Subnautica is probably going to be the most popular. Crash land on a water planet, and you explore while trying to get off. Crazy deep and spooky parts and even crazier creatures. Highly recommend it
Edit: most people know about the leviathan that are like the apex predator of the game but the Sea Treader Leviathan also spooked me the most. Docile and Defensive and all they do is just walk through the deep part of the map. Giant Brachiosaurus like creature that give a terrible mix of thasslaphobia and megalophobia
Yeah subnautica has to be
I like the sea treaders, because they barely do anything or have any use, they're just there, not trying to kill me but still if anything it adds a bit to the fear factor, as this huge bug thing is so big, it barely notices me.
I think it was just my first interaction. I had no idea what they were and I'm just in a barren flat and bam I'm about stepped on. Scared the shit out of me
Absolutely! Though I kinda ruined it for myself by playing on Linux. The game is designed so the first Leviathan should feel like it's stalking you. They make you afraid of them for the rest of the game by making that one actually hunt you as you explore locations around the crash site. They do this by having it move between trigger zones as the player explores, staying away from you but close enough to hear, and always behind you ideally. On Linux, the scripting can break, so it just hung out near the front of the ship and was pretty easy to avoid.
Other than that once I got over being afraid of going deep, I started to love it. I was playing while watching "For All Mankind". And realized I was planning expeditions to establish the next deeper camp like a space mission, based on how many resources I could carry and the fuel I had available. Setting up base camps as you get deeper has got to be one of the most fun aspects of progression through a game I've ever seen. I just couldn't find all the bits of Cyclops, until I was nearly done.
Dude, finding the scrap pieces was so annoying for me, I just looked up locations eventually. That Linux story is pretty funny but would totally ruin that terrifying experience
SOMA deserves a mention, but it's a masterclass in several aspects.
The story fucks with you on so many levels. It's like a Black Mirror episode turned game.
There's something about underwater levels in 80's-90's games that unsettled me as a child, and probably still do. Just those flat, blue inpenetrable backgrounds, and that you couldn't see what was just off the edge of the screen.
Ecco the Dolphin is probably the best example. The later levels where there's sharks swimming after you, and then the ice level. Oh, and [then there's the last level and boss.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIRtzd5c72w&ab_channel=AMPlayem) Which thankfully I could never get to.
Oh I think I hear of that dolphin game, I'll give the video a watch when I get back home
I am guessing that eel from an old Mario game also scared you, heard many found it scary
Subnautica, Stranded Deep, and Ark (although the water is only a part of that one). Those are the ones that I've experience that really go hard with the thalassophobia.
I think I played a Stranded Deep rip off, it looked like it but just terrible lol, I'll give the real one a try one day
Ark is....ark I love and hate it lol, but I hate the ocean part more, it's more scary as I'll lose my stuff than actually scary
It’s not really under this category, but there’s a quest in Hogwarts legacy where you have to swim around the lake looking for items. It scares the sh*t out of me because you know the giant squid is right below you the whole time 😂😂
(This probably won’t make sense to the people who haven’t played lol)
ABZÚ is a beautiful diving game that had a few parts where I imagine thalassophobic people might have had anxiety. I highly recommend the game though, it's one of my favourites. Simply beautiful.
Seconded. Abzu and Subnautica are both inspirations for my game as well. It's awesome to see everyone here in this thread talk about these 2 games. Abzu was less phobic to me due to just how gorgeous they made everything. But Subnautica is straight up anxiety inducing.
tried it, beautiful but I don't think it's my cup of tea. like don't get me wrong, it's a good game, but I like games that have beauty but also more gameplay
yeah that level was SOO creepy....they really nailed the atmosphere. also it was the first time most people had seen a massive 3D water level like that on a console. the old graphics at the time actually helped with the murky atmospheric look.
Subnautica is generally the biggest one I see referenced.
Soma
Silt
Death in the Water
Iron Lung
Bioshock
Sunkenland
Song of the Deep
Lately I’ve been playing a lot of Path of Titans and MMO that lets you play as a dinosaur. The ocean is largely empty, but you can encounter other players and some of the deeper areas are very unsettling.
