Summary
SubnauticaandSubnautica: Below Zeroare some of the most influential underwater exploration games of all time. Some of those creatures strongly prefer that you not visit the depths of their ocean at all, but in the name of research, you press on and evade their clutches. The creatures lurking in the deep are ever-present, waiting and watching for their time to strike as you explore and research Planet 4546B.
Exploring with caution is the way to go, especially when it comes to the more intimidating monstersin the game. Sometimes a creature may seem harmless, but it can deal you plenty of damage if you give it the opportunity to. So when you decide to dive into the depths, make sure you’re watching your back. And your front.
Updated on June 27, 2025 by Hannah Wetzel:Subnautica: Below Zero’s monsters deserve their spotlight, too. With all the love circulating around the fan-made expansion mod, Call of the Void, the horrors of the original game still persist. There are plenty of aggressive and creepy creatures in the depths of both Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero, and here you’ll find the ones to stay the furthest away from.
12River Prowler
These eel-like creatures are unsettling, to be sure, but they lose interest in you fairly quickly.The only way they’ll attack you is if you go into their attack range, which is far smaller than most other aggressive creatures. The scariest thing about them is their speed – River Prowlers are some of the fastest in the game, andthey do 30 percent damageif they catch you.
River Prowlers tend to stick around the ceilings of caves andcan only be found in theLost River biome. Due to their rarity, they’re less intimidating to deal with than most other monsters, but if you’re exploring the Lost River for the first time, it’s a nasty jumpscare to come across one of these.
11Boneshark
This creature’s eyes are piercing, but its appearance isn’t even the most unnerving part of this species. When they are angered, they will charge you with speed to rival a River Prowler’s. Bonesharks are carnivorous, sothey will even attack their own species, in addition to smaller creatures and you.
The Boneshark will deal 30 percent damageif they catch you, and it isn’t easy to avoid one either. This dinosaur-like creature hates your ship, and evendeals constant 15 percent damage to theSeamoth vehicleif you aren’t piloting it. The steely determination alone is intimidating, especially for anyone with a fear of sharks.
10Sand Shark
This creature is one of the stealthiest in the game, and can sneak up on you in seconds. Sand Sharks are ground-dwelling creatures, and they burrow under the ocean floor to sneak attack you at any moment.Unlike the Boneshark or River Prowler, though, this unusual-looking shark actually announces when it’s about to strike.
If you hear low growling, the general rule of thumb is to run away or prepare to fight… something in the depths. But there’s a high chancethe growls you hear might be a Sand Shark getting ready to attack, so it’s best to be aware of any surrounding noises at all times.
9Crabsnake
These accurately-named creatures have an attack that can immobilize you as soon as you’re within range, andthey do 35 percent damageas soon as they get you.Crabsnakes are only found in the Jellyshroom Cave system, underneath theKelp Forest and Safe Shallows biomesthat you explore for early-game resources.
Crabsnakes grab like crabs with their mouths and slither like snakes, yet they also glow in the dark of the caves, making their approach all the more sinister.They don’t appear at any other point in the game, so they’re easy to avoid, but having something that glows beautifully underwater slither up to you in the darkness is enough to send shivers down your spine.
8Mesmer
This creature’s scare factor lies more in the fact that it looks and acts shiny and pretty, but it can incapacitate you if you’re not careful around it. It’s hard to classify this as a type of fish, since looking at it might remind you of a butterfly or a bird. Letting your guard down is exactly what a Mesmer wants, though.
It will talk to you in thePDA system’s voice, telling you to swim closer and admire its beautyuntil the Mesmer attacks you, taking away 35 percent of your health. This mental trickery is enough to take your breath away, and not in a good way.
Spoilers ahead for both Subnautica and Subnautica: Below Zero.
7*Chelicerate And Void Chelicerate
While this creature isn’t one of the most aggressive,it can still insta-kill you if your health is anywhere below 77 percent. Not to mention the teeth and the mandibles, which are about as awful as they come. Chelicerates are pretty rare, besides being exclusive to Subnautica: Below Zero, sincethere are only seven of them, including Void Chelicerates.They’re technically Leviathans, too.
These creatures look just like a crab leg on their own, which does make them appear less scary at first, but then the mandibles open and they pounce. The Void Chelicerates, however, are zombie-like and terrifying with no room for crab leg jokes to be made. They’re not even pink!
6Crabsquid
These creatures have some of the most terrifying sounds in the game, and what’s scarier than hearing their clicking in the dark is their ability tonullify a vehicle’s oxygen production with an EMP blast. If there’s one thing you take away from an encounter with a Crabsquid, it will hopefully be your precious oxygen.
The Crabsquid’s EMP blast disables electricity too, so your best bet is to run away before you get into its range. Not that you won’t want to run away hearing its clicks and seeing howit can deal you 40 percent damage. It’ll stare into your soul any chance it gets.
5*Squidshark
This is one of the most Cthlulu-esque creatures in the entire series of games, which is saying something.The Squidshark combines the power and intimidation of sharks with the versatility of squids, and if having the tentacles wasn’t enough, this creature’s entire mouth is tentacles and teeth. So, having it open its mouth is the stuff of nightmares, especially whenfound in the darker areas of Deep Lilypads Cave.
They’re extremely aggressive, andthey deal a massive 40 damage with the ability to insta-kill you if your health is lower than 40.Squidsharks can also disable your vehicle with electric attacks, if their appearance isn’t reason enough to stay away.
4Reaper Leviathan
No one wants to be on the receiving end of a Leviathan, especially not the Reaper. Besides being undeniably massive, this creature can make itself known before you even see it from its deafening roar.It can do up to 80 percent damageto you, with or without a vehicle in between you and the Reaper Leviathan.
A Reaper Leviathan can also instantly kill you if your health is below 80 percent, so be careful not to encounter one while injured. These creatures use their size to their advantage, and hearing them approach is one of the most bone-chilling experiences you’ll have. Especially sincethere are 25 of them in the entire game, giving you plenty of opportunities to go through that intense encounter.
3Warper
What’s scarier than encountering one of these tentacled monsters? Encountering the rest of its friends at the same time, of course.Warpers can call on any other aggressive monster to attack the player using its teleportation abilities,and they can also teleport you to them in order to attack.
Lost River
River Prowlers, Mesmers, Bleeders
It’s a good thing this powerful creature isn’t aggressive towards you for the majority of the game.They only attack you when you’re infected by the Kharaa Bacterium, something you discover further in the game than most of these monsters. Warpers are one of the most persistent enemies when angered, following you and trying to throw you off your guard by randomly moving and warping around the ocean.
