It has certainly been a while since Krafton announced Subnautica 2’s Early Access release (Oct. 17, 2024), and until now, there’s still no word on when exactly in 2025 that will be. Maybe it wasn’t their best idea to tell us to hold our breaths because our oxygen tank might not hold out for that long.

But luckily, we’re not literally underwater. And, while we wait, there are plenty of fish in the sea and underwater games we can play before Subnautica 2 is released. 

Some of these are platformers, while some are metroidvania, or rather “wetroidvania” (get it?). Let’s dive right in, shall we? Here are the 10 Underwater Indie Games we’ve rounded up for your consideration:

Abzû

What would a solo trip to Atlantis look like? Abzû might give you a clear picture of that. 

You play as a lone diver, not knowing your past nor how the world has become this vast, beautiful ocean. With no dialogue or combat, you swim around, interact with aquatic creatures– quite like Aquaman–, and discover mysterious tech and the remains of a forgotten civilization.

It’s got picturesque seascapes and ambient music. Makes the gameplay immersive. And it only makes sense because the geniuses behind it, Matt Nava (creative director) and Austin Wintory (composer), are responsible for the BAFTA-nominated Journey (2012).

Pronty

This is not exactly a solo trip, but you are in a new Atlantis. Pronty is a fast-paced metroidvania that combines animation (comic-strip style scenes) with challenging combat and exploration. 

In the city of Royla, you find Pronty and Bront, a humanoid sea creature and his mechanical javelin companion. As you both are tasked with protecting Royla from mutated sea foes, you navigate an underwater world of decaying coral corridors, sunken machinery, and eerie biolabs. 

Uncover the secrets of Royla’s past, the origins of its downfall, and your connection to it all. You may be right, something is… fishy.

Song of the Deep

In this 2D metroidvania, Merryn, a young girl, crafts her submarine and sets out to find her missing father in the deep blue. What a baddie! And you get to play as her through kelp forests, sunken ships, and underwater cities.

Solving puzzles will need patience, but secrets and treasures will be revealed as a reward. Moreover, combat against monsters and bosses involves simple mechanics, so you’ll have to move and aim in the same direction.

The art style and music add to the already emotive story. It’s heartwarming despite being set in the abyss.

In Other Waters

This is AI functioning at the beck and call of a human being. You are AI and said human being is the xenobiologist Ellery Vas.

Together, you chart the seafloor of a mysterious exoplanet, look for her missing partner– yes, another important missing person (but not your parent)–, analyze alien flora and fauna, and discover clues about the planet’s history, including what happened to those who came before you. 

It’s a unique, dialogue-driven sci-fi story. The visuals, although minimalistic, still give a beautiful marine ecosystem to explore. Also, its OST was created by the Kingdom series and Minecraft: Chase the Skies composer, Amos Roddy.

Sunkenland

Coming up for air from games where we’re mostly submerged underwater, we have Sunkenland. Although not entirely spared from diving into the sea, this open-world, co-op survival game is set in a post-apocalyptic Earth that is mostly flooded.

So if Raft (2018) and Waterworld (1995) had a baby, this would be it.

As you explore land-based and underwater areas, you must survive by building floating fortresses, putting up base defenses, scavenging sunken cities, crafting weapons, and planning NPC clan invasions for resources and territory (yup, colonization and raids are legal here) Later on, you just might uncover the truth behind this planet’s submergence. 

Loddlenaut

Now to a less action-packed but more exploration-type of open world: Loddlenaut. This fuses Subnautica, Tamagotchi, and a cleaning simulation game.

You take the role of an interstellar custodian on the ocean planet GUP-14.

Suited and armed with a helmet, a jetpack, and a bubble gun, you’re to rid the ocean floors of plastics, sludge, and debris under the mercy of your oxygen tank– it’s still a survival game, after all.

And you get to take care of your adorable, axolotl-esque pets, the loddles!

Cute art style with ocean preservation consciousness, Loddlenaut is a wholesome, aquatic sim game for cozy gamers out there.

Another Crab’s Treasure

Another ocean-environment-conscious game, this 3D platformer isn’t afraid to dive deep into a commentary on plastic waste pollution and debt.

You play as Kril, the hermit crab whose shell is repossessed by a literal loan shark.

With sheer determination and a rusty fork that isn’t used as a brush, you scuttle through polluted realms, fight oversized foes, and wear human trash as shells that give unique stats and special attacks.

After all, what is one man’s trash but another crab’s temporary armed shell?

Thalassa: Edge of the Abyss

If you’re in the mood for taking a trip down memory lane in the form of an abandoned sunken ship, then stepping into the diving suit of Cam might… suit you.

As the former crew member of the SS Thalassa, you’re set on solving the mystery behind the ship’s demise.

Wade through silt‑streaked windows and dim, tight passageways, as you collect keys, wax‑cylinder audio logs, and other artefacts.

With all that, you’re sure to unlock doors to both compartments and memories.  

It’s an atmospheric mystery-adventure that’s for the non-claustrophobic folks.

Silt

Now to a dark (literally and figuratively), thrilling puzzle-solving game in the abyss.

Think of Abzu, but instead of hitching a ride with animals, you’re a diver who possesses them and bends them to your will.

No dialogue or narration, but the story reveals itself through noir animation and sound.

This might not be for everyone, but it’s definitely for those who like dwelling on imagery and symbolism.

Power Sink

Unlike the other mystery games mentioned, Power Sink is a more physics‑driven puzzle platformer set in deep oceanic trenches. 

Here, you’re a diver with interesting tools, like an electrical “power orb” and grappling devices.

To restore the power of a failing underwater station and solve the mystery behind the fall of a once-glorious colony, you must navigate submerged caverns, activate mechanisms, and solve puzzles using currents, light, a bit of science, and bubbles.

Care to take a dip? What other underwater games should we explore, you think?