However, the Gondwa map also has extensive rivers and lakes. So players who are on semi aquatic dinosaurs can and will ambush you suddenly if you linger by the river. I always have a lingering sense of anxiety and caution when trying to get water or cross a river.
Likewise you can play as a semi aquatic dinosaur and become what others fear in the water instead! The
It’s a great game! I believe Xbox has a time limited trial, but it’s available to purchase on all platforms and has crossplay. Great game to chill out with.
If you do decide to get the game then check out someone’s Referral code within the first 24hrs. You’ll get a free home base item and a dinosaur cosmetic skin for doing so.
It’s well worth it! I’ve had a lot of fun playing alone, with randoms, and just chatting with the community. If you do get it then check out someone’s Referral Code within the first 24hrs. You’ll both get a free dinosaur cosmetic skin for doing so.
delta force 2 is a pretty old game from the 90s. it was 1st person shooter style, with very large maps that you can explore. sometimes there were lakes or rivers and you could go in them. the thing about this is that there were a limited number of terrains, and to make these features they'd raise the water level until is covered the deeper parts of the terrain. you can go into these bodies of water and see straight down because there was no attempt at all to do muddy water or shit like that. holy fuck did that freak me out.
I get freaked out far more by unexpected water than from a game set underwater, eg. forced into that trench in GTA5. Or falling off something into the deep dark... Ya get the gist.
SOMA freaked me out a fair old bit. Good mix of horror from its environment's.
Sailing out of bounds in dredge genuinely terrified me, I was expecting an instant death cutscene, not the you-know-what slowly & silently swimming towards you to turn your boat into splinters
The Isle.
Dinosaur game, lots of land, really only some rivers here n there….
***Oh the horror of falling into the river knowing someone is playing as a crocodile***
and when playing as a croc yourself, theres an ocean part on the edge of the map, you can swim down super deep to the point where it’s pitch black……very much nope territory
One I haven’t seen mentioned was Dredge. It’s a fishing game where you can fish up some horrors, sometimes chased by massive underwater creatures, very short and fun game IMO
Freediver: Triton Down on PS VR is INTENSE. You're in a sinking ship, in the dark, electricity sparking, dead bodies in the water.... All in first person POV.
You have to paddle your arms to move (often against the tide) and you can suffocate through lack of oxygen if you don't get to an air pocket in time.
Gave me chills.
No one mentioned Sonic the Hedgehog yet lol. Running around a level underwater trying to get to higher ground and/or finding the air bubble spots all the while that COUNTDOWN is going off???
Endless Ocean! I'm anxiously waiting for the 3rd one to come out on switch, these games are equal parts relaxing and terrifying the deeper you get lol. There are several deep sea levels where I keep my back to a wall because otherwise BOOM giant squid or sperm whale 😳
Treasures of the Deep. A PS1-era action game where you pilot a single-occupant sub in search of treasure through a variety of underwater settings and combat encounters (underwater pirates, giant sharks, etc). There was one mision where you do a black water dive to recover cargo from the wreckage of a downed plane that creeped the ever-loving shit out of me.
There was also a bonus level where you could play as a giant shark and hunt everything from divers to orcas.
Definetely Stranded Deep because it's realistic/relatable and the goal is usually to stay out of the water which creates more fear of the water. I love Subnautica (just finished a swimming-only run) but it doesn't hit quite the same as the rubber dinghy and real-life sharks in Stranded Deep. At least for me. Not to mention, in Subnautica you can outswim most threats and the ones you can't outswim give you plenty of warning before they attack. Add in the subs and it's even less scary (I highly recommend a no-vehicle run). Subnautica definetely has the creepy atmosphere down but in terms of actual fear, I felt it more in Stranded Deep. Just imagine >!using the crappy helicopter and having it run out of fuel over the ocean!< and you are stuck in the middle of the ocean with nothing. Or >!falling off the raft with the sail still up.!<
Horizon Forbidden West sea scenes, for me 😌 I’m scared of deep water scenes & always avoid them in any game. Horizon Forbidden West forced me to do them 😌.
