Although Obsidian Entertainment is often known for its sprawling epic RPGs, one of my favorite works from its catalog is 2022’sGrounded, a cooperative survival game that spent roughly two years in early access. Now the crew is back in action withGrounded 2, continuing the conspiratorialHoney I Shrunk The Kidsstoryline with a survival game twist.
Grounded 2,like its predecessor,keeps things light while you’re fighting for survival. After an in-game cartoon ad and an intro framed around a news story, you’re thrown right back into the shrunken world of Brookhollow Park, all set to the theme of the 1990s. If you were a fan of the original, this onewill likely keep you coming backfor more survival-based adventures.
The Park Is More Expansive Than The Backyard
I Was Instantly More Interested In This New Sandbox
Grounded 2is still a survival and crafting game,albeit with a ton of lessons learned and quality of life upgrades. Everything is punchier and faster, and the tutorial felt much more streamlined than before. After waking up in a lab, you’ll pick up the basics, then wander out in the park to do some proper exploring.
Even playing solo, I felt that the tutorial was sufficientfor showing me the ropes, and when combined with the guided progression system, it was never intrusive. It took me around 15 minutes to get into the meat of the park, and then the game reminded me that I could toggle off any other help, and just explore and have fun.
Customization Is Key In Grounded 2
There’s A Ton Of Ways To Play
Grounded 2’s breezy progression systemis a middle groundthat I’d love to see more survival games implement. As younger fans enter the fray, they may need a little help, and folks can go as long as they want with guided pop-ups before turning them off.
It’s a win-win, helping you gradually figure outhow to harvest everything you can and become self-sufficient, while slowly unraveling what happened and why you’re once again part of a potentially sinister experiment. The research UI is similarly simple, showing a clear pathway to additional tools, while breadcrumbing what ingredients future unlocks may hold. Everything feels interlinked and intuitive without being too hand-holdy, including combat.
Standout accessibility options include: Text size and HUD toggles, colorblind mode, reticle options, text-to-speech, and Arachnaphobia Safe Mode.
A mode selector should help every type of gamer as well, with options for mild, medium, and “whoa” challenge levels, on top of a creative mode sandbox and custom rulesets. In case you’re wondering,Grounded 2retains the “Arachnophobia Mode” of the original game. Warning you that the sequel contains “spiders that are often much larger than the player,” you may turn on Arachnaphobia Safe Mode in the accessibility options menu.
The Punchier Dialogue Drew Me In
There’s A Lot Of Levity
From a presentation perspective,Grounded 2nails the “Disney Afternoon” ’90s aesthetic, complete with some upgraded and overhauled outdoor visuals to boot. The dialogue is punchy and to the point without overdoing it, and each character (Max, Willow, Pete, Hoops) has a unique way of looking at the world to the point whereI felt compelled to start a new runjust to see what they’d say.
The lore is a bit more interesting and grander this time, too. Instead of falling victim to a mad scientist in a backyard, you’re now caught in a web that has a giant corporation at the center, complete with “who do I trust” vibes.I was far more invested in this narrative in the sequel, not just from the perspective of eventually escaping the park, but in terms of unraveling the greater conspiracy.
Grounded 2isentering early access today, and I hope Obsidian keeps listening to feedback and refines this sequel into something even better than the original. Given the lessons learned from the first game, plus another early access period, there’s so much potential here the second time around.
