Submerged is a short, combat-free, third-person exploration game. You play as Miku, a young girl tasked with tracking down treatments for her ailing brother, Taku. Each treatment collected will advance the wordless story. Along the way, you're free to explore a submerged city by boat and uncover its history in pictures.

It's tempting to be smitten with the gorgeous visuals the first time you see them, but some players may find themselves uneasy still based on experiences with similar games. Do I have to find everything before I progress the story? Should I hold out for an upgrade? Will the main character get hurt? Etc. This reference guide will provide basic information on what players should expect so that they can enjoy the game free from worry and at a comfortable pace.

Spoilers are inherent with answering any such questions, so this guide has been composed to gently assist users before providing answers outright. The bottom of most sections will contain completed maps that can be used when all other options are exhausted.

Please leave a comment if you have questions or concerns about Submerged that aren't addressed below.

Be warned that figuring things out for yourself is a big part of exploration games like Submerged, but in case you're worried about one factor or another here are some facts that may ease your concerns.

• Miku cannot die or get hurt
  
• There is no falling or slipping that will effect your progress
  
• All boat upgrades and secrets are optional
  
• There are no character upgrades; you start with the same skills you will have at the end
  
• None of the climbing sequences are timed
  
• Everything is accessible at the start of the game, and will remain accessible throughout
  
• After completing the game, an "Explore" option will be unlocked to let you collect anything you've missed
  
• Achievements can still be earned in the explorable mode
  
• All achievements can be earned in a single playthrough
  
• You will not damage the boat by repeatedly colliding with things
  
• Begin a new game under the Options menu (this will delete your current game)
  
• Accessing a new supply building will automatically reveal its secrets on your map

Submerged utilizes a single save state, and does not offer support for multiple save files. The game is saved automatically upon:

• Interacting with an object
  
• Mounting or dismounting your boat
  
• Completing an objective
  
• Exiting the game

Saved games are located in if you are interested in juggling multiple save states. Saved games are also maintained in the Steam Cloud but do not use the normal Steam userdata folder to store save files. The game's Steam ID is 301860 should this change.

If you need to back up your "save file," you will need to preserve both SUB_SG_0.sav and SubProfile.sav. Restore a backup save by replacing both files while on the game's main menu (not while just paused) and then restart the game.

The telescope (accessible after retrieving the first Supply) can be very useful for spotting drifting ship upgrades from a distance, but can also be frustrating to use when it's unable to lock on to a blinking Secret in clear view. Most Secrets are visible from your normal path, and under no circumstances do you need to use the telescope to find them or anything else.

Because the telescope automatically adds found items to the map it can be convenient when it works, but you shouldn't feel forced to use it. The maps provided below will assure you find anything you're missing.

Submerged is one of the first games to feature a dedicated "Postcard Mode," which pauses the game to allow the player to take clean screenshots branded with the "Submerged" logo. This mode, accessed through the Pause menu (default key: P) hides all UI elements (compass, map, journal, etc.) and provides custom camera positioning options so that the player can capture some truly amazing scenes.

After entering Postcard Mode, take a screenshot through Steam (default key: F12) or using the screen capture program of your choice. Don't forget, you can even trigger Postcard Mode while climbing to catch that beautiful sunset.

The game's story is progressed by retrieving various supplies for Taku. Supplies are usually found on or near the tops of explorable buildings, which are marked in red on your map and may be visited in any order. You will need to retrieve supplies from 10 different buildings to complete the campaign.

• Atlas Island
  
• Central Steel
  
• Eclipsed State
  
• Kitezh Municipal
  
• Lyonesse Hotel
  
• Rullyeh Hotel
  
• Rungholt Memorial Library
  
• Saaftinge Hospital
  
• Skyline Condos
  
• Villdyse Hotel

Steam user Chazz the Elder points out that all buildings with supply caches are marked with tattered red and white banners hung from their upper stories, making them easier to identify from the boat without using a map.

The supply chests, usually high atop the buildings, are red and emit a slow beeping sound. Note that opening a supply chest will automatically return Miku to her brother, so be sure you've completed any other exploration in that area before doing so, although you can still return anytime afterward if you wish.

You will earn the Concierge achievement for visiting all hotels, as well as The End for retrieving supplies from all 10 locations. (See Bugged Achievements in the section below if the Concierge achievement doesn't register correctly.)


Below is a map showing the locations of all explorable buildings:

Submerged uses the term "Secrets" to describe interactive objects littered around the game world. Though they are sometimes off the main path, they are generally not in "secret" areas or otherwise well-hidden. Each Secret collected reveals one of 60 story tiles which will provide more context about the game world.

You can easily detect Secrets from a distance using the telescope, and points in range will be marked permanently on your map. Visiting one of the 10 buildings housing Supplies will automatically reveal its Secret caches on your map. Although you should certainly feel encouraged to explore the game world yourself and uncover secrets at your own pace, the below information should help you if you get stuck.

