Grounded 2 review: Bigger, better, and crawling with new critters

Grounded 2 is a triumphant sequel, albeit not in the conventional sense. It’s a sequel that opts for subtle refinement over radical innovation and while that may draw some criticism, it’s of my opinion that Obsidian Entertainment made exactly the right call. The original Grounded tapped into something very special, creating a survival experience that retained a sense of accessibility, fun, and wonder, so why risk rocking the boat?

While it’s launching in early access (or game preview as it’s referred to on Xbox), it’s already abundantly clear that Grounded 2 is the experience developers wished they could have launched three years ago when Grounded’s full release arrived. It’s bigger, it’s better, and most importantly, it’s crawling with tons of new critters.

Grounded 2 is aptly set two years after the events of the first game. In an attempt to redeem itself, Ominent hosts an unveiling ceremony in Brookhollow Park where the once-disgraced company plans on dedicating a statue to the original game’s heroic teens, Pete, Max, Willow, and Hoops, who successfully overcame the evil Dalton Schmector. However, during the ceremony, our fearless foursome are shrunk down once again leaving them lost in the depths of the park where they’ll face a brand new threat.

The question I suspect some people may be asking is ‘Do I need to have played Grounded to enjoy Grounded 2?’ and to that I’d say no. While this is a sequel through and through, it’s obvious that Obsidian Entertainment has also crafted it as a jumping on point for new players. The opening scene is essentially a news reel, handily recapping the rough events of the first game for those who need to be brought up to speed; following that, there’s a generous tutorial that introduces you to the game’s mechanics.

Those mechanics centre around crafting and fighting for your life. Being smaller than an ant in a public park is pretty perilous, it turns out. Players will need to harvest the natural materials around them, crafting weapons and armour to fend off deadly bugs whilst building camps and bases to retreat to, whether that’s to craft and prepare upgrades, hatch a bug (more on that later), or to eat, hydrate and rest. All of these are needs you’ll need to keep an eye on.

As I said, for the most part, none of that will sound all that new to returning players but that’s not a criticism as, for me at least, the formula that Obsidian has created never gets old. Shifting across from Grounded, it’s strange leaving my self-crafted fortress behind. As the night grew dark and I sat in front of my measly campfire waiting for my weevil meat to cook, I felt vulnerable, as if anything could snatch me out from my pitiful lean-to.

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It didn’t and I did, of course, survive that first night but while it was eerily spooky listening to the rustling of the nearby grass, I also felt such joy from returning back to basics. There’s a confidence that you accrue amidst your playthrough of Grounded, and I personally appreciated the devs’ decision to return us all to a state of susceptibility this time around.

One notable difference in Grounded 2 is that you’ll no longer need to switch between a ton of different tools when it comes to harvesting materials. In a welcomed quality-of-life change, Obsidian has introduced the Omni-Tool which is a jack of all trades. It’ll switch between chopping, digging, and hammering seamlessly, allowing for a much more streamlined experience. While it’s a subtle change, it’s certainly important as returning players know just how reliant on foraging your survival is. When the gameplay centres around collecting materials, you don’t want that activity to feel like a chore.

And naturally, you can upgrade your Omni-Tool in time, allowing you to access even better materials and thus better weapons and armour. And you’ll need those as you venture even further out into Brookhollow Park. During its early access phase, Brookhollow Park is equal in size to the final full-launch version of the original Grounded’s map. Already, it feels huge; more like a jungle than a park. Trash cans look like skyscrapers, whilst discarded drinks cans attract the attention of spiders who use the hollow openings to weave a new webby home.

It’s wild to think then that Grounded 2 is set to be three times the size of the original game when devs have finished extending the map over the coming months and years. As I said, the scale of the park just makes everything feel so much more daunting this time around, especially as the enlarged space allows for new bug species to thrive. The foes you love to loathe are back; honestly, I could barely move two-yards without running into an Orb Weaver. They’re everywhere (there is an arachnophobia setting if you want them to look a little sillier).

Those returning foes are joined by plenty of new faces, for lack of a better term, all of which I welcomed the arrival of for variety’s sake. Naturally, it was pretty pleasant seeing a snail or caterpillar slowly crawl by. Just please don’t ask me about my investigation of the fallen ice cream truck which forms a new arctic-style zone; I’m not emotionally ready to talk about the barrage of scorpions I found residing inside. Needless to say, they didn’t love my intrusion.

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There is a dodge function this time around, which I can’t believe wasn’t in the original game. You also don’t have to face off against these nasties alone. It goes without saying that you can buddy up with a friend via multiplayer but what I’m actually referring to is the game’s new hatching system where players will be able to breed their own friendly bugs which serve as mounts and aids. You can now craft a hatchery at your base, but actually hatching a bug requires sourcing an egg and let’s face it, no species leaves its eggs out in the open nor unguarded. Should you succeed in obtaining an egg, you’ll place yourself in a much better position with regards to your survival.

Mounts are incredibly important when it comes to traversing the game’s map, especially as ziplines are not present during this early access phase. They can also assist you in battle too. Yes, you can turn the tables and use the ferocity of an Orb Weaver against fellow bugs. I actually found Red Soldier Ants to be an incredibly handy mount despite it being the first type you unlock. With that in mind, they’re far from being the most powerful mount option. What ant mounts can do though is assist with digging and the gathering of materials. Ants love to follow one another and your mount will be able to gather a couple of workers to join you in a charming little posse.

While Grounded 2’s story unfolds in much the same way as the original Grounded’s did (in other words, via tapes and the discovery of labs), I did find this latest iteration slightly more engaging. Perhaps it’s just because it’s packed with so much mystery, which is also why it’s difficult to talk about. Whether it’s vague references to a mysterious individual or a worrying transmission from an old friend, Grounded 2 is quick to set up this elusive new threat and it’s one that left me avidly following story quests, desperate for answers.

In many ways, Grounded 2 is more of the same but I don’t think anyone came away from that first outing asking for anything different. Feedback has been taken on board with this sequel offering a larger map, new bugs, a mount system, alongside other refined and retuned features that make for an experience that is more seamless, more immersive, and an undeniable improvement over what came before. Obsidian Entertainment came into this project with great foundations. Grounded 2 may be in early access, but it’s already the definitive way to experience this franchise.

Pros: New bugs, intriguing story, refined mechanics, bigger map, the return of everything you loved about the first game

Cons: It can oftentimes feel like ‘more of the same’ but that’s a small critique when the first game was so good

For fans of: Grounded, Valheim, Minecraft

9/10: Exceptional

Grounded 2 is set to release in early access today, on 29 July, on Xbox Series S (version tested), Xbox Series X, and PC. A review code was provided by the publisher. Read a guide to our review scores here.