Subnautica Below Zero: Complete Controls Guide for PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S (2024)

Having left early access to land on all of the major consoles and computer operating systems, Subnautica: Below Zero puts you in the flippers of Robin Ayou to explore the icy landscape and freezing oceans of planet 4546B.

Here, we’re going through the Subnautica: Below Zero controls for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, as well as detailing a few other key features.

For these Subnautica: Below Zero controls, the left and right analogue are listed as (L) and (R), the buttons activated by pressing the analogues are shown as L3 and R3, and the buttons on the d-pad are denoted as Up, Left, Right, and Down.

Subnautica: Below Zero default controls

Each of the buttons can be remapped on consoles, but the default Subnautica: Below Zero controls do suit the gameplay of the survival title. These are those default controls on PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox:

How to remap the Subnautica: Below Zero controls

To remap the Subnautica: Below Zero controls, you need to:

1. Press the Pause button and select Options;
2. Scroll to Controller and press the select button;
3. Navigate down to the button that you want to remap;
4. Press the bind button to clear the button entry;
5. Press the button that you want to bind to the selected controls;
6. Once you’ve finished remapping Subnautica: Below Zero controls, press the back button to confirm your choices.

Should you wish to undo your remapping of the controls, go to the Bindings section of the Controller page and press on the ‘Reset to Defaults’ button.

Where to find tasks on Subnautica: Below Zero

In Subnautica: Below Zero, much of your exploration will centre around your XenoWorx PDA. When you bring out your XenoWorx PDA – which doesn’t pause the game – you can scroll to the rightmost tab to find the Databank.

Here, depending on the game mode that you’re playing, you’ll be able to find advice, checklists, and helpful tasks to guide your survival on planet 4546B. On Adventure Mode, you can refer to the ‘Survival’ pages to help guide you through the game.

To see these Databank entries, scroll down the left column with your left analogue, press the Select button to open pages further, and then scroll through the entries opened with the right analogue.

How to craft items on Subnautica: Below Zero

After you crash land on the alien planet, you’ll find a limited number of resources around the wreckage and will soon need to make your own.

To craft items, you’ll first need to locate the Drop Pod, marked by the orange pod icon that’s always showing somewhere on your screen.

Once inside the Drop Pod, use the Fabricator, which is located on the left wall as you walk in. Here, you can craft Resources, Sustenance, Personal, and Deployable items.

Under the Sustenance section, you’ll be able to craft water and food items, while essentials like 0₂ tanks and first aid kits are found under the Equipment part of the Personal section.

To craft these items, you’ll need to acquire the resources denoted for each one in the Fabricator, most of which can be found in the surrounding waters, such as the fauna and minerals.

So, those are the controls that you need to know to get established in the world of Subnautica: Below Zero.

FAQ

Here are some quick-fire answers to a few more of the common questions about the Subnautica: Below Zero controls.

How do you save the game in Subnautica: Below Zero?

To save the game in Subnautica: Below Zero, simply:

1. Press the Pause button;
2. Scroll down to the ‘Save’ option;
3. Select ‘Save’ and wait for the little Pengling icon in the top left to vanish.

How do you quickly surface in Subnautica: Below Zero?

Assuming that there’s at least an air pocket above, you can hold the Move Up button (L1/L/LB under default controls) to swim to the surface quickly. It also helps to look towards the surface to get there faster.

How do you invert the controls and change the sensitivity in Subnautica: Below Zero?

You need to press Pause, select the ‘Controller’ option, and then either tick the ‘Invert Look’ option at the top, or move the sliders for the horizontal and vertical sensitivity.