Life Below Reimagines City Building Through Real Marine Science

City builders often take inspiration from familiar urban systems, from traffic flow to power grids.
Kasedo Games and Megapop’s newly revealed Life Below breaks almost every one of those conventions by anchoring its core design not in architecture, but in marine biology.

Built in collaboration with scientists, the underwater strategy game uses coral ecology, predator–prey behaviours and environmental modelling to construct a world where the “city” is a living reef.

Rather than placing streets or skyscrapers, players cultivate coral types, balance biodiversity and stabilise a fragile ecosystem on the brink of collapse. The result is a city builder in which growth, harmony and crisis are all dictated by scientific principles.

Developed Hand-in-Hand with Marine Biologists

Megapop worked closely with marine ecologists to ensure Life Below’s systems reflect real ocean behaviour, then shaped those mechanics into accessible gameplay. Game Director Lise Hagen Lie says the team wanted to replicate the “alive, reactive, interdependent” nature of coral reefs, where every organism serves a purpose and every disruption triggers consequences.

This scientific lens informs everything from coral health and water conditions to the behaviour of invasive species like lionfish. Marine ecologist Karin Raamat, who advised on the project, explains that even small changes cascade quickly across the reef. If one species collapses, the entire ecosystem becomes unstable — a reality the game integrates directly into its strategic challenges.

Environmental events such as algae blooms or temperature spikes are grounded in real-world reef science and become moments players must anticipate and respond to. According to Raamat, discussions around ecological disasters inspired some of Life Below’s most creative gameplay twists, translating fragility into meaningful decision-making.

A Playable Blend of Science and Underwater Fantasy

Despite its scientific foundation, Life Below also embraces stylised world-building. Players step into the role of Thalassa, guardian of the reef, who must restore coral communities while protecting a living “reef heart” at the centre of the ecosystem. Characters such as Thalassa and her mentor Pontus bring emotional context to the biological systems, framing the experience in a way that remains approachable.

Megapop stresses that the game is not intended as a strict scientific simulation. Instead, it aims to inspire curiosity and appreciation for real ocean environments by making players interact directly with the logic that governs them.

Raamat believes games like Life Below can make marine conservation tangible. By letting players witness how ecosystems respond to stress, change or restoration, the game highlights both the fragility and resilience of life beneath the waves. As she puts it, “It is not easy to bring people underwater, but it is a lot simpler to bring marine life to people through gaming.”

Life Below launches next year for PC and is available to wishlist now on Steam.