Stranded Deep: 8 gameplay tips to help you thrive in the PS4 survival sim

In the aftermath of a mysterious plane crash, you are Stranded Deep in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Alone and without any means to call for help, you must do what you can to survive…
So what can you do? Here are 8 tips and tricks to help you not only survive, but thrive!

1. Don’t lose your raft!

You may be tempted to jump right into that crystal clear water and make your way to shore–don’t. If you do, there’s a good chance your raft will float off into the sunset along with all your precious emergency food rations. Instead, paddle your way to shore and use the dragging feature to bring it onto dry land.
The dragging feature can be used on any interactive item or object and is a great way to carry around a large object, flip your raft, or organise materials.
It’s also important not to lose your paddle so be sure to attach it back onto the raft when you’re Done.

2. Check more than the time.

Health, Hunger, Thirst, and sunstroke; manage and monitor these vitals through an interactive survival watch. Cure poisons, heal broken bones, and bandage bleeding to stay alive. Your survival watch is your best friend and regularly checking it will ensure you stay on top. Ignore it–you die!

3. Avoid being poisoned

Speaking of best friends–these are not! The ‘Crown of Thorns’ Starfish, Snakes, and Lionfish, will absolutely wreck your week and could cost you your life…
Starting out it is vital to avoid any interaction with these creatures. If you do get poisoned try to ride it out by keeping your thirst and hunger up, or at later levels craft an Antidote.

4. Water is life

Ironically, water is hard to come by in the Pacific Ocean; Drinking salt water from the ocean is worse than not drinking at all, so you will need to find a way to obtain fresh drinking water…
Make it your life goal to craft a Water Still. It works by using the sun’s heat to evaporate the condensation from leaves and into a small flask. Not many survivors know this, but you can use Palm Fronds instead of Fibrous Leaves to fill it up. Fibrous Leaves are very important to save to make Lashings–so instead use Palm Fronds when starting out.
Another quick way to get water is by drinking Coconuts. But be warned: drinking too many will cause you to lose more water from your body than you put in, if you know what I mean….

5. Save, save, save

Chances are, you’re going to die–a lot! Make it a frequent habit to save at any Shelter or Bed. That way if you do die and you’re not on the ‘Permadeath’ difficulty you can resume right where you left off.
If by now you’ve followed the tutorial correctly then you should already have a pretty basic looking campsite. ” Is this all there is to life now? ” you wonder. Far from it! Read on to see what else Stranded Deep has to offer…

6. Explore, scavenge, loot

As you look on at the beautiful sunset sinking into the horizon while drinking your 47th coconut, you may notice other larger islands, shipwrecks, shelters, and mysterious structures. Build up
the courage to explore these procedurally generated environments! Your starting yellow dingy will do the job, albeit slowly, so work on construction a real raft with a sail, and rudder, or even a boat motor if you can find all the parts!
Looting shipwrecks is an excellent way to quickly progress. But watch out for sharks, and be careful not to drown.

7. Build a home away from home

Have you found the perfect island to set up a base? Gather resources and construct your very own home from the dozens of building materials and pieces. You can even decorate your own home with the objects you find, crafted furniture, animals, containers, and even trophies.

8. Dominate

If setting down roots and ruling the Pacific just isn’t for you then take on the ‘End Game’. Discover the means to escape the Pacific by completing a set of objectives which include taking on 3 epic creatures that rule the waters!
Compare your escape time with your friends through the interactive leaderboards, or become the perfect survivor by unlocking all the games trophies & achievements.

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Stranded Deep offers a unique gaming experience that for some, may find an initial challenge that results in many deaths. We recommend getting familiar with the controls and interactions. If you are still finding it too difficult then try adjusting the difficulty settings and remember to frequently save your game at any shelter or bed.
Stay Alive!