Life Below’s Gamescom Demo Proves Reef-Building Isn’t Just City-Building Underwater

Life Below’s Hands-On Debut Brings Underwater City-Building to the Surface

The latest trailer for Life Below dropped at Gamescom 2025, and as someone itching for city-builders to branch out, I couldn’t ignore it. We’ve all seen the “fix the world” blueprint slapped onto countless sim games lately, but there’s nuance in Life Below’s approach to climate crisis, ecology, and city management that actually feels fresh. After sinking my teeth (and a bit of my skepticism) into the demo, here’s what stands out-and why you shouldn’t write this off as just SimCity with fish.

• Underwater city-building meets real ecosystem management-this isn’t just visual dressing.
• Purposeful integration of climate themes, but gameplay-first-not a biology lesson in disguise.
• Rhianna Pratchett’s writing brings actual character to “saving the world,” which most builders lack.
• Early hands-on demo on Steam gives a real taste—no empty marketing buzz here.

A City Builder Built for the Climate Generation

Plenty of games talk up “eco-awareness” but rarely let those mechanics impact your choices. In Life Below, every decision about where you put Moon Coral for power, or how you lure new wildlife, plays into a living (and dying) ecosystem. It’s more dynamic than just laying down power lines and water pipes. You’re fighting against a shifting ocean, not just balancing a spreadsheet.

This focus comes from Megapop’s indie roots—they’ve been blending accessible strategy with depth for years, though usually above sea level. Here, they’re attempting to build a SimCity for our climate-anxious era, where the threats aren’t criminals or traffic jams, but bleaching reefs and collapsing food chains. That’s a new twist for the genre and it forces you to play more responsively than the usual build-and-forget loop.

The Rhianna Pratchett Factor—Unexpected Heart

Here’s where I started to get genuinely interested: the game’s narrative isn’t an afterthought. With Rhianna Pratchett (of Tomb Raider fame) scripting, there’s actual personality to Thalassa—the guardian character you play—and even to the world’s “voice of nature.” That narrative could veer cheesy if handled badly, but based on the demo, there’s restraint and wit that should keep the story from being a tutorial in disguise. If you’ve ever rolled your eyes at dry, flavorless city-builder writing, this should be a welcome change.

Does the Demo Back Up the Hype?

This is where most city builders live or die, especially new IP. Life Below’s playable demo is up on Steam, and based on first-hand play, the core loop feels surprisingly tight already. It isn’t just “build a thing, watch a number go up.” You have to adapt to changing ocean conditions, rethink your strategy as new threats emerge, and plan not just for efficiency, but genuine survival. It’s rare for a pre-release indie demo to feel this confident.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about depth in the full campaign—can they keep those systems interesting for dozens of hours? But unlike many Gamescom reveals, the demo shows Megapop has more than just pretty visuals or climate buzzwords. If you’re nostalgic for Anno or Pharaoh but hungry for something modern—and more meaningful—this already feels one to watch.

Why This Matters for City Builder Fans

We’re in a real golden age of city builders, but so many copy the classics without bringing much new to the table. Life Below’s approach—blending hard strategy, environmental challenge, and actual narrative—feels tuned to what city builder fans are demanding in 2025. After burnt-out sequels, weak Early Access launches and unambitious indies, it’s refreshing to see someone try to meaningfully evolve the genre. And the best part: you don’t have to wait to be sold a dream. The playable demo delivers actual hands-on evidence instead of empty marketing.

TL;DR

Life Below isn’t just city-building underwater—it’s ecosystem management with real consequences, strong narrative, and a promising hands-on demo. If you’re hungry for a city builder that moves the genre forward instead of recycling formulas, this could be the game to watch in 2026.