If you're looking at your Journal and are missing a specific Secret, you may use the list below to try and guide you to the right location.

01: Lyonesse Hotel
02: Lyonesse Hotel
03: Immediately SW of the Shrine ("Home")
04: On the NE part of the map, just east of #5
05: North center
06: Just north of the middle of the map
07: On top of the big crane (The Bird's Eye)
08: Right near the middle of the map
09: NW toward the middle, a little east of Cantref Steel
10: NW, just north of Cantref Steel

11: NW, near the western edge of the map
12: SW, near the western edge of the map
13: SW, NW of Eclipsed State
14: SW, SE of Eclipsed State
15: South central, just east of #14
16: SE, about halfway to the edge of the map
17: East central, just south of Saaftinge Hospital
18: SE, just north of The Watchful Lady
19: East, just east of the Rungholt Memorial Library
20: SW, immediately NW of The Titan's Spear

21: East central, just west of Saaftinge Hospital
22: NE, just north of Saaftinge Hospital
23: NE, south of Rullyeh Hotel
24: Atlas Island
25: Atlas Island
26: Atlas Island
27: Atlas Island
28: Saaftinge Hospital
29: Saaftinge Hospital
30: Saaftinge Hospital

31: Saaftinge Hospital
32: On top of the Shrine ("Home")
33: Cantref Steel
34: Cantref Steel
35: Cantref Steel
36: Cantref Steel
37: Cantref Steel
38: Kitezh Municipal
39: Kitezh Municipal
40: Kitezh Municipal

41: Kitezh Municipal
42: Villdyse Hotel
43: Villdyse Hotel
44: Villdyse Hotel
45: Villdyse Hotel
46: Rungholt Memorial Library
47: Rungholt Memorial Library
48: Rungholt Memorial Library
49: Skyline Condos
50: Skyline Condos

51: Skyline Condos
52: Eclipsed State
53: Eclipsed State
54: Eclipsed State
55: Rullyeh Hotel
56: Rullyeh Hotel
57: Rullyeh Hotel
58: Eclipsed State
59: Rungholt Memorial Library
60: Skyline Condos

Finding all Secrets should land you the Chronicles and Free Climber achievements.


If all else fails, the map below shows all Secrets. Please note that the positions may not be exact where they overlap, particularly in Supply buildings:

Upgrade your boat by salvaging broken boats you find while exploring. Nearing a broken boat will show a black diamond on your screen, and moving even closer will allow you to interact with it and quickly salvage its parts for yourself, allowing you to "boost" (default key: Left Shift) for a longer period of time.

You can find broken boats to salvage by either driving near them or spotting their wreckage on your telescope. After salvaging, the boat will quietly sink into the sea. Note that you can still interact with these boats while moving so long as you get close enough, and will not need to stop to install the upgrade.

Fully upgrading your boat by finding all 26 salvage vessels will earn you the Tinkerer achievement.


The following map will show the location of all upgrades:

There are 8 total landmarks to be visited in Submerged, and approaching each of them will trigger a short cutscene.

1. The Princess And The Golem
   
2. The Silver Pass
   
3. The Bird's Eye
   
4. The Basket Wheel
   
5. The Obdurate Creature
   
6. The Net To The Sky
   
7. The Watchful Lady
   
8. The Titan's Spear

Don't forget to grab secret #7 at the top of The Bird's Eye!

Visiting all landmarks will trigger the achievements Sightseer and Free Climber.


Each of the landmarks are marked on your map, but are shown below with better visibility:

There are 8 kinds of creatures that can be found in Submerged, which are indexed in your Journal under the "Creatures" tab. To identify a creature, get as close as you can to it until you are notified it has been added to your Journal. Sometimes you may need to ride alongside it in your boat, and make sure to keep your camera trained on it whenever possible. Aside from being near a creature, you do not need to do anything (like press a button) to get the creature to register.

Note that each kind of creature can only be registered once, and you do not need to use your telescope for any of them. Generally, you should come across each species naturally over the course of the game, with the one exception being the Blue Whale which is usually on the city outskirts.

#1 - Dolphin
When traveling around, your boat will often be flanked by friendly dolphins. They can be found everywhere in the game world, assuming they don't find you first!

#2 - Flying Fish
A school of these fish is a little less common than the dolphins, but if you keep your eye on the water you should be able to find them anywhere.

#3 - Blue Whale
These gigantic mammals can be found along the edges of the map in open ocean. You can usually see them from a distance.

#4 - Manta Ray
Schools of manta rays can be found throughout the city, skipping along the surface of the water.

#5 - Pelican
Keep your eye on the sky! Whenever you see a flock of birds flying overhead you've surely found a pod of pelicans.

