Sunkenland is a post-apocalyptic survival game set in a waterworld where civilization has been submerged beneath the ocean. You build floating bases on the water's surface, dive into sunken cities for resources, defend against raider attacks, and trade with other survivors. The game distinguishes itself from other survival titles with its dual-layer gameplay — surface base building with deep underwater scavenging. Early Access since 2023, the game has received consistent updates adding new biomes, building pieces, and the trading system that gives purpose to excess resources.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. Follow this path to avoid common traps that stall most players.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Starting Raft | underwater exploration basics | Diver | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Sunken City | base building on water mastery | Diver | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | Raider Outpost | raider defense + gear | Builder or Diver | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Coral Reef | Build optimization | Builder | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Deep Trenches | Min-max | Builder or Farmer | Ongoing |
Phase 1: Getting Started — Starting Raft
Your initial platform — a small raft with basic tools. The starting area has shallow water with easy diving locations and no raider threats. Focus on gathering basic materials and building your first permanent foundation.
Level/Difficulty: Day 1-3 Key Rewards: Basic materials, crafting station, first foundation
What to Do in Starting Raft
- Learn underwater exploration. Diving into submerged buildings and streets is the primary method of gathering advanced resources. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Diver as your starting build. It's the most forgiving option.
- Build your first permanent foundation on shallow reef areas where the water floor is visible. Deep water foundations require more expensive materials.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade — Crossbow or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand underwater exploration fundamentals
- Diver selected and functional
- Starting Raft main content cleared
- Ready for Sunken City
Phase 2: Early Game — Sunken City
The primary diving destination with submerged buildings, shops, and infrastructure. Each building type contains thematically appropriate loot — hardware stores have tools, pharmacies have medical supplies. Navigation through flooded streets requires memorizing landmarks.
Level/Difficulty: Day 3+ Key Rewards: Advanced materials, weapon components, crafting blueprints
What to Do in Sunken City
- Work on base building on water. All structures are built on water using foundations that snap to a grid. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Crossbow if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Craft a basic speargun before your first serious dive. Sharks will find you, and without a weapon, diving into the sunken city is suicidal.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to Raider Outpost.
- Consider whether Builder might suit your playstyle better than Diver.
Phase 2 Checklist
- base building on water integrated into gameplay
- Crossbow acquired
- Sunken City fully cleared
- Ready for Raider Outpost
Phase 3: Mid Game — Raider Outpost
Hostile NPC bases that can be assaulted for loot. Outposts range from small camps (2-3 raiders) to fortified compounds (10+ raiders with turrets). Scouting before attacking reveals defender count and layout.
Level/Difficulty: Mid-game Key Rewards: Weapons, armor, pre-crafted items, building materials
What to Do in Raider Outpost
- Master raider defense. NPC raider groups periodically attack your base with boats and divers. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Speargun. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Water purifiers are your first critical building. Dehydration kills faster than hunger, and rain collectors are unreliable. One purifier per 2 players is the minimum.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in diving mechanics for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- raider defense mastered
- Speargun acquired or in progress
- Raider Outpost fully cleared
- Ready for Coral Reef
Phase 4: Late Game — Coral Reef
Shallow water areas with rich marine life for fishing and foraging. Coral provides crafting materials for water filters and decorative building pieces. Less dangerous than deep water but lower-value loot.
Level/Difficulty: All levels Key Rewards: Food, coral materials, fishing catches, safe diving practice
What to Do in Coral Reef
- Finalize your build. You should be running Builder or Diver with optimized gear.
- Speargun should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Turrets on your base should cover all approach angles. Raiders attack from random directions, and an undefended side means they breach directly into your storage.
- trading optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Deep Trenches.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Speargun upgraded to max
- Coral Reef fully cleared
- Ready for Deep Trenches
Phase 5: Endgame — Deep Trenches
The deepest diving zones with the best loot but highest danger. Pressure effects drain stamina faster, visibility is minimal, and large predators patrol the depths. Advanced diving gear is mandatory.
Level/Difficulty: Late game Key Rewards: Rare metals, advanced blueprints, unique crafting materials
What to Do in Deep Trenches
- Deep Trenches tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Diving at dawn gives maximum natural light underwater, extending how deep you can see without artificial light sources. Night dives are extremely dangerous.
- The endgame loop: run Deep Trenches, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Farmer for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where trading mastery separates good players from great ones.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Deep Trenches fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Building a massive base before establishing defenses. Raiders scale with base size — a large undefended base attracts raids you can't repel.
- Diving without checking oxygen before entering buildings. Entering a submerged building adds distance between you and the surface, and low oxygen inside means drowning.
- Ignoring food production and relying entirely on scavenging. Scavenged food is unreliable and runs out during extended base-building periods.
- Storing all resources in one location. A single successful raid can wipe your entire stockpile. Distribute storage across multiple containers.
- Fighting sharks in open water instead of retreating to shallow areas. Sharks are faster in deep water but can't follow you into shallow zones.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Build your first permanent foundation on shallow reef areas where the water floor is visible. Deep water foundations require more expensive materials.
- Craft a basic speargun before your first serious dive. Sharks will find you, and without a weapon, diving into the sunken city is suicidal.
- Water purifiers are your first critical building. Dehydration kills faster than hunger, and rain collectors are unreliable. One purifier per 2 players is the minimum.
- Turrets on your base should cover all approach angles. Raiders attack from random directions, and an undefended side means they breach directly into your storage.
- Diving at dawn gives maximum natural light underwater, extending how deep you can see without artificial light sources. Night dives are extremely dangerous.
For detailed build optimization, see Sunkenland builds. For quick wins, check tips & tricks.