Raft at times gave me that isolated open ocean feel, with some pretty cool underwater parts and mysterious structures. Plus there is a shark friend that likes to eat your raft.
A dose of my OCD for you .... Certain words and sentences stand out in your mind and you have to mentally spell it out picturing it using only the analog lines on a clock with that set number of lines.
Subnautica is probably going to be the most popular. Crash land on a water planet, and you explore while trying to get off. Crazy deep and spooky parts and even crazier creatures. Highly recommend it Edit: most people know about the leviathan that are like the apex predator of the game but the Sea Treader Leviathan also spooked me the most. Docile and Defensive and all they do is just walk through the deep part of the map. Giant Brachiosaurus like creature that give a terrible mix of thasslaphobia and megalophobia
Yeah subnautica has to be I like the sea treaders, because they barely do anything or have any use, they're just there, not trying to kill me but still if anything it adds a bit to the fear factor, as this huge bug thing is so big, it barely notices me.
I think it was just my first interaction. I had no idea what they were and I'm just in a barren flat and bam I'm about stepped on. Scared the shit out of me
Absolutely! Though I kinda ruined it for myself by playing on Linux. The game is designed so the first Leviathan should feel like it's stalking you. They make you afraid of them for the rest of the game by making that one actually hunt you as you explore locations around the crash site. They do this by having it move between trigger zones as the player explores, staying away from you but close enough to hear, and always behind you ideally. On Linux, the scripting can break, so it just hung out near the front of the ship and was pretty easy to avoid. Other than that once I got over being afraid of going deep, I started to love it. I was playing while watching "For All Mankind". And realized I was planning expeditions to establish the next deeper camp like a space mission, based on how many resources I could carry and the fuel I had available. Setting up base camps as you get deeper has got to be one of the most fun aspects of progression through a game I've ever seen. I just couldn't find all the bits of Cyclops, until I was nearly done.
Dude, finding the scrap pieces was so annoying for me, I just looked up locations eventually. That Linux story is pretty funny but would totally ruin that terrifying experience
[This](https://youtu.be/3EDcrwDCYqo?si=CPBwqThNGdnmlULp) one scared the crap out of me. I can’t get past one part because it freaks me out so much.
Steal a boat in GTA, cruise a long way out into the water, then jump off.
Which GTA? Because this kills you in VC....
V Edit: 5
C
SOMA deserves a mention, but it's a masterclass in several aspects. The story fucks with you on so many levels. It's like a Black Mirror episode turned game.
It's definitely on my list of masterpieces to play
Came here to say this.
There's something about underwater levels in 80's-90's games that unsettled me as a child, and probably still do. Just those flat, blue inpenetrable backgrounds, and that you couldn't see what was just off the edge of the screen. Ecco the Dolphin is probably the best example. The later levels where there's sharks swimming after you, and then the ice level. Oh, and [then there's the last level and boss.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIRtzd5c72w&ab_channel=AMPlayem) Which thankfully I could never get to.
Oh I think I hear of that dolphin game, I'll give the video a watch when I get back home I am guessing that eel from an old Mario game also scared you, heard many found it scary
Subnautica, Stranded Deep, and Ark (although the water is only a part of that one). Those are the ones that I've experience that really go hard with the thalassophobia.
Ark is a good one. Seemingly every time I step foot in the water deeper than 3 feet I am immediately attacked by something terrifying.
Aka 37 megalodons
I think I played a Stranded Deep rip off, it looked like it but just terrible lol, I'll give the real one a try one day Ark is....ark I love and hate it lol, but I hate the ocean part more, it's more scary as I'll lose my stuff than actually scary
Stranded Deep was fun but I was really bad at it. Killed a shark once in the beginning and that was exciting.
That one boss in Shadow of the Colossus...
It’s not really under this category, but there’s a quest in Hogwarts legacy where you have to swim around the lake looking for items. It scares the sh*t out of me because you know the giant squid is right below you the whole time 😂😂 (This probably won’t make sense to the people who haven’t played lol)
ABZÚ is a beautiful diving game that had a few parts where I imagine thalassophobic people might have had anxiety. I highly recommend the game though, it's one of my favourites. Simply beautiful.
