Norwegian developer Megapop has revealed a new gameplay trailer for its sub-aquatic city builder Life Below, coinciding with the game’s debut at Gamescom 2025. A playable demo is now available on Steam as well as on the show floor in Hall 7.1.
The trailer highlights the game’s core loop: keeping damaged reefs alive in a climate-impacted ocean where the rules are constantly shifting. Players will place energy-producing Moon Coral, craft lures to attract wildlife, and balance biodiversity to maintain evolving ecosystems. The emphasis is less on traditional roads and skyscrapers and more on making sure coral doesn’t wither while the seas change around it.
Life Below casts players in the role of guardian Thalassa, tasked by the “voice of nature” to protect the Heart of the Reef. By channeling its energy, she must grow new coral structures, restore balance, and push back against collapsing ecosystems before the ocean flatlines completely.
The project is written by award-winning video game writer Rhianna Pratchett, who brings narrative weight to the near-future setting. Rather than a pristine fantasy ocean, players will navigate a world shaped by climate impact, where adaptation is key to survival.
Scheduled for release on Windows PC in 2026, Life Below aims to put an ecological spin on the city-building genre, trading skylines for kelp forests and skyscrapers for coral blooms. The Gamescom 2025 demo offers an early chance to see whether this shift beneath the waves works as well in practice as it does on paper. Check it out on Steam.
