Video walkthrough
Watch the route, then match the frames
Video chapters
5 stepsVideo references
Watch or inspect the route before you dive
Click YouTube cards to load the player. Open frame cards to compare local screenshot notes. Use the evidence to confirm landmarks, movement, and encounter pacing, then follow the written checklist below.
Vehicle upgrade route context
Watch for: Depth module evidence, module menu state, and upgrade route prioritization.
Upgrade menu frame review
Watch for: Start with Tadpole upgrades guide at 00:32. Compare the screenshot cue, route note, and player action before following the guide in-game.
Module route frame review
Watch for: Start with Tadpole upgrades guide at 03:56. Compare the screenshot cue, route note, and player action before following the guide in-game.
Video watch notes
What to pause, compare, and write down
Do not watch the video like entertainment only. Use these notes as a second-screen checklist: pause on landmarks, confirm the player action, then return to the written route.
Watchlist
Pause on Upgrade menu and identify the landmark, depth band, or objective state before following the next step.
Use Depth module to confirm what changed; if the video only shows a close-up, rebuild the route from the previous landmark.
Treat Module route as the exit rule: finish the objective, return, and update storage or crafting before adding side goals.
Upgrade menu
Use the module menu to decide whether the current blocker is depth, storage, or utility.
Action: Identify the route problem: depth, storage, safety, or travel time.
Depth module
Depth upgrades should be treated as route gates before optional vehicle comfort modules.
Action: Check which module directly solves that problem.
Module route
Test a new module on a known route before using it to open a dangerous new band.
Action: Follow the fragment or module route without side objectives.
Video route timeline
Turn the video into playable checkpoints
Use this section like a second-screen route sheet. Open each checkpoint, compare the frame, do the action, then stop if your route no longer matches the video evidence. It keeps the guide useful even when Early Access shifts small placements or creature behavior.
00:32Checkpoint 1: Identify the route problem: depth, storage, safety, or travel time.Use the module menu to decide whether the current blocker is depth, storage, or utility.Expand
Upgrade menu
Use the module menu to decide whether the current blocker is depth, storage, or utility.
Player action
Identify the route problem: depth, storage, safety, or travel time.
Proof before moving on
Use the module menu to decide whether the current blocker is depth, storage, or utility.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Reset to the last confirmed landmark or objective state, then repeat only the route-critical step.
01:58Checkpoint 2: Check which module directly solves that problem.Depth upgrades should be treated as route gates before optional vehicle comfort modules.Expand
Depth module
Depth upgrades should be treated as route gates before optional vehicle comfort modules.
Player action
Check which module directly solves that problem.
Proof before moving on
Depth upgrades should be treated as route gates before optional vehicle comfort modules.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Use the video frame as evidence, but record entry, proof, and exit as separate notes.
03:56Checkpoint 3: Follow the fragment or module route without side objectives.Test a new module on a known route before using it to open a dangerous new band.Expand
Module route
Test a new module on a known route before using it to open a dangerous new band.
Player action
Follow the fragment or module route without side objectives.
Proof before moving on
Test a new module on a known route before using it to open a dangerous new band.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Return, craft, sort storage, or retest the route before turning this page into a longer objective chain.
00:32Checkpoint 4: Install the upgrade and test it on a short familiar route.Use the module menu to decide whether the current blocker is depth, storage, or utility.Expand
Upgrade menu
Use the module menu to decide whether the current blocker is depth, storage, or utility.
Player action
Install the upgrade and test it on a short familiar route.
Proof before moving on
Use the module menu to decide whether the current blocker is depth, storage, or utility.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Reset to the last confirmed landmark or objective state, then repeat only the route-critical step.
01:58Checkpoint 5: Only then push into the newly reachable objective band.Depth upgrades should be treated as route gates before optional vehicle comfort modules.Expand
Depth module
Depth upgrades should be treated as route gates before optional vehicle comfort modules.
Player action
Only then push into the newly reachable objective band.
Proof before moving on
Depth upgrades should be treated as route gates before optional vehicle comfort modules.