#6 - Remnant
The submerged city's native inhabitants. Although curious, the Remnants keep their distance and rarely stick around for examination. Visiting a certain Supply location will likely add this entry to your Journal automatically.

#7 - Orca
These medium-sized whales can be identified by the splashing sound of air shooting from their blowholes. Single orcas typically roam around the city, leaping from the water occasionally to impress with their agility.

#8 - Shark
Although easily confused with the orca, with a similar size and shape, these massive sharks simply swim along the surface scouting for small prey in the weeds. You can usually spot their pointy tail and dorsal fin.

Encountering all 8 species will net you the Naturalist achievement.

Submerged featured 10 Steam achievements which can all be earned in a single playthrough, or through the game's explorable mode upon completion. Most of the achievements are especially straightforward, but will be listed below for reference.

Concierge
Visit all of the hotels - see Bugged Achievements below if this doesn't register correctly


The End
Finish the campaign



Free Climber
Climb to the highest point in the world
Earned by reaching the top of The Bird's Eye.

Wish You Were Here
Use the postcard feature
Open and exit the Postcard feature from the Pause menu (default key: P).

Sightseer
Visit all landmarks
You must trigger the cutscene at each landmark by going near it for this to register.

Circumnavigation
Visit the n/e/s/w boundaries
Just tapping each of the map's edges is enough to trigger this achievement.

Naturalist
See all creatures
Each creature must be registered in your Journal.

Mariner
Stay in the boat for a complete Day/Night cycle
This can be done at any time during the game.

Chronicles
Gather all secrets
This can be earned before or after completing the campaign.

Tinkerer
Gather all boat boosts



According to the developers in 2021, any bugged achievements should now be fixed. The original player solutions below are from before game version 1.1 and are only included for reference.

Originally posted by FacePalm.exe:

Yes, they should now be working. Loading your save game _should_ be enough to trigger the progress to be updated. (As I am now re-sending achievements when the game is loaded just in case steam was offline for a bit)

Please comment below if you continue to have issues with achievements.


Original Text
Please note that some users have reported issues with some of the achievements and counters, notably the Concierge achievement. According to Steam user Chazz the Elder:

One quick note on the Concierge achievement: the developer has said that the hit box for one of the hotels is somewhat misplaced. In order to get this achievement, your best bet is to visit each hotel, hop onto the entry ledge, and shuffle back and forth across the width of the ledge.

This specifically impacts Villdyse Hotel in the southernmost central part of the map: "To trigger [that hotel] currently, you will need to climb straight upwards and hop on to the ridge above."

Added to that, the same user points out that the various achievements with progress bars incorrectly show no progress until they are fully completed:

And a note on 0/3, 0/8, and so forth... it appears the engine does not actually allow partial achievement reporting, so even though the devs set it up at the Steam end, they couldn't find a way to have the game report the achievement in progress. When you get the Concierge achievement, it'll jump from 0/3 to 3/3 in one go.

Hidden Visions refers to an optional treasure hunt available in exploration mode. It previews some of the changes that can be explored in Submerged's direct sequel Submerged: Hidden Depths.

Begin the Hidden Visions quest by interacting with a new "flaming" tangle of vines in front of the Shrine ("Home") to reveal a "vision" with the location of the next part of the treasure hunt. Travel to the locations revealed in each vision to find the next clue.

You can display the current vision at any time by pressing the "H" key (or RB). The beacons are often visible from a distance (especially at night) as they light up the environment nearby with a warm orange glow.

You can repeat the "finale" animation after leaving by approaching the final beacon again, although you lose access to the visions window (via "H" key/RB) after completing the quest.

Hidden Visions was released in version 1.1 on 2021-08-01.

01: In front of the Shrine ("Home")
02: At the Lyonesse Hotel
03: Behind The Watchful Lady
04: At the Villdyse Hotel
05: Beside The Basket Wheel
06: Underneath a skyway SW of the Lyonesse Hotel
07: SSE of Eclipsed State
08: In the Eclipsed State building
09: W of Atlas Island
10: At the base of The Bet To The Sky

11: Beneath Skyline Condos
12: W of Rullyeh Hotel
13: N of Saaftinge Hospital
14: In a low tunnel under Saaftinge Hospital
15: In a crevice (accessible by boat) of Kitezh Municipal
16: At the N end of The Bird's Eye
17: In back of the Shrine ("Home")

Please note that there are more detailed maps in the specific sections above. If you only want to compare your map against a completed one, this one's for you:



Please note that the game's waypointing system has several Secrets overlapping. Please consult the map in the Secrets section above if you're missing any of them.

All images in this guide contain content that is property of the publisher, Uppercut Games Pty Ltd. Their inclusion here is for reference only, and does not imply the developer's affiliation with or endorsement of this guide or its contents. All map images have been watermarked by M. Doucet, the author of this guide, and may not be re-used elsewhere on or outside of Steam without consent from the author.