Thalassa's guide to reef building.
The coral reefs found in and around our seas are always breathtaking to see in person. But they are in danger of being destroyed due to the pollution we are dumping into the sea. And, in our world, it is up to us to try and save them. However, in Life Below, the water spirits and guardians are there to do this job for us.
Life Below is a city builder experience that takes place in the deep blue ocean, where you build up and protect your reef. You play as Thalassa, a water sprite turned guardian who is tasked with saving the reef by Gaia. But it is no small feat as Thalassa is only just reborn as a guardian so she will need to stretch her tentacles and learn on the job.
You start out with only your reef heart, this is your main structure and most valuable asset in this world. If for any reason the heart's health or comfort is to drop below zero then it is over for the reef. So make sure you protect it with all your might if you want to succeed.
To grow your reef you will need the right materials and tools to build and expand. And what better materials to use to build a reef than coral matter and pearls. Each can be made by putting down the right building, clams for pearls, and sprout coral for the matter which can only be built on sprout nodes.
But to gather them you will need the help of the water sprites. These little guys are the only way to build, harvest and craft the items you will need to grow the reef. The more you have the faster things get done, so build lots of sprite wells so you can craft their eggs to hatch more.
Speaking of crafting you can also craft lures to attract fish to your reef. There are multiple different types of lures to craft so make sure you have the right food and home for the fish you are attempting to attract. And the fish you attract will depend on the type of lure you build, as each zone in these waters has a different type of seaweed that grows after you have built up your reef enough in them.
But to build in these zones you will need to balance them out and make it so your reef can survive. To do this, you raise or lower the temperature, or ph level in the water by building the right structures in them. Though, to build them you will need to research them in the growth coral first.
The growth coral is key to help you build out your reef, as it is the main way to upgrade and learn building. From new fish habitats to new ways of dealing with zones, each upgrade in this tree is helpful. But to learn them you will need more than just resources you will also need biodiversity.
Biodiversity is the key resource you need to gather in this world. It is used in both upgrades and claiming new zones to grow in. And the way you gain biodiversity is by attracting new fish to your reef, so build lots of homes and food for them as if you lose too many of them you will also lose biodiversity.
The main goal in Life below is to rebuild the ruin zones, and help the lost spirits in each one. These ruin zones will naturally harm your structures till it is fixed, so make sure you keep an eye on their health. But once you re-stabilize the zone you will be able to upgrade the reef heart so you can get to new more challenging zones.
Life below has breathtaking visuals that simulate what it would be like looking at actual coral reefs. With beautiful audio that matches the water vibe really well. Both of these help build the perfect atmosphere and make you feel like you are in the ocean building this reef.
During my time in these waters there have been a few bumps that appeared. From the number of sprites being wrong to what i have, and the food completely breaking in one of my tries,. Luckily both of those have been fixed showing that the devs care for the stability of their creation.
In all, Life below is a fun and calm take on the city builder genre that I personally enjoy. From the clean visuals, fun gameplay, and beautiful audio. Life below is a fun experience that any who like the city build genre can have fun playing.
Developer - Megapop.
Publisher - Kasedo Games.
Released - May 26th, 2026.
Available On - PC.
Rated - (N/A) - No Descriptors.
Platform Reviewed - PC - Steam.
Review Access - A review code for Life Below was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.
Kelvin is a big fan of survival crafting, simulator, base management, and RPG's. From 7 Days to Die to Deep Rock Galactic. When not trying to survive the post apocalypse you will find me fighting in the field for democracy in Helldivers 2.