Book it if
You want a big-crew simulation where every person has a station and chaos is part of the fun.
Skip it if
You want something you can pick up in five minutes and play without voice chat.
Trip sheet
- Crew size
- 1–16 players
- Online
- Yes
- Crossplay
- Yes
- Split-screen
- No
- Solo
- Playable with AI crew bots
- Voice chat
- Essential
- Danger
- Brutal
1The pitch
Your crew pilots a submarine through the ocean beneath Europa's ice, running missions, fighting sea creatures, and keeping the vessel from flooding. Reactors, pumps, weapons, and wiring all need manual attention. It left Early Access on March 13, 2023, after launching there in 2019.
2Playing together
Servers support up to 16 players, and bots can fill any empty roles. Steam players can play with the Epic Games Store version through crossplay, and it runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Optional traitor modes add suspicion to the mix.
3Roles in the squad
Jobs include captain, engineer, mechanic, medic, security officer, and assistant, each with different skills and access. A crew that ignores roles tends to sink fast. Voice chat is close to essential, and the in-game radio adds to it.
4Look & sound
Side-on 2D art shows the whole submarine in cross-section, so you can watch water fill a room. Sound design leans into horror: creaking hulls, sonar pings, and noises outside the hull. Ragdoll physics often turn disasters into dark comedy.
5Setup & value
It costs $34.99 on Steam and every player needs a copy. Steam lists it as Playable on Deck, but the mouse-heavy interface is far better on a PC. Expect a steep learning curve and a lot of mistakes in the first few sessions.
Best bits
- Up to 16 players with real roles
- Constant, unscripted disasters
- Workshop mods and custom subs
- Crossplay with the Epic version
Watch out
- Steep learning curve
- Complex UI is rough on a controller
- Can be stressful for casual groups
Score sheet
- Teamwork 25%
- 94
- Fun as a squad 25%
- 84
- Easy to join 15%
- 66
- Replay 20%
- 86
- Value 15%
- 86
94 × 25% + 84 × 25% + 66 × 15% + 86 × 20% + 86 × 15% = 84.50 → 85
Trip report verdict
Verdict
“Barotrauma rewards a committed group with some of the best emergency stories in co-op gaming. The learning curve is steep and newcomers will struggle, but for a big crew willing to learn, it has few rivals.”
By the Squad Play Review editorial desk · Updated 6 Oct 2026 · How we score · Report an error
