Starfield players can now go exploring underwater, but what horrors await us

I can’t say I’m as excited about this news as other gamers will be, but Starfield explorers will now be able to venture into the watery depths thanks to a modder who has peered into my soul and discovered the one thing that fills me with dread: underwater exploration in video games.

TechRadar Gaming was the first to break the news about this aquatic enthusiasts’ dream, with us quickly rushing to take a look at the ‘Underwater Diving Restoration’ mod. We know, we know, the title is a little underwhelming, but what you’ll find in those sci-fi waters will be anything but.

Make sure to listen to Inon Zur perform the Starfield soundtrack to ease those underwater nerves!

What makes this mod even more interesting is that it’s the first time this particular modder has shared their work, with them typically keeping their own mods for “personal use”. According to the ‘Underwater Diving Restoration’ description, you’ll be able to “go underwater again. Just like the previous Bethesda games”. It continues, “This allows you to admire those aquatic creatures better and harvest them non-lethally while they are underwater!”

As gamers who don’t relish the idea of harming poor, defenceless creatures, we welcome the option to harvest them more humanely. Though, underwater gameplay or not, we’re not sure if the aquatic wildlife will agree that this is a better way to harvest them.

None of us have tried this Starfield mod out yet, but one of the little critters waiting underwater in some mod screenshots is telling me I definitely won’t like this. Its face is full of menace, its maw filled with jagged teeth. Can you imagine all the horrors that await us down there? It doesn’t bear thinking about. We will say this though, Bethesda wouldn’t have to tell fans they’re wrong to think the game is boring if the option to swim underwater without the use of mods was part of the vanilla game.

To make the PC mod all the more terrifying (to me) it has no “underwater fog”. “Since Bethesda never intended us to go underwater, the underwater fog is not present, so it will look like you are in midair," reveals Ghostrider231. This may sound like a blessing because nothing can sneak up and surprise you, but this also means you’ll be able to clearly see something swimming your way.

If you’re feeling brave enough to dive headfirst into unknown waters, be our guest and head over to the ‘Underwater Diving Restoration’ NexusMods page.

We hope your exploration goes well, though if your character gets eaten, we won’t be too surprised.