InSubnautica, the player must survive on the secluded ocean planet, 4546B. Thankfully, since they’ll spend so much time on it, the planet is far from boring. 4546B’s oceans support adiverse collection of marine flora and fauna. Most creatures in the game aredetailedandsemi-realistic. At times, Subnautica can feel likea crash course in biology— and not in a boring way, either!
For many of us, discovering and cataloging new creatures is the best part of the game. After all, who else is going to explore this distant planet? These are the really memorable discoveries;the coolest, most interesting animals in the Subnautica series.
1010/10 Stalker
Stalkersare an intimidating species of fish resembling a cross between a shark and a crocodile. They often bother the player as they explore the Kelp Forests. Stalkers can be very intimidatingbefore the player gets their submarinesince they tend to sneak up quietly, and a few of their bites will spell death.
Their databank entry notes that their"teeth are unusually hard,and fast-growing". They usetitanium depositstosharpen and remove their baby teeth.Scrap metal is everywhere in the Crater thanks to the crash, and the Stalkers really love it. Watching themplayfully toss aroundbits of metal isactually cute, which is funny considering howscarythey can be at first.
99/10 Reefback Leviathan
TheReefbackis one of only a few leviathan-class species in the series that are totallypassive. They can be strange at first, with their huge bodies and whale-like cries. However, the player will quickly realize they aregentle giants.
Each Reefback supports aminiature ecosystemof plants, barnacles, and coral. The plants take root in “scars” or gashes that form across the Reefback’s chitinous shell. The presence of Reefbacks suggests asafe area. They generally stick to the shallows so they can better protect their young from carnivorous leviathans. After a while, their low drones becomealmost comforting.
88/10 Reaper Leviathan
TheReaperis likely the first carnivorous leviathan-class creature players will encounter in Subnautica. Reaper Leviathans look likegigantic eelswithdemonic hornsandrazor-sharp teeth. They’re all over the Crater but tend to bunch up in certain areas (the mountains, the dunes, and the crash zone), meaning the player should regard these areas withextreme caution.
Although Reapers have a nasty tendency to sneak up on the player, they alsotelegraph their attackswith a screech. Noted in the Reaper’s databank entry as a form ofecholocation, the screech is well known among fans of Subnautica. It’s the player’s cue toget out while they still can.
77/10 Gasopod
TheGasopodlooks almost mammalian, like a seal or a manatee, but it has this bulbous orb of poisonous energy hanging from its backside. It also has two big eyes and a cylindrical mouth, making its face look like anold-school gas mask.
As is mentioned in the Gasopod’s databank entry, their large bodies provide “a substantial meal to would-be predators”. As a result, Gasopods release"gas pods"for defense, which burst into underwater clouds of poison. This behavior is almostsquid-like, and while Gasopods are not aggressive, they are dangerous. Players can be tricked by theircute appearance, and draw closer to scan them, only to getsmacked in the face with poison gas.
66/10 Glow Whale
TheGlow Whaleis a passive leviathan-class creature, similar to the Reefback Leviathan. They look a lot like thebaleen whaleshere on Earth. Glow Whales areabsolutely beautiful, and not only that,the player can ride them!
Glow Whales seemingly evolved for deep, dark ocean areas. They sport tons ofbioluminescence, withglowing eye glands,light blue horns, and lit-up spotsall across their bodies. In addition to riding them, the player can evenpet them. Their databank entry notes that the whales are communal, and they emit high-pitched noises when they’re near other whales,out of joy. And that’s just adorable.
55/10 Mesmer
The Mesmer is the smallest, most mysterious creature on this list. Mesmers hunt and defend themselves byhypnotizingtheir targets. Their powers corrupt even the player’s databank, meaning information on their biology is sparse.
When the player encounters a Mesmer, their controls lock up, and their PDA starts telling them to"swim closer to that beautiful creature". Once the player gets in range, the Mesmer simply gives them a little bite and swims off. The encounter isvery off-putting, especially since Mesmers are so rare, but itcould be much scarier. These little fish are sosmall and unintimidating— they can’treallyhurt the player. AMesmer Leviathan, on the other hand, would be bone-chilling.
44/10 Vent Garden
Vent Gardensare leviathan-class creatures that nest above geothermal vents in the ground. They feed on microscopic bacteria emitted from the vents, and they look a bit likegiant jellyfish. By far the coolest thing about adult Vent Gardens is that the player cango inside them and swim around a bit. Each Vent Gardencontains its own tiny ecosystemof rare plants!
The databank notes that Vent Gardens create asymbiotic relationship. The structure of the Vent Gardenprevents smaller creaturesfromfeeding on the plants inside. Meanwhile, the plantsfilter and absorb dangerous gassescoming from the vents. These types of mutual relationships occur between creatures here on Earth, sowhy not on 4546B?
33/10 Ice Worm
One of the most unique creatures in the series, theIce Wormissubterraneanrather than subaquatic. Instead of swimming, itburrows through the ground, attacking the player as they explore the ice sheets. It’s agiant worm, like similar creatures from Dune, Shadow of the Colossus, etc. It can alsojump and almost fly through the air, which is just as scary as it sounds.
The Ice Worm burrows through the hard ice using a superheated horn on its head. It has an intimidating appearance, as well as terrifying animations, including one where the player is tossed up in the air and into the Worm’s mouth. It’svery uniqueandcatches most players off-guard.
22/10 Shadow Leviathan
The terrifyingShadow Leviathanstalks the depths of Sector Zero in Subnautica: Below Zero. It looks like a giant sea snake with a triangular hammerhead and mandibles surrounding its glowing mouth. Like the Glow Whale, the Shadow Leviathan isbioluminescent, making it (thankfully) easier to spot from a distance. Unfortunately, that won’t be much help when this giant is barreling down atfrightening speeds.
In addition to being one of the coolest-looking creatures in the series, Shadow Leviathans have interesting biology. Their aerodynamic heads and tail fins allow them topropel themselves with some realism. Their huge mandibles arereminiscent of arthropods, like crabs and lobsters. The databank notes that their glowing mouths attract phytoplankton,which in turn attract larger fish.
11/10 Ghost Leviathan
The Ghost Leviathans from Subnautica 1 are absolutely terrifying. These beasts haunt the outer rims and dark depths of the Crater. Their long bodies are translucent — a quality also found in some marine life on Earth, such as theglass squid.In low-light environments, being see-through means you are effectivelycamouflaged.From a distance in Subnautica’s dark void, the ghost leviathans look just like their name — likeghosts.
Interestingly, Ghost Leviathans arefilter feeders, meaning they consume microscopic organisms from the water. The databank notes that their attacks areterritorial,“not predatory”. Their hammer-shaped heads, which protect them during bash attacks, suggest that they arevery territorial. Their amazing look and tendency to gang up in the dark void around the Crater’s edge make themextremely iconic and memorable.
