The best Subnautica 2 mods don’t tend to revolutionise the game, but rather enhance its core mechanics, better tailoring the experience to the individual player. It could be that some invulnerable Leviathans are blocking your progress and you want to smack them down, or, rather, you’d just like the Tadpole vehicle to feel more practical when gliding between points of interest. Whatever the reason, I've rounded up the best mods you can add to your Subnautica 2 save below.
There is a mod for adding Subnautic 2 cheats and console commands, too, but we've covered that in more depth separately.
The best Subnautica 2 Mods
Before we jump into our list, it’s worth noting that most of the mods we’ve included require you first to have the UE4SS mod installed. Additionally, mods are constantly updated and tweaked so that they may change in the future. So, make sure you check each mod's description before you install it.
Killable Creatures Mod
The Killable Creatures mod is exactly what it says on the tin – a mod that allows you to kill all fauna in Subnautica 2. Once installed, each species has a bespoke health bar you can chip at with your Multitool or Sonic Resonator. The Multitool deals 20 points of damage, an homage to the Survival Knife in the original game. Whereas the Sonic Resonator deals a hefty 50 points of damage, perfect for larger prey.
Subnautica 2 developers certainly don’t want players killing fish, going so far as to say “Go play Sons of the Forest or something if you want to kill,” on the game's Discord server. Still, despite this clear condemnation, the modding community has taken things into their own hands by creating a mod that allows for marine manslaughter anyway.
Expanded Lockers mod
If you're anything like me, you're sick of trying to sort your inventory - and aren't a fan of how your wall of lockers looks. Well, this mod is for you. As you might imagine, MegaZilla's Expanded Lockers mod increases the capacity of Wall Lockers, Floor Lockers, or both, depending on which mod version you install. They're all included in the one download linked above. The locker inventory looks a little weird thanks to the squashed icons, but it does the job, and that's all that really matters.
Limitless Building mod
You may feel like Subnautica 2 building is a little restrictive and you want to place certain items outside of your base to save space indoors. Or perhaps you just to be able to quickly place a terminal without having to build a base to place it in. With Limitless Building, you can do just that. Just keep in mind that you won't have air there.
Persistent Loot mod
Persistent Loot is a mod that solves a very frustrating problem: losing all your items when you die. Once applied to your game, this mod ensures that upon being reprinted in the Life Pod, your inventory, including equipment and items, remains exactly as it was pre-death. Importantly, the mod doesn’t impact your basic survival needs, like health, hunger and oxygen, which maintains the balance of the game, and ensures you don’t feel too overpowered as you press on.
Too Many Divers 4+ Player Co-op
This Mod is perfect for social swimmers whose Discord servers are bursting at the seams. The Too Many Divers mod bends the rules for Subnautica 2 multiplayer, bumping the maximum player count from 4 to 16 per single co-op session. Chaotic? Yes. Hilarious? Also yes.
Better Vehicles mod
As you push into Subnautica 2’s mid-game, you’ll likely realise just how important owning a vehicle is to speeding across the sizable map and collecting important resources. The Better Vehicles mod understands the importance of having a high-quality ride, providing simple yet meaningful changes to the base Tadpole vehicle and its upgradable chassis.
Here are the enhancements included in the Better Vehicles Mod:
- Base Tadpole — increase to 8 upgrade slots, improved base speed and strafing ability
- Scout Chassis — increased speed and strafing ability, limited inertia
- Haul Chassis —slightly increased speed, increase to 35 cargo slots, changes to camera to avoid film grain and vignette
- Seafrog — increase to base speed
Scanner Station Range Extender
The Scanner Station is a base module that lets you scan the nearby area for resources, blueprints, wrecks, and more, so you can better plan for your aquatic expeditions. As you can likely infer from the name of this mod, the Scanner Station Range Extension increases the Scanner Station's range from the standard 300m radius to a much more effective 500m radius. That means you’ll get a clearer picture of the area around your base. This small but practical mod is a brilliant addition, especially if you’re struggling to locate points of interest or resources and need a small helping hand.
Once you’ve installed the mods you like, the world is your oyster. However, if you’re more keen on sticking with vanilla, we have plenty of guides to assist you there too, including how to unlock the Repair Tool or deal with Angel Combs. We’re constantly updating our Subnautica 2 guides, so check back in as you progress.
How to install Subnautica 2 mods
To install any Subnautica 2 mods, follow the instructions below:
- Close Subnautica 2.
- Download UE4SS.
- Extract the downloaded zip file into the Binaries\Win64 folder:
- ...\Subnautica2\Subnautica2\Binaries\Win64
- For Steam, this may be: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Subnautica2\Subnautica2\Binaries\Win64
- Xbox Game Pass: ...\Content\Subnautica2\Binaries\Win64
- ...\Subnautica2\Subnautica2\Binaries\Win64
- Download your desired mod(s).
- Extract this downloaded zip file into the new ...\ue4ss\mods folder you've just created.
- For example: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Subnautica2\Subnautica2\Binaries\Win64\u4ss\mods
- Launch Subnautica 2, and your new mods should be ready to use.
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