Watch this timestampIf this fails
Use the video frame as evidence, but record entry, proof, and exit as separate notes.
Gameplay evidence
Screenshots to match before you keep swimming
Use these frames as visual checkpoints. If the terrain, lighting, or landmark does not match, slow down and re-check the route instead of forcing the next step.
Upgrade menu
Use the module menu to decide whether the current blocker is depth, storage, or utility.
Depth module
Depth upgrades should be treated as route gates before optional vehicle comfort modules.
Module route
Test a new module on a known route before using it to open a dangerous new band.
Route decision lab
Decide if this route is worth running now
This section turns the video into a practical in-game decision. Use it before leaving base, after the first landmark, and again before entering a deeper or darker area.
Route purpose
Upgrade the Tadpole by route problem: depth first when objectives are below your limit, storage when hauls are inefficient, and utility modules only when they solve the next real blocker.
Visual checkpoint
Use the module menu to decide whether the current blocker is depth, storage, or utility.
Map anchor
Tadpole Upgrade Module Route in Vehicle upgrade band. Use it for use this when vehicle limits are stopping the next route more than raw survival knowledge is.
Abort rule
Crafting a flashy module before solving depth limits.
Field manual translation
Upgrade the Tadpole by route problem: depth first when objectives are below your limit, storage when hauls are inefficient, and utility modules only when they solve the next real blocker. Use this resource route manual as a second-screen checklist: identify the entry condition, confirm the objective with a visual proof point, then stop when the return rule is met. This keeps the article practical for Early Access patches without pretending every coordinate or state is final.
Primary job
Tadpole - Identify the route problem: depth, storage, safety, or travel time.
Best entry habit
Tadpole unlocked - Check which module directly solves that problem.
Stop condition
Crafting a flashy module before solving depth limits. - Follow the fragment or module route without side objectives.
Patch-safe reading
Exact item positions can shift during Early Access. The useful part of this page is the route logic: what to prepare, what visual cue to confirm, what objective to finish, and when to turn back.
Updated
2026-06-12 / tracking / Early Access
What this guide covers
Requirements
- Tadpole unlocked
- Upgrade route
- Module checklist
Use this if
You want a route you can follow from video evidence without needing exact official coordinates. The screenshots and steps are written to help you recognize areas, landmarks, and decisions while playing.
Early Access can move details. Treat this as a video-based walkthrough and verify landmarks in your own build.
Step-by-step walkthrough
Follow the video route without guessing
Identify the route problem: depth, storage, safety, or travel time.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Use the module menu to decide whether the current blocker is depth, storage, or utility.
Check which module directly solves that problem.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Depth upgrades should be treated as route gates before optional vehicle comfort modules.
Follow the fragment or module route without side objectives.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Test a new module on a known route before using it to open a dangerous new band.
Install the upgrade and test it on a short familiar route.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Use the module menu to decide whether the current blocker is depth, storage, or utility.
Only then push into the newly reachable objective band.
Use this step as a route checkpoint, not as a promise that every object spawns in one exact coordinate. Match the landmark, compare the screenshot, then continue only if the return path is still clear.
If your game build looks different, stay with the same decision: keep oxygen safe, scan or collect the current blocker, and return before pushing into the next unknown area.
Depth upgrades should be treated as route gates before optional vehicle comfort modules.
After-action plan
What to do after the guide works
Bank the result
Only then push into the newly reachable objective band.
Clean the inventory
Move route-critical materials into labeled storage so the next dive starts with empty space and a clear job.
Pick the next guide
A route-first Tadpole fragments guide for finding, scanning, and turning the vehicle unlock into safer deeper exploration.
Next route queue
Use these as the next blockers to solve after this route. Each queue card keeps the same evidence style: source video, gameplay frames, and a written checklist.
Best immediate follow-upTadpole Fragments Location Guide
A route-first Tadpole fragments guide for finding, scanning, and turning the vehicle unlock into safer deeper exploration.
