PRETZELS, SEAWEED, & HYDROPHONES: CREATING THE OCEAN SOUNDS OF LIFE BELOW

New developer video from Megapop delves into the sounds of the deep

Leicester UK - 11th February 2026 

Megapop has released a new developer video for Life Below, shining a spotlight on the intricate and creative sound design behind the upcoming underwater city builder.

This latest video centres on Life Below's composer and sound designer, Julie Buchanan, who takes viewers deep into the process of crafting the game's audio landscape. Using real marine field recordings as a foundation, Julie explains how sound plays a vital role in shaping the emotional tone of the underwater world. From the unsettling stillness of a degraded coral reef to the rich, lively soundscape of a thriving ecosystem, audio becomes a powerful storytelling tool.

Julie also reveals the unconventional techniques used to bring the ocean's inhabitants to life. By recording everything from pretzels and seaweed to her own voice, she created the distinctive sounds of more than 50 fish and sea creatures, blending organic recordings with subtle synthetic elements.

The video also explores Julie's technical setup, including specially coated underwater microphones known as hydrophones, and her hands-on, experimental approach to sound creation.

Players can watch the full developer video now and follow the project for future updates.

Life Below is scheduled to launch this year on Windows PC and is available to wishlist now on Steam.