least five on each side (assuming more aren't hidden in the buried portion of the skeleton), doesn't help. The player's imagination is left to run wild about what these were for.
20 Lava Lizard
Aggressive, Dangerous, Delivers Strong Attacks
- A powerful and aggressive monster.
- Can spit lava at the player.
- Found in the lava-filled regions of the map.
Subnautica is an excellent game for those players who love creature collection games and Lava Lizard is one of its most aggressive creatures with a fairly strong attack that causes 30% damage to players. This creepy Subnautica creature can not only bite players but spit lava at them.
While Lava Lizards are only mid-sized they're still feared thanks to their hostile and violent behavior and considerable high attack damage. Players can find these carnivorous monsters at the Lava Lakes, the Inactive Lava Zone, or while exploring the Lava Castle. Even though Lava Lizards are hostile, players can choose not to interact with them, or they can also use Lava Larvae as bait because the Lava Lizard will just eat the Lava Larvae and leave the player alone.
19 Reefback Leviathan
Massive, Alien, Intimidating
- Usually the first leviathan species players encounter.
- Terrifying in their sheer size and alien appearance.
- Reminds players that this is a foreign world.
Likely the first leviathan species new players will encounter, these massive beasts are sure to give them a fright. These alien, almost non-sentient-looking creatures roam the open waters of these worlds, striking fear into the hearts of players who do not know they're peaceful giants. Only by overcoming this fear and approaching these leviathans will players realize that these creatures are in fact helpful, offering players an abundance of minerals and food to harvest.
Watching these monsters swim by is a stark reminder to players that this oceanic world is a far cry from Earth. They best be ready to expect the unexpected if they're to stand any hope of survival.
18 Boneshark
Large, Fast, Aggressive, Powerful Bite
- Fast, aggressive, and unsettling to look at.
- Found in many locations, including The Crash Zone and the Underwater Islands.
- Flairs can be used to distract these creatures as they're attracted to light.
Boneshark is one of the largest and most aggressive shark-like Subnautica creatures. These hostile monsters not only have a scary look, but they're actually pretty fast and can easily catch up to players. Bonesharks also have a bite that causes 30% damage.
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Players can encounter these carnivorous creatures at multiple locations including The Crash Zone, Underwater Islands, Bulb Zone Biomes, and Crag Field. These highly aggressive predators are infamous for fiercely defending their hunting ground and players' best option to deal with them is to use flares when they're attacked by a Boneshark. Bonesharks are attracted to lights, so they will attack the light instead of the players.
17 Crashfish
Explosive, Fast, Dangerous
- Swim quickly towards players and explode once close enough.
- Found in Safe Shallow Caves.
- Must be encountered to procure Cave Sulfur.
Looks can be deceiving in Subnautica. These small fish may look cute, but they're in fact early-game terrors, lurking in Safe Shallow Caves ready to rush towards and blow up in the face of any player foolish enough to enter their territory. Even a single Crashfish attack is devastating for new players, dealing a massive blow to their health bars. There's nothing quite so scary as exploring dark and narrow caves only to see an explosive fish rapidly approaching.
Encountering an abundance of Crashfish is all but guaranteed in any playthrough. Not only are the caves in which they reside rich in Limestone and Sandstone Outcrops, but the Sulfur Plants in which these fish hide are also the only source of valuable Cave Sulfur.
16 Crabsnake
Grotesque, Surprise Attacks, Immobilizes Its Prey
- A creepy and truly alien-looking animal.
- Temporarily immobilize players with their attacks.
- Only found in the Jellyshroom Cave.
Players who love monster-tamer video games will love interacting with Crabsnakes because of their unique behavior. Crabsnakes are also some of the most nauseating-looking Subnautica creatures that can get easily agitated by players. When Crabsnakes attack they cause 35% damage while also making players immobile for a while. However, they often decide to just patrol the area or simply go back to their Jellymushroom.
Since Crabsnakes love to hide in their Jellymushrooms to surprise attack players it's fairly difficult to avoid them. However, players' best option is to avoid Jellymushrooms and swim as far away from them as possible, or they can also use their vehicle.