Subnautica 2 has finally arrived in its early access state, and millions of players have excitedly dived into its alien ocean waters right away, only to find it incredibly overwhelming. Now, veteran Subnautica players are used to the game's loop, but whether you're familiar with the series or not, its good to have a few tips and tricks up your sleeve when getting started.
That's what this guide aims to provide. I've spent a solid number of hours diving into Subnautica 2, clearing through the story missions and what's currently available to do in its early access state, and there are a few things I wish I knew ahead of starting my journey. The following nine tips are chief among what I wish I knew ahead of time.
For more on Subnautica 2, you can check out our guide on where to find Silver, one of the most significant resources in the game.
Subnautica 2 Tips and Tricks
Get the Digestion Adaptation ASAP
Right at the start of the game, there are a lot of things you're going to have to do quickly so you can get your sea legs, as it were. Before you worry about crafting tools like your MultiTool or Scanner, you should head north-northwest at 345 degrees about 150m away from the Lifepod to find the Angel Comb that grants you the adaptation needed to digest the local marine life. You should also make sure to grab a Water Slug or two along the way, so you can craft fresh Water that's safe for you to drink from them with the Fabricator your Lifepod comes equipped with.
Scan Everything
Once you have built your first Scanner, you should keep it by your side at all times. It's an incredibly essential tool, not just for learning more about the world around you, but for helping you more easily find resources you need once you're able to build a Scanner Station.
Build Your Base Near a Current
There are a few means through which you can power your base once you're ready to build your first underwater home. Solar power is, of course, your starting option, but once you construct more bits of interior equipment like a Processor, Biobed, and Battery Terminal, to name a few, you're going to need a way of powering those things at night.
You'll need to explore for the blueprint to build a Hydroelectric Turbine, and the Power Transmittors required to actually deliver the power they're generating to your base, but having the forward thinking to build your base near a current to make those turbines viable in the first place is essential. At least until you get deep enough into the game and can build a base near areas that allow for thermal power generation.
Don't Build Too Close to the Ground
Another bit of foresight that's good to have when building your base is to not build it too close to the ground. When the time comes for you to build your own Tadpole, you'll need somewhere to park it. While you could, of course, just leave it below your Moonpool, like a maniac, you'll hopefully want to build a proper dock.
That dock, however, won't be installable if your base is too close to the ground. It's a good rule to keep in mind, then, whether you're building your first or your tenth base, to leave a parking space for your Tadpole.
Unlock the Repair Tool Before the Tadpole
Speaking of your Tadpole, while it is an exciting moment when you craft one, that excitement will be diminished, either right away or soon into your first excursion with the Tadpole, if you don't have the Repair Tool. Driving the Tadpole takes a bit of getting used to, and even if you're an incredible pilot, you won't be able to avoid every large fish trying to take a bite out of you through your Tadpole's chassis.
Even bumps you don't think were that bad can turn into significant dings to your Tadpole's health over time. It's not worthless to have a Tadpole without a Repair Tool, of course, but it's a bit like peanut butter and chocolate. Sure, either of them on their own is good, but having both together is undoubtedly the best-case scenario.
If One Air Bladder is Good, Two is Better
Another tool that's better in pairs is your Air Bladder. They're great for quick ascensions to the surface when you're out of breathing options and also good for extending your time underwater when you need just a little more time to reach a bubble or a hatch. They're particularly handy when exploring underwater ruins and are great in a pinch when you get lost, but one Air Bladder will only get you so far. You'll appreciate having a second one on hand to give you even more time to catch your breath.
The Sonic Resonator is Your Best Hope for Resonating With the Local Marine Life
Behind your Survival Multitool and your Scanner, the most important piece of equipment for you to craft and have on hand at all times is the Sonic Resonator. Not only is it crafting one a requirement for farming significant resources, it's one of the few tools you have in your arsenal that can help you divert predatory fish away from you and give you a chance to swim away or reach your Tadpole in time to escape.
It's not perfect, and developer Unknown Worlds has admitted that it needs to improve both mitigation factors for dealing with predators and the aggressiveness of predators, but even after those updates, the Sonic Resonator will be one of your best tools to get out of a pinch when you're face-to-face with some nasty jaws looking to make you lunch.
Beacons Are Your Best Map
The Blackboxes that NoA gets you to search for are great for showing you new and important areas where you can find rarer resources and, of course, more bits of storytelling, but there's a lot to find that the game won't directly point you towards. When you happen upon an area you want to find again, you can try remembering the landmarks nearby or how you got there, but you're better off leaving a Beacon.
Once you've found and scanned old beacons in abandoned habitats, you'll be able to use the Habitat Builder to craft a beacon of your own wherever you are. Leave them across the ocean in places you want to revisit. It's extremely handy when you need to head back to a spot that's great for farming a rare resource. Just make sure you edit how each beacon appears, so you can easily see what each one represents.
Don't Forget to Upgrade Your Endurance and Inventory With Each Biobed You Find
You'll come across a lot of abandoned habitats while you explore these alien waters, and while the more significant elements to look for in these habitats are new bits of story information and Blackboxes of dead colonists, you have to make sure not to gloss over every Biobed you find. Each one that has a monitor attached to it will include the prompt 'Use Biobed.' Make sure to select it as that is how you upgrade your own personal endurance and inventory.
It's a key upgrade system that is unfortunately very easy to miss, so make sure to double-check every abandoned habitat you find before you mark it as a place you are finished exploring.
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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