Choose Subnautica
Choose Subnautica if you want an Adventure game with VR Supported. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 177,256 Steam reviews back the pick.
Subnautica vs Barotrauma
Subnautica and Barotrauma both land in Indie on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both are Indie games on Steam. Subnautica (2018) is 5 years older than Barotrauma (2023). Subnautica scores higher on Steam reviews (96.9% positive) than Barotrauma (95.4% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Barotrauma
Choose Barotrauma if you want an Action, Strategy, and Simulation game with Multi-player, Online PvP, and Online Co-op. On Steam, it's the newer release (2023) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 27,564 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Subnautica and Barotrauma sit in Indie on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (96.9% vs 95.4% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 Subnautica |  Barotrauma | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2018 | 2023 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure | Action, Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Playable |
| Price | 29.99 USD | 34.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 96.9% positive (177,256 reviews) | 95.4% positive (27,564 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Unknown Worlds Entertainment | FakeFish, Undertow Games |
Side by side
- Both are Indie games on Steam.
- Subnautica (2018) is 5 years older than Barotrauma (2023).
- Subnautica scores higher on Steam reviews (96.9% positive) than Barotrauma (95.4% positive).
- Subnautica is currently ~14% cheaper on Steam than Barotrauma (29.99 USD vs. 34.99 USD).
- Barotrauma has co-op; Subnautica does not.
- Steam Deck: Subnautica is Deck Verified, Barotrauma is Deck Playable.
Subnautica vs Barotrauma — FAQ
- Which is better, Subnautica or Barotrauma?
- On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: Subnautica sits at 96.9% positive (177,256 reviews), Barotrauma at 95.4% (27,564). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.
- Should I play Subnautica or Barotrauma first?
- If you want chronology, Subnautica (2018) came out before Barotrauma (2023). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Subnautica and Barotrauma similar?
- They overlap on Indie on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Subnautica have multiplayer like Barotrauma?
- No. Barotrauma supports multiplayer on Steam (Multi-player, Online Co-op, Co-op), while Subnautica is listed as single-player only.