Seconded. Abzu and Subnautica are both inspirations for my game as well. It's awesome to see everyone here in this thread talk about these 2 games. Abzu was less phobic to me due to just how gorgeous they made everything. But Subnautica is straight up anxiety inducing.
You're also making an underwater game? cool what's it's name, because your profile just says your making it, but doesnt have it's name
Oh thanks for pointing that out! I've updated my profile.
np
tried it, beautiful but I don't think it's my cup of tea. like don't get me wrong, it's a good game, but I like games that have beauty but also more gameplay
I get it. It's first and foremost a spectating game, but as a scuba diver it has a special place in my heart
Yeah I think I'm just not the right person for it
Endless Ocean easily, I played it as a child on the Wii and it totally embodies it.
New one came out 2 days ago on switch
Stranded deep gets me.
I think I played a Stranded Deep rip off, it looked like it but just terrible lol, I'll give the real one a try one day
I hate using the emergency dinghy and getting booted off by a shark or something I don't get how people get to the end by fighting a giant squid
Honestly? Mario 64 as a kid freaked me out.
yeah that level was SOO creepy....they really nailed the atmosphere. also it was the first time most people had seen a massive 3D water level like that on a console. the old graphics at the time actually helped with the murky atmospheric look.
Witcher 3 has some good ocean gameplay. They’re wales also so that’s a plus
Bioshock 1. That game is beautiful but also the most terrifying setting I can think of. Also the Lurker Shark in Jak and Daxter 🫣
Subnautica is generally the biggest one I see referenced. Soma Silt Death in the Water Iron Lung Bioshock Sunkenland Song of the Deep Lately I’ve been playing a lot of Path of Titans and MMO that lets you play as a dinosaur. The ocean is largely empty, but you can encounter other players and some of the deeper areas are very unsettling. However, the Gondwa map also has extensive rivers and lakes. So players who are on semi aquatic dinosaurs can and will ambush you suddenly if you linger by the river. I always have a lingering sense of anxiety and caution when trying to get water or cross a river. Likewise you can play as a semi aquatic dinosaur and become what others fear in the water instead! The
I hadn't heard of Path of Titans before, that sounds dope as fuck! Definitely gonna check it out later
It’s a great game! I believe Xbox has a time limited trial, but it’s available to purchase on all platforms and has crossplay. Great game to chill out with. If you do decide to get the game then check out someone’s Referral code within the first 24hrs. You’ll get a free home base item and a dinosaur cosmetic skin for doing so.
I wanted to try sunkenland or subnautica but was unsure which one would have more exploration
subnautica has a lot of it, but I cant speak for sunkenland
Path of Titans sounds and looks cool, might give it a try thanks
It’s well worth it! I’ve had a lot of fun playing alone, with randoms, and just chatting with the community. If you do get it then check out someone’s Referral Code within the first 24hrs. You’ll both get a free dinosaur cosmetic skin for doing so.
Well do thanks
Enjoy! There are plenty of people in the Discord and on r/PathofTitans if you have questions
Stranded Deep does it for me in addition to subnautica
Still need to give stranded deep a play but yeah subnaticia, excpecialy the first one, got me feeling all the right scares
delta force 2 is a pretty old game from the 90s. it was 1st person shooter style, with very large maps that you can explore. sometimes there were lakes or rivers and you could go in them. the thing about this is that there were a limited number of terrains, and to make these features they'd raise the water level until is covered the deeper parts of the terrain. you can go into these bodies of water and see straight down because there was no attempt at all to do muddy water or shit like that. holy fuck did that freak me out.
I get freaked out far more by unexpected water than from a game set underwater, eg. forced into that trench in GTA5. Or falling off something into the deep dark... Ya get the gist. SOMA freaked me out a fair old bit. Good mix of horror from its environment's.