Use if the route branchesTadpole Submersible Guide
How to use the Tadpole as a route-planning anchor for biome pushes, co-op hauling, vehicle safety, and threat retreats.
Save for the next diveVehicles and Upgrades
A vehicle and upgrade planning guide for depth, storage, route safety, and progression in Subnautica 2.
Detailed notes
Depth is a gate, not a luxury
If the next objective sits below your current comfort band, depth modules move from optional to critical. Other modules should wait unless they directly reduce route risk.
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Module checklist
Track fragment source, module cost, route unlocked, and whether the upgrade was tested after installation.
Source
Cost
Route unlocked
Test route
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Upgrade by route need
Choose Tadpole upgrades by the route they unlock, not by the order they appear. Depth and survivability matter when a route demands them; storage matters when repeated hauls are slowing base progress. If an upgrade does not change your next dive, it can wait.
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Testing upgrades safely
After installing an upgrade, test it on a known route before using it in a dangerous area. This gives you a feel for turning, depth margin, storage rhythm, and return timing while the terrain is still familiar.
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Video route notes
Tadpole Upgrades Guide should be followed as a resource route, not as a memory test. Start by watching the first route movement and naming the entry condition before copying the path in-game. Identify the route problem: depth, storage, safety, or travel time. Then pause again when the video reaches the first visible proof point, because that is where the guide changes from general advice into an action you can repeat. Check which module directly solves that problem. If the route starts to feel different in your build, keep the same player goal: repeat the route without relying on a perfect coordinate.
Entry check: Tadpole unlocked
Route action: Identify the route problem: depth, storage, safety, or travel time.
Proof to look for: material or fragment proof
Version note: Early Access / tracking
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Screenshot checkpoints
Use screenshots as checkpoints instead of decoration. The first image should answer where the route begins, the second should show what confirms progress, and the third should explain what to do after the scan, pickup, puzzle state, or threat read is visible. Follow the fragment or module route without side objectives. This is especially important in Early Access because exact positions can drift while landmarks, depth bands, room states, and player decisions stay useful. A good screenshot lets you say, "I am at the right kind of place," before you risk oxygen, storage space, or vehicle safety.
Entry frame: match the landmark before moving deeper
Proof frame: confirm material or fragment proof
Exit frame: know the return direction before adding side goals
Loadout frame: check Upgrade route
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Stop rule and next dive
The most useful part of this page is the stop rule. Crafting a flashy module before solving depth limits. Taking the Tadpole into new depth immediately after an untested upgrade. When the objective is confirmed, return and convert it into progress: craft the upgrade, sort the material, save the route note, or mark the blocker as solved. If the route fails, do not repeat the same swim blindly. Change one variable at a time: enter from a clearer landmark, reduce inventory clutter, bring the missing tool, or wait until oxygen and vehicle support match the route. That turns a failed resource route into better field knowledge instead of another full-inventory wander.
How to use this in-game
Turn this note into one action before leaving base: decide the objective, keep only the materials or tools that support it, then stop the route once the scan, pickup, or landmark is confirmed. This keeps the guide useful even when Early Access patches move small details.
Common mistakes
Crafting a flashy module before solving depth limits.
Taking the Tadpole into new depth immediately after an untested upgrade.
Skipping storage planning before long vehicle runs.
FAQ
Is this guide for the current Subnautica 2 build?
This page is written for Early Access and includes a visible update date. Treat exact values as tracking notes until the current build is field-tested.
Does this page use official screenshots?
Pages combine attributed official Steam / Unknown Worlds media, local gameplay frame captures, and source-video evidence cards. New player-submitted captures should keep the route, timestamp, and build context attached.
Community notes
Add a field report
Player reports enter a moderation queue. Approved notes can load from Supabase; pending drafts stay visible in this browser for follow-up.
Near starter shallows
Approx. 70-120m from pod
Confirm oxygen before leaving the first landmark. The route is much safer when you mark the return path before collecting side materials.
Guide-wide
N/A
Creature patrol ranges and fragment placement can shift between builds, so treat exact distances as field estimates until multiple players confirm them.