Grounded 2 Early Access Preview
I never played the original Grounded. Not through a lack of desire, but the early access model that the game employed simply wasn’t for me, and by the time the game would launch its 1.0 version, a little over two years after its initial EA release, the buzz had been killed for me somewhat. So with Grounded 2 on the way, promising new features, and a much larger space to explore with more secrets to uncover, and threats to thwart, the desire to jump into the game, no matter its state of development, is far greater within me. Thanks to Xbox Australia and Obsidian Entertainment and Eidos Montreal, I’ve had some early access to the Early Access build of Grounded 2, and already, I’m completely smitten by the experience.
It’s now 1992, and the kids of the original Grounded are a few years older than when players last encountered them, but they have once again found themselves, much to their dismay, shrunk back down, into minuscule versions of themselves. Grounded 2 has grown beyond the backyard to Brookhollow Park, a much larger and more ecologically diverse environment to explore. Players will uncover winding insect networks, environmental biomes, more remnants of human interference in the environment, and some particularly lethal bugs to face if you intend to make it out. Obsidian estimated that players would only be able to see approximately 20% of what Grounded 2 has in store with this Early Access launch version of the game, and yet, despite all that, I was quite amazed by the sheer size of the playspace, and the amount going on within it.
Grounded 2 builds upon the foundations paved by the original game. Obsidian has employed the old Epic Games mantra of “bigger, better, and more badass” to make Grounded 2 grander in scope and its feature set than the original, and while I never played the original game, I was extremely impressed by the additions and how they have been realised. The Omni-tool is a significant addition to the formula, streamlining gameplay by allowing players to break down objects, cut down grass, dig into the surface, and more, all with a single tool. Grounded 2 has also introduced the ability to tame insects and use them as mounts. In my time with the game, I was able to ride atop a red ant and even the orb weaver spider, using what is endearingly called the ‘buggy’ system. At face value, it seemed like this system would help cover terrain at a greater speed, before I realised how immediately useful either creature would be in my plans to splatter opposing insects, and even scale otherwise inaccessible parts of the park. There’s much more depth to this feature than initially meets the eye, and with Obsidian still to reveal so much more of the parkland, I cannot wait to see how much further the buggy system can take me. I see those butterflies, and cannot help but dream of flying above the surface, taking in the sights of all that is beneath me.
Of course, at its core, Grounded 2 is a survival game, and I really enjoyed the way the game has been balanced in its earliest stages. From setting up the essentials, to building out my gear with parts extracted from fallen insects, the game gradually eases you into the experience, and let’s you run free at just the right time. As a teacher, witnessing the gradual release of responsibility from developer to player, and how well it has been done, was wonderful to see. The combat feels great as well. Enemy AI is quite clever, and if you’re facing larger groups, don’t be surprised if you find yourself flanked, meaning that you will need to be on your toes at all times, dodging, blocking, and parrying, as opposed to recklessly flailing at whatever is in your sights.
There are a few features, like the ziplines that were in the previous game, that are currently absent, with Obsidian promising that they will look into the implementation of these features, but wanting to build these atop of the foundations of the buggy system, but the core of Grounded 2 is so solid, that I’m optimistic about how this, as well as other new and returning systems will integrate with what is already in place.
Grounded 2 is off to an exceptional start, and while I am disappointed that I never got to the original title, I’m delighted by the time I’ve spent with the sequel so far, and I’m eager to see how the game evolves in time. Obsidian Entertainment is having an all-time great year for any singular developer. Hopefully, it won’t take another two years before the remaining 80% of the game is added in.
Grounded 2 was played on Xbox Series X with a code kindly provided by Xbox Australia.
