Grounded 2: Did Obsidian Cast a Better Shrinking Spell This Time, Or Just a Bigger One?
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Jeff dives into Grounded 2's early access, revealing how Obsidian’s latest shrinking adventure isn't just bigger, but genuinely evolves the formula with game-changing mounts and smart quality-of-life improvements, making it a compelling, albeit still-developing, experience for both solo and co-op players.
Alright, so you know that feeling when a sequel just… appears? Like someone cast a teleportation spell on a development studio and *poof*, a new game is on your doorstep? That’s kinda how Grounded 2 landed for a lot of us, and fair dinkum, my first thought was, 'Reckon this is just Grounded 1, but with a different shade of grass?' Well, I've been tinkering with this one for a bit, diving deep into the microscopic world Obsidian Entertainment (with a little help from Eidos Montreal, mind you!) has conjured, and bloody hell, it’s wilder than I first thought.
This whole piece is me putting on my most curious wizard hat, sifting through the digital tea leaves to give you the lowdown, originally inspired by the ace insights from Robert Purchese over at Eurogamer, who kicked off this line of thinking for me. (Seriously, go give their original early access review a read if you want the nitty-gritty: Eurogamer's Grounded 2 Early Access Review).
Now, at its core, Grounded 2 is still that familiar co-op survival romp where you’re shrunk down to ant-size and forced to survive in a backyard that suddenly feels like a terrifying, vibrant jungle. You’re still chopping grass blades the size of ancient sequoias, sipping dew drops like they’re mystical elixirs, and chasing down aphids for a quick protein fix. The crafting loops, the mystery of 'who shrunk us and why?'—it's all there, building on the foundations Grounded 1 laid. But here's the kicker: is it *just* a bigger backyard (or in this case, a park), or has Obsidian actually brewed a better potion this time around?
Initially, I was in two minds. Early glimpses showed flashes, but also moments where I felt like I was wading through treacle, especially playing solo. But having now sunk a good chunk of hours into it, both alone and with mates, I'm more than confident in telling you: this isn't just a justifiable sequel, mate, it’s a proper leap forward. It’s the next generation of this tiny terror idea.
The 'why' behind this glow-up is pretty clever. Instead of just bolting more onto the original, Obsidian decided to build anew. This meant porting the whole shebang to a new engine. And let me tell you, the fidelity jump, particularly in the lighting, makes the magnified world feel even more stunningly real – and terrifying. But more importantly, it allowed them to design the whole playing space from the ground up to support genuinely new gameplay ideas. And the biggest, most exciting one? Mounts. Yes, you heard me. You can now gallop across this ridiculously vast, magnified landscape on the back of an ant or, if you're feeling particularly brave (or just a bit unhinged), an orb weaver spider. Sounds bonkers, right?
These mounts are absolute game-changers, and not just because you can outrun those terrifying wolf spiders more reliably (which, believe me, is a godsend). They speed up exploration immensely, but also, crucially, they have their *own* massive inventories. Died in a scrap? Your backpack of goodies drops, as per survival game tradition. Your mount kicks the bucket? Its inventory teleports safely back to base. This simple tweak means you’re far less terrified of losing those rare, hard-earned bug parts. My ant, Betty, became my best mate – a base-building beast, chomping through materials faster than I could swing an axe and hauling twice what I could. And in combat? She's a brilliant distraction, letting me flank enemies like a tiny, tactical wizard. Seriously, the companionship feels straight out of 'Honey I Shrunk the Kids,' pulling on those heartstrings you didn't even know you had for a bug. Even the orb weaver mount with its little leg warmers is kinda cute, somehow.
Now, with mounts, the world had to get bigger, and it has. There's a much stronger sense of distinct zones, often clustered around towering landmarks like giant wooden lecterns or picnic tables. Initially, this lack of a direct compass on the map had me pulling my hair out, feeling like I’d stumbled into a pocket dimension without a GPS. But, like learning to navigate a new city in real life, I started to pick up the landmarks, climbing to the top of grass blades or bins for a better view, and suddenly, it clicked. It feels organic, rewarding. And while some areas are still a bit sparse (it *is* early access, remember?), the expansiveness means tougher enemies are more naturally corralled into later-game zones, saving you from a premature, fiery death by scorpion.
Speaking of fiery deaths, the new status effects are a proper treat. Wandering into the smouldering barbecue area might give you the 'sizzling' debuff, while the tipped-over ice-cream cart area can 'chill' you to the bone. This isn't just cosmetic; you need specific gear to mitigate these effects. Even better, you can harness them yourself, leading to new equipment types and adding layers of strategy to combat. Enemies have resistances and vulnerabilities, which, coupled with new player dodge moves and better blocking, means you’re thinking less about 'whack-whack-whack' and more about 'how do I pull off this glorious Monster Hunter-esque takedown?' While I often stuck to one reliable build, the potential for varied tactical approaches, especially on harder difficulties or in multiplayer, is immense.
The story and quests, too, feel well-integrated and genuinely exciting. Objectives frequently throw you into genuinely tricky situations, forcing you to push your limits. Stealing a soldier ant egg to get your first mount, for instance, is an exhilarating, frantic scramble from a furious ant hill. After 30+ hours, I'm still discovering new quests, which feels incredibly generous.
But where Grounded 2 truly comes alive, where it casts its most potent spell, is in multiplayer. With up to three other mates, the sheer joy of marveling at this magnified world together is amplified. Base building, which can be a bit of a grind solo, becomes a rapid, collaborative effort with mounted friends hauling in resources. And the combat? With friends, the game’s subtle class-like elements really shine. Rogue-like ambush damage, mage-like elemental bombs, a tank taking the aggro – it starts to feel like a miniature MMO dungeon crawler. Facing huge, named bosses for special loot with a well-coordinated team is an absolute blast.
Now, don't get me wrong, the solo experience is still incredibly potent. Inching through that dangerous wilderness alone, scrapping for every bit of survival, remains one of the most tense and satisfying gaming experiences I've had. The feeling of gradually taming this wild backyard by yourself, finally smacking down that group of scorpions that used to flatten you, is immense. So no, you’re not *missing* something if you play alone, you’re just having a different, equally rewarding adventure.
It’s important to stress this: Grounded 2 is still in early access. We're likely looking at a two-year dev period, and a roadmap promises new mounts, new areas, more story, and system overhauls. It’s ultimately still 'under construction.' But here’s the optimistically chaotic part: there’s already *so much* here. Grounded 1 was an experiment, dazzling but a bit rough around the edges. Grounded 2, building on that foundation, feels fleshed out, more rounded, and just smarter.
Little things, like the 'hot deposit' feature (hold a button to instantly sort all your gathered loot into the correct chests), or how crafting stations for consumables use up materials you'll gather in abundance (like orb weaver parts) so they don't become useless – these are the subtle touches of genius. It screams that Obsidian has been paying attention, that they truly understand how people play these games. It’s workflow wizardry.
There's tweaking left to do, sure, but Grounded 2 already offers dozens of hours of genuinely enjoyable adventure. If Obsidian and Eidos can continue to fill out the world and deepen what's already there (and their track record with Grounded 1 suggests they absolutely will), then this could be another monstrous success. Grounded has evolved, mate. And I, for one, can't wait to see what other digital spells they’re brewing for it.
Tags: survival-crafting, early-access, obsidian-entertainment, multiplayer, indie-ish
Original article: Eurogamer