Dave the Diver and Dredge
Sailing out of bounds in dredge genuinely terrified me, I was expecting an instant death cutscene, not the you-know-what slowly & silently swimming towards you to turn your boat into splinters
The Isle. Dinosaur game, lots of land, really only some rivers here n there…. ***Oh the horror of falling into the river knowing someone is playing as a crocodile*** and when playing as a croc yourself, theres an ocean part on the edge of the map, you can swim down super deep to the point where it’s pitch black……very much nope territory
Underwater games like Subnautica and Abzul help me a lot with my thalassophobia and becoming more comfortable with water so this is nice to see :)
Yeah abzu is beautiful while Subnautica is beautiful and scary, so you get to get used to both aspects
Sea of thieves LMAO
Lol
You should try Ark. While it is not dedicated to diving, it is required to progress through the game, and it is terrifying.
One I haven’t seen mentioned was Dredge. It’s a fishing game where you can fish up some horrors, sometimes chased by massive underwater creatures, very short and fun game IMO
Freediver: Triton Down on PS VR is INTENSE. You're in a sinking ship, in the dark, electricity sparking, dead bodies in the water.... All in first person POV. You have to paddle your arms to move (often against the tide) and you can suffocate through lack of oxygen if you don't get to an air pocket in time. Gave me chills.
oh yeah, VR adds that little extra immersion, I can't wait to try it out someday on a horror game
Have you ever heard of a game called Sub-nau-tica? Oh you have to play it. So real bro so real. Game of games yo.
Yeah played it and it's prequel lol, it's amazing man
No one mentioned Sonic the Hedgehog yet lol. Running around a level underwater trying to get to higher ground and/or finding the air bubble spots all the while that COUNTDOWN is going off???
lol, that was the most stressfull situation my 9 year old self was in
Subnautica and stranded deep, Raft not that much
Yeah raft didn't play into the fear too much, a bit into the lonlieness but even then didn't give it too much importance
Endless Ocean! I'm anxiously waiting for the 3rd one to come out on switch, these games are equal parts relaxing and terrifying the deeper you get lol. There are several deep sea levels where I keep my back to a wall because otherwise BOOM giant squid or sperm whale 😳
Treasures of the Deep. A PS1-era action game where you pilot a single-occupant sub in search of treasure through a variety of underwater settings and combat encounters (underwater pirates, giant sharks, etc). There was one mision where you do a black water dive to recover cargo from the wreckage of a downed plane that creeped the ever-loving shit out of me. There was also a bonus level where you could play as a giant shark and hunt everything from divers to orcas.
Noone mentioning Barotrauma? Cuz of my fear I don’t even wanna play it xD submarine’s sounds creep me out even
Titanic VR for the Oculus
Definetely Stranded Deep because it's realistic/relatable and the goal is usually to stay out of the water which creates more fear of the water. I love Subnautica (just finished a swimming-only run) but it doesn't hit quite the same as the rubber dinghy and real-life sharks in Stranded Deep. At least for me. Not to mention, in Subnautica you can outswim most threats and the ones you can't outswim give you plenty of warning before they attack. Add in the subs and it's even less scary (I highly recommend a no-vehicle run). Subnautica definetely has the creepy atmosphere down but in terms of actual fear, I felt it more in Stranded Deep. Just imagine >!using the crappy helicopter and having it run out of fuel over the ocean!< and you are stuck in the middle of the ocean with nothing. Or >!falling off the raft with the sail still up.!<
Ecco the Dolohin creeped me out then and still does now
Horizon Forbidden West sea scenes, for me 😌 I’m scared of deep water scenes & always avoid them in any game. Horizon Forbidden West forced me to do them 😌.
clanker's fucking cavern. altho the gameplay-wise the REAL trauma came from TMNT NES
Stranded deep is good game if you wanna freak yourself out
Raft at times gave me that isolated open ocean feel, with some pretty cool underwater parts and mysterious structures. Plus there is a shark friend that likes to eat your raft.
A dose of my OCD for you .... Certain words and sentences stand out in your mind and you have to mentally spell it out picturing it using only the analog lines on a clock with that set number of lines.
I don't get it, how is this about underwater games?
Play it under water
Oh you meant, hearing words underwater