Obsidian Entertainment is on a bit of a hot streak, eh? After a couple of big hitters this year, you’d think they’d take a smoko. But nah, they’ve gone and done it again, teaming up with Eidos Montreal to shrink us all back down to the size of a flip-flop. Grounded 2 has landed in Early Access, and I’ve chucked a fair few hours into it to see what’s what.
So, let’s get into it.
Shrunk Again, But the World Is much larger.
If you’ve been living under a rock (or a peblet, more like), the first Grounded was a massive hit. Four kids get zapped by a shrink ray, chucked in a backyard, and have to survive against spiders the size of sheepdogs. It was brilliant.
Well, in Grounded 2, it’s happened all over again. The same crew, now two years older, find themselves ant-sized once more, but this time they’re lost in the massive expanse of Brookhollow Park. The dodgy Ominent corporation is back at it, and the story kicks off with a bang. Dr. Tully, the scientist from the first game, has seemingly gone berserk, and your trusty robot mate BURGL is in bits. You’re left with a whole lot of questions and a very big, very dangerous world to survive in.
Image Credit: Obsidian Entertainment
The story gets you hooked pretty quick. You’re chatting on video calls with a sketchy corporate type, Sloan Bowmont, who gives off that classic “I’m helping, but am I really?” vibe. It’s a great setup, and while it’s still early days, the mystery of what’s really going on is a solid reason to push through the wilderness.
Image Credit: Obsidian Entertainment
If It Ain’t Broke, Make It Bigger
Let’s be clear: if you loved the first Grounded, you’ll feel right at home here. The core loop is the same – gather, craft, build, and try not to get eaten. But everything feels bigger and a bit more polished. Brookhollow Park is a huge step up from the backyard. You’ve got everything from a tipped-over ice-cream cart creating a frozen biome to the smouldering pits of a campfire. It’s a proper adventure playground.
One of the best new changes is the Omni-tool. Instead of crafting an axe, a shovel, and a hammer and juggling them in your inventory, you now have one tool that does it all. It’s a simple change but makes getting out and about so much smoother, leaving more room for all the loot you’ll be hoarding. You upgrade it with Raw Science, a glowing purple goo you’ll find hidden around the park, which lets you chop tougher weeds and smash bigger rocks to get the good stuff.
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Base-building is back and just as fun. You can set up your fortress almost anywhere, snapping walls and floors together to build a sweet-as pad. I did get a bit miffed that some spots seemed off-limits for building for no clear reason, like a perfect spot at the base of a lamppost. Hopefully, that gets loosened up a bit as development goes on.
Image Credit: Obsidian Entertainment
Giddy Up, Little Ant!
The absolute game-changer in Grounded 2 is the mounts. Or as the game calls them, “Buggy.” Early on, you’re sent on a hectic mission deep into an ant nest to pinch a soldier ant egg. Bring it back, hatch it, and boom – you’ve got your very own ant to ride.
Mate, this is awesome. The park is massive, and getting around on foot can be a real drag. These ants are quick, making resource runs a breeze. They can carry heaps of grass planks and weed stems, and even have their own inventory. You can even get them into a scrap. While you can attack while mounted, you can also hop off and your ant will keep fighting alongside you, turning a tricky 1-v-1 into a much fairer fight. It makes the whole experience so much more dynamic.
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The Bug Hunt: Combat and… Other Bugs
Fighting the local wildlife feels better than ever. You can now dodge, which is a lifesaver when you’re cornered by something with way too many legs. The combat just feels more responsive, whether you’re playing in first or third-person. You can craft all sorts of gear to suit your style, from bows and arrows to heavy hammers or even a “Candy Stave” that’s basically a wizard staff.
Of course, the park is crawling with new beasties. Scorpions will burst out of the ground and give you a real fright, and there are heaps of other critters, both hostile and harmless. Learning their attack patterns and weaknesses is key.
Image Credit: Obsidian Entertainment
However, it wouldn’t be Early Access without the other kind of bugs, would it? The performance is a bit crook at the moment. As noted by players on Steam, even on a decent rig, the game can stutter and drop frames, especially when you’re zooming around on your ant. A developer has said they’re working on “major optimizations” which is good to hear. I also ran into a few crashes and saw some enemies get stuck in the ground. It’s nothing game-breaking, but something to be aware of.
Image via Steam Community
The Verdict (For Now)
Look, Grounded 2 is basically more Grounded, and that is absolutely not a bad thing. It takes the solid foundation of the first game and expands on it with a massive new world, some great quality-of-life tweaks, and the brilliant addition of ant mounts.
Yeah, it’s a bit rough around the edges with performance issues and bugs, but the devs are on to it. For an Early Access title, there’s a heap of content here already – some are saying the main story is about 20 hours long, which could easily turn into 100 hours of gameplay if you’re a keen builder.
If you were a fan of the original, jumping in now is a no-brainer. It’s familiar fun on a grander scale. If you’re new to the series, you’re in for a treat, but maybe wait for a patch or two if performance issues get on your nerves. Either way, this is a solid start, and I can’t wait to see how this tiny world grows. She’ll be right.
Image Credit: Obsidian Entertainment