There is something inherently unsettling about the ocean. For many gamers, that specific brand of thalassophobia was solidified by Subnautica, a game that took the survival genre and plunged it into an alien underwater world. While Subnautica focused on crafting and avoidance, a new title from Howling Hamster Entertainment is looking to capture that same oppressive, deep-sea atmosphere, but with a lot more firepower.
Announced today, Sub-Species is a 2.5D multidirectional shooter coming to PC via Steam. While it trades the first-person perspective for a retro-arcade style, it doubles down on the concept of the ocean as a hostile, alien environment.
A New Take on Underwater Horror
Sub-Species is set on Earth, but it might as well be another planet. Following a devastating alien outbreak, the oceans have become contamination zones filled with hostile lifeforms. Unlike the relatively peaceful exploration in the early hours of Subnautica, Sub-Species throws players into the deep end of a combat zone.
You play as part of a salvage crew—which is rarely a job with a high life expectancy in sci-fi media—tasked with exploring these hellish zones. The goal isn’t just to survive, but to recover lost technology and experimental weapons from shipwrecks and naval outposts. It’s a grim premise: scavenging through the ruins of a dying world while fighting off the very things that killed it.
The developers have confirmed the game features 12 levels across four distinct environments. Players pilot a heavily armed submarine capable of 360-degree rotation. This mechanic is crucial because, in the deep dark, threats don’t just come from the front; they come from everywhere.
Channeling Retro Classics
While the atmosphere screams modern sci-fi horror, the gameplay loop pays homage to some difficult classics. Howling Hamster Entertainment cites Sub-Terrania, The Abyss, and the Sega classic Ecco the Dolphin as major influences. If you remember playing Ecco, you remember that despite the cute protagonist, that game had a surprisingly eerie and isolating atmosphere.
Sub-Species aims to modernize that feeling. It isn’t just a “shoot everything that moves” arcade game; it involves navigation puzzles and resource management. You’ll have to defuse unstable reactors and squeeze through narrow caverns, all while managing your sub’s capabilities.
Manus Burke, the Creative Director at Howling Hamster, nailed the vibe they are going for in a statement accompanying the announcement. “The deep ocean is the closest thing we have to an alien world on Earth,” Burke explained. “We wanted players to feel that tension, the beauty that pulls you in, and the fear that reminds you you’re not supposed to be there.”
Gameplay Features and Strategy
The combat in Sub-Species requires more than just holding down the fire button. The game implements a physics-based movement system where momentum matters. You have access to flares (essential for the dark depths), mines, and “dodge bursts” to outmaneuver swarms of enemies.
The “multidirectional” aspect of the shooter means you need to be constantly aware of your surroundings. The game is designed to make you feel claustrophobic, surrounding you with mechanical debris and alien biology.
For those who want to drag a friend into the depths, the game also features a local versus mode alongside the story-driven single-player campaign. It’s a nice throwback to the era of couch competition.
Release Information
Currently, Sub-Species is in development for PC. While there is no hard release date set just yet, the studio has confirmed that a demo will be launching soon on Steam.
If you are the type of player who loved the terrifying aesthetic of Subnautica but wished you had a torpedo launcher instead of a scanner, this is one to keep on your radar. You can wishlist the game on Steam starting today.
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