Currently trying to find something new. Bought Mindustry, and refunded it. Picked up Starship EVO, which looks like it has potential although seems to be just for building at the moment; also got Project Zomboid, which is... eh. I want something detailed like CDDA, and it's not quite there. Also picked up Elex, which I'm not quite sure of yet. Past the time of returns on those, though.
I would love to find something like Subnautica though, that has that mix of exploration & building.
I have a preexisting and highly specific phobia of being in a body of water with oversized fish and unknown life forms.
I haven't played Subnautica yet but it's one of the most highly anticipated horror games on my list.
My feelings exactly. It looks really cool, but simulating the experience of being immersed in a substance which could not only asphyxiate me, but is also teeming with dangerous creatures that are far more adapted to the environment than I am... yeah, that sounds like those nightmares I used to have about the shark in Banjo Kazooie when I was a kid.
If you like that style of game, I would highly recommend
Subnautica. It is currently on the Steam Summer sale for $15. I bought it way back, so had several restarts over the years as they updated it, and have 220 hours in it.
It does a fantastic job of giving you that vibe of being stranded & alone, while nudging you into new areas to follow the story, get new schematics, and get resources to build the new stuff. Heck, with the Steam refund policy, buy it, set a timer & play it for <2 hours, then refund it if you don't like it.
And yes, it does have a bit of a pucker factor. Although the area you start in is pretty tame (and pretty), other areas are less so. Staying close to the rocks, listening for hostile sea life, while staying still? Yeah.
Unfortunately, I can't quite recommend
Subnautica: Below Zero as much. It's decent, but didn't feel quite as immersive to me - probably because I felt more hemmed in by the map, instead of the (perceived) wide open map of the original.