Arc Games and Magic Design Studios, the indie developer behind Have a Nice Death, have announced their next game releasing in 2027. Nautus is an island adventure where the surface is a cozy sanctuary, but the ocean floor is home to dangerous horrors.
In Nautus, players arrive at a remote research station after receiving an unsettling radio message from their uncle. There, it is discovered that the scientists have lost their memories and developed an intense, paralyzing fear of the ocean. Players must use an adorable submarine to dive into the ocean, encounter mutant marine life, and figure out how to restore everyone’s memories with the mysterious artifact stones they find along the way.
The game is built around spending time in both the ocean depths and in the world above sea. Underwater, players take the helm of their submarine to explore uncharted trenches, coral reefs, pirate shipwrecks, and more. There are mutant creatures swimming about that can be battled and captured, as well as rare materials that can be collected to upgrade their submarine.
Back on the surface, players can unwind by befriending island locals and helping them restore their true selves. This is also where players can manage their resources and expand a customizable tropical outpost into a hub that supports the next dive into the unknown ocean.
Nautus can be played solo or with up to four players in online co-op. Progression ties exploration, crafting, and upgrading the submarine in order to survive increasingly hostile environments below the surface.
You can watch the official announcement trailer for Nautus below to get an idea of what the game looks like.
Nautus is set to release in early access in 2027, with the release timing to be revealed at a later date. You can wishlist the game on Steam in the meantime.
You might remember publisher Arc Games from news last year in which the studio completed a management buyout to become an independent publisher.
In other news, if you are looking for an underwater adventure to play while waiting for Nautus, you can check out Pokopia’s Bubbly Basin expansion that just released earlier this month.
