Try To Reach The Abyss Submarine Evolution Guide

Quick answer

Your submarine evolves into powerful new forms every 5 levels in Try To Reach The Abyss. Evolution is tied directly to your level, so the fastest way to your next evolution is to keep leveling up — earn Speed by stepping out at outposts, and level up while exploring deeper. The game does not name the evolved forms or describe their appearance in advance, so the change is something you see happen to your own submarine as you cross each 5-level milestone.

• Evolution happens every 5 levels.
• Levels come from the normal play loop: outposts, Speed, and exploring deeper.
• The official description only calls the results 'powerful new forms' — no names or appearance details are given.

The evolution schedule: every 5 levels

Try To Reach The Abyss ties submarine evolution to a simple, fixed rhythm: every 5 levels, your submarine evolves into a powerful new form. That means you do not need a special item, a hidden location, or a separate evolution action — reaching the next multiple of 5 levels is itself the trigger. Level 5, level 10, level 15, and so on are the points where your current form gives way to the next one.

Because the schedule is level-based rather than time-based or distance-based, everything you do to level up is also progress toward your next evolution.

How you level up toward the next evolution

Evolution is fed by the game's core loop, which works like this:

Checklist

• Spawn your submarine and hop in

  Start each run in your submarine and follow the outpost marker.

• Step OUT at outposts to earn Speed

  Speed is earned specifically by stepping out of the submarine at outposts — staying inside doesn't do it.

• Spend upgrade points on Speed gains, hull, and torpedoes

  Outposts also give a free upgrade point when you reach them, and you improve Speed gains, hull, and torpedoes with the points you have.

• Level up while exploring deeper

  Leveling up also makes your submarine move faster, which compounds with your Speed investment.

The loop and the evolution system reinforce each other. Stepping out at outposts earns Speed; spending upgrade points on Speed gains makes each future outpost visit pay off more; leveling up itself makes the submarine move faster; and every 5 levels, that accumulated leveling converts into a new, more powerful submarine form. If you feel your progress toward the next evolution stalling, the answer is almost always the same: get to the next outpost, step out, bank Speed, and keep pushing deeper.

How to recognize the new form

Here it's worth being precise about what the game actually tells you. The official description describes evolutions only as "powerful new forms" every 5 levels — it does not name the forms, describe what they look like, or list specific stat effects for each one. So there is no official checklist of form names to match against.

What you can rely on instead:

• The level counter. Crossing a multiple of 5 levels is when the evolution happens, so the most reliable recognition method is simply watching your level. If you just hit level 5, 10, or 15, an evolution has occurred on that milestone.
• Your own submarine's appearance. Since each evolution is a new form of your submarine, the visible change happens to the craft you're piloting. When you cross a milestone, look at your submarine — the new form is what's now swimming in front of you.
• Movement as a supporting signal. Every level-up makes your submarine move faster, so shortly after a milestone you should also notice improved speed layered on top of whatever the new form brings.

Where evolution fits in the rest of the run

A more powerful submarine form doesn't replace the other progression systems — it stacks with them. Hull upgrades and torpedo upgrades (bought with upgrade points) and abilities (unlocked with Research Data) all keep working alongside whatever form you're currently in. Deeper zones like glowing caves and forgotten valleys, and hazards like sea monsters, are where a stronger form and better upgrades matter most.

If you want a broader view of how leveling, upgrade points, and Speed fit together around evolution, the progression guide covers the whole arc, and the how-to-play guide walks through the basic loop step by step.