Open-World Games With The Best Underwater Combat Mechanics

Open-World Games With The Best Underwater Combat Mechanics

As someone who’s spent countless hours submerged in digital oceans, I can confidently say that the underwater combat mechanics in these games are nothing short of extraordinary.


As a passionate gamer, I can’t help but marvel at the allure of open-world video games. They’ve gained immense popularity because they offer an immersive experience, transporting players into living, breathable worlds that feel incredibly real. Iconic series like Grand Theft Auto, The Legend of Zelda, and Far Cry have left indelible marks on gaming libraries, establishing open-world games as essentials in any self-respecting gamer’s collection.

In many open-world video games, there are water features to some extent; yet, it’s striking how few provide substantial depth to swimming and underwater gameplay aspects. Interestingly, there are a handful of exceptional titles that excel in underwater mechanics, using combat as a means to keep exploring submerged environments engaging and thrilling.

5 Horizon Forbidden West

Underwater Stealth Mastery

In 2022, the popular PlayStation series Horizon received an action-packed sequel known as Horizon Forbidden West. This game takes place in the enigmatic territories of the ‘Forbidden West,’ where players are tasked with uncovering the secrets behind a rapid extinction event on Earth.

As a fearless explorer in the world of Forbidden West, I find myself treading across colossal open terrains, uncharted environments, and intimidating mechanical behemoths. Against all the challenges life throws at me as Aloy, the main character, I’m on a relentless quest to save our planet from impending doom. One of the game’s thrilling novelties is the option to delve deep underwater and uncover its hidden wonders!

In challenging stealth situations, Players should stay clear of menacing underwater machines like Tide Rippers and Snapmaws. These scenarios often demand that Aloy conceal herself within dilapidated structures or thick seaweed cover. While Aloy lacks her own underwater combat skills, enemies can still attack her, leading to nerve-wracking pursuits and covert battles. However, there are instances where Aloy finds submerged ballistas that enable her to defend herself in otherwise vulnerable situations, providing satisfying moments of retaliation.

4 Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag

Pirate Adventure, Rich Story, Thrilling Underwater Combat

Enthusiasts adore the well-known “Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag” due to its captivating narrative, gameplay, and innovative underwater dynamics. This game is set during the pirate golden age in the West Indies, where it portrays Edward Kenway on his quest to rule the seas as a pirate employing assassin strategies. “Black Flag” showcases real-life historical pirates like Black Beard (Edward Thatch) and Benjamin Hornigold, seamlessly integrated into the game’s plot.

Concerning the underwater battle dynamics, Black Flag delivers impressively – players have the ability to navigate Edward through specific underwater spots like shipwrecks and remnants of submerged ancient cities.

In these sprawling underwater locales, there’s a wealth of treasures to discover. Players can engage in thrilling close-quarters battles against sharks and witness extraordinary spectacles, like the clash between a Kraken and a Sperm Whale. Although the underwater combat in Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag may not be extensive, it offers some of the most exhilarating, nail-biting encounters with the ocean’s fiercest predators.

3 Far Cry 4

Diverse Underwater Combat And Creatures To Hunt

Among the games within the Far Cry series, it is widely believed that Far Cry 4 offers the most engaging underwater combat experience. In this game, players assume the role of Ajay Ghale, who seeks to scatter his mother’s ashes across the region of Kyrat.

Upon arrival in the country, players get entangled in a fierce civil conflict between a resistance group called the Golden Path and the extravagant military of dictator Pagan Min, known as the Royal Army. This story unfolds in Asia, where the breathtaking landscape of Kyrat offers a lush, captivating environment filled with diverse biomes to discover and intriguing individuals to encounter.

In Far Cry 4, players get to engage in thrilling underwater battles, taking down enemies beneath the waves. They also encounter menacing demon fish, modeled after the Goliath Tiger Fish, which cause havoc in the rivers and oceans. These waters hide secret caves like Yalung’s Maw, filled with valuable treasures. The battle against the demon fish stands out, as it is one of the game’s most elusive and hazardous freshwater creatures. Players can track down these fish using various weapons or even pursue the mythical black water dragon fish.

In addition to various aquatic beings, you may come across the mugger crocodile. Due to its diverse selection of unusual marine creatures for hunting and extensive array of weapons, Far Cry 4 stands out as one of the top open-world games in terms of underwater combat mechanics.

2 Death In The Water 2

Terrifying Open-World Exploration, Intense Underwater Combat

Platform(s)PC, Mac
Released2023-01-26
Developer(s)Lighthouse Game Studio
Publisher(s)Lighthouse Game Studio

Death’s Domain Submerged 2: This is an open-world underwater adventure game that places you in the role of a diver navigating through a sprawling underwater landscape teeming with perilous creatures manipulated by Death. Among them, the Kraken stands out as it relentlessly pursues you during your quest to discover hidden treasures and valuable loot. The game offers players a wide range of weapons for combat, including a harpoon gun, to engage these formidable foes.

“Death in the Water 2” stands out as the scariest open-world game on this list, offering pulse-pounding underwater battles against both real and imaginary creatures. The game offers various gameplay modes, including an open-world survival mode and a campaign.

1 Subnautica

Ultimate Underwater Combat In A Vast Alien World

In a captivating open-world undersea setting, Subnautica offers exceptional combat mechanics, making it one of the top games for underwater exploration and survival. Set on an unfamiliar oceanic planet, players are tasked with ensuring their survival amidst the perils of life beneath the waves. The game allows crafting, base construction, and wildlife hunting in a grand undersea world, creating an immersive experience for gamers.

In the game Subnautica, players engage in intense underwater battles against formidable foes like the sea dragon and reaper leviathan, employing weapons such as knives and torpedoes. An intriguing feature is the ability to don a Prawn Suit, which can be equipped with a drill arm for attacking marine creatures. This game stands out among open-world titles by offering complex and immersive underwater combat experiences.

In summary, “Subnautica” stands out as the top open-world game for underwater combat, boasting exceptional mechanics. Later on, it was followed by its sequel, “Subnautica: Below Zero,” which offers a chilly setting and fresh creatures to conquer.

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2024-09-24 14:34