[Steam] Life Below — Revive a dying ocean from the coral up, in this underwater city builder
Life Below is an underwater city builder where you grow coral reefs and revive a collapsed ecosystem. Story penned by Rhianna Pratchett (Tomb Raider). Marine-biologist-supervised, with real underwater audio. Strategically build a thriving sea. English & Japanese supported. ¥3,564 JPY.
Game Info
💴 All prices are shown in Japanese Yen (JPY).
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | Life Below |
| Developer / Publisher | Megapop / Kasedo Games |
| Release date | May 26, 2026 |
| Price | ¥3,564 JPY (launch -10% / usually ¥3,960) |
| Genre | City-builder Simulation / Strategy |
| Language | English ✅ / Japanese ✅ |
| Players | Single-player |
| Platforms | PC (Steam) / Controller supported |
| Buy | Steam |
Trailer
Who this game is for
Use the seabed itself as your foundation, combining coral and shells to grow a living "city" beneath the waves. Building and nurturing is the heart of it.
Place energy-carrying coral, resource-producing shells, and more, balancing everything to restore a collapsed ecosystem.
The narrative is written by Rhianna Pratchett (Tomb Raider, Mirror's Edge). Follow guardian Thalassa's journey in Story Mode.
Marine-biologist-supervised with real underwater audio. A colorful, lively seabed that's a joy just to watch.
Might not be for you
- People after action or competitive thrills (this is a slow, sit-back builder)
- People who want one "correct" way to win (it's an open-ended sim)
- People who don't enjoy building/management sims in general
Overview
Life Below is a city-building simulation set on the ocean floor.
The sea is dying: reefs are gone and ecosystems are collapsing. With the power of the mysterious Reef Heart, you build a paradise for marine life on the seabed and work to restore balance. You craft lures to attract different species and use their abilities to overcome dangers in the deep. There's a Story Mode following Thalassa's journey, plus Free Play for open-ended challenges.
Why it's fun
🪸 A fresh take on city building — grow a reef
The core idea isn't placing buildings, but growing and spreading a coral reef.
You combine elements with different roles — coral that carries energy, shells that produce resources — to circulate life through the seabed. Get the environment right and diverse marine life moves in, and the sea gradually flourishes. That "spread it and keep it cycling" feel is genuinely fresh compared to land-based builders.
📖 A story written by Rhianna Pratchett
Story Mode features a narrative from acclaimed games writer Rhianna Pratchett (known for Tomb Raider and Mirror's Edge).
Guardian Thalassa, charged by the earth goddess Gaia, must breathe life back into the reefs — and the heartfelt tale, told through careful animation, gives the game a sense of immersion you don't usually get from a pure builder.
🌊 A real-feeling sea, supervised by a marine biologist
The game was made with a marine biologist's oversight and uses real underwater audio.
Gameplay is designed to mirror the rhythms of the natural world, and the movement and color bring the seabed vividly to life. The grounded, almost documentary feel of the underwater world makes it worthwhile even just to sit back and watch.
About the game (from the store)
A fresh spin on the city-building genre, set on the ocean floor. Grow coral reefs to revive a collapsing ecosystem, and build an underwater paradise alongside a heartfelt story penned by Rhianna Pratchett.
Related games on Steam
- Havendock — a sandbox colony sim where you build your own town on the open sea (¥2,300 JPY)
- Loddlenaut — a cozy ocean-cleanup game restoring an axolotl planet (¥2,500 JPY)
- Critter Cove — an island life sim reviving a rundown resort with cute animals (¥2,800 JPY)