S.O.N.A.R. Submarine Co-op Demo Is Chaos With Friends

Ever wondered what happens when four friends try to run a submarine together? Spoiler: probably not a smooth voyage. Abylight Studios' multiplayer sub sim S.O.N.A.R. - Submarine Rookies is part of Steam's October Next Fest, and there's a free demo you can download right now to test exactly how well your friendship holds up under pressure.

The setup is simple and terrifying in equal measure. Up to four players team up online to pilot a submarine through some seriously tough missions, from going head-to-head with enemy fleets to sneaking around in stealth runs or salvaging treasure from the sea floor. It's co-op, but the kind where everyone has to actually do their job.

The current demo eases you in with a solo tutorial mode that teaches the basics of the sub's systems. Once you've got that down, you and your friends can jump into two co-op missions and see how quickly things fall apart.

Here's the catch: the submarine has nine key jobs that need managing between you. That covers driving, diving, sonar, the periscope, the engine, weapons, torpedo loading, and damage control. With a crew of four at most, you're always wearing multiple hats, and the chaos is basically guaranteed. One wrong button press and you could send the whole sub straight to the bottom. No pressure.

When fires break out or water starts flooding in, the game's built-in proximity voice chat becomes your lifeline. You'll be scrambling to fix broken systems and read complicated instruments while trying to communicate clearly, all while praying your teammate isn't mashing the console for fun. It's the kind of emergent panic that makes co-op games memorable.

Mission types keep things varied. You might be sinking enemy ships, escorting cargo vessels, or sneaking past enemy destroyers in the dark. There are survival elements layered on top too. You'll dodge enemy detection and unknown deep-sea creatures, and you'll also need to manage the crew's food supplies, rest schedules, and health. Neglect them and your character can get so exhausted or seasick that they can't even follow basic orders. Yes, vomiting your way out of a mission is apparently a real risk.

S.O.N.A.R. - Submarine Rookies is playable on Steam now via the demo, with the full release set for October 29. It supports Traditional Chinese, so if you've been hunting for a co-op sim to rope your friends into, this one's worth a look. Will you be picking this up with your crew, or are you the friend who sinks the sub on purpose?