Grounded 2—Review

Before We Begin

Just wanted to start off this review by saying that I played Grounded 2 when it first came out a few months ago, so yes, this is a late review, but since I just started the site, I figured it'd be a fun one to make. So, without further ado, the Grounded 2 Review! (hehe... kind of rhymed.)

SLIGHT ARACHNOPHOBIA WARNING! (No images of spiders, but a couple of scorpions)

Tiny Once Again!

After getting hopelessly addicted to the first game earlier this year, I was not only shocked when the second was announced but also hyped beyond belief. Now, a little background on me: I'm not the biggest fan of survival games. I've tried many in the genre but never quite clicked with most. The first Grounded, however, really sunk its teeth into me and wouldn't let go. Something about the cartoonish '80s aesthetic and the shrunken nature of everything really spoke to me.

So now, it's back. Not only back but better than ever, in my opinion. Okay, let me give you a deep dive into what exactly made me keep playing this game and why I gave it 4 hearts out of 5, despite loving it this much.

Bigger and Better World

The second you boot up the game, you'll notice that things have changed a bit. Some of the recipes have been altered, and others are out of order in how you obtain them. I think these smaller changes to the existing formula really keep the gameplay and discovery aspect of the game feeling fresh and unique instead of being a clone of the original.

Now, the world itself is a massive upgrade, literally. In the original, you had the backyard to explore with a few cool locations and environments, but in Grounded 2, not only is the map roughly 50% larger, but it's filled to the brim with things to discover.

Featuring a desert area, a swampy area, a frozen area, and tons more biomes, it really helps keep the exploration aspect alive. Not to mention the countless hidden spots and dungeon-like caves you can explore throughout the map.

Building a New Home

One aspect I was always curious about going into Grounded 2 was how the building and crafting improved compared to the first. Honestly, not a significant amount. There's plenty of new materials, walls, roofs, designs, and everything else you could need, but nothing in particular stood out as a massive upgrade. Which isn't too much of a fault, as I felt the building aspect was fine in the original.

After exploring for a while in the world, though, you'll soon discover that building multiple homes or bases is sort of a necessity. Since the map is much larger than the first and the fact that some quests and tasks require you to hop back and forth from one side of the map to the other, it's best to have multiple places to heal up and store your precious materials.

Wizard, Warrior, or Archer

Yep, that's possible in Grounded 2. I think one big change to the game compared to the first is the fact that right from the beginning, you essentially craft a specific build for your character. With mutations and specific upgrades for gear, you can focus your playstyle in any way that you choose. It might not be full RPG level customization, but it does add a fun and cool flavor to the gameplay that genuinely makes it engaging.

A Helping Hand

Minor Spoilers ahead! (Though if you watched the trailers, you'd probably already know): Another extremely welcome addition to the game is rideable bugs! For now, you can only ride as ants or spiders, but they promise to add more later, such as a Ladybug.

I was honestly shocked by how much of a difference the buggies made to the whole experience. Because of the enormous map and bugs all over the place, your buggy really helps you tremendously in all kinds of situations. They're far quicker at traversing around, can carry additional items for you, will help fight off other bugs, and even allow you to enter areas that you couldn't without them. If one thing about this game really changed the formula the most, I'd have to say the buggies.

The Story Continues

Okay, so I won't go into too much detail about the story for the sake of spoilers, even for the original. However, I will say that I found the story of Grounded 2 to be even more engaging and interesting than the original. While the original was a decent and fun story throughout, it didn't really do a whole lot for most of the game.

Grounded 2, on the other hand, really shines in this area. While many of the gameplay and world enhancements are great, the story is what feels like the most significant change. Grounded 2 is still an early access title, and yet I feel like the characters and the mystery it presents are already an enticing concept.

Oh, and if you love finding lore bits and hidden clues about the story, then you'll have a ball with Grounded 2 because they are everywhere.

My Final Thoughts

While I could go on and on about the improvements and additions to the game and how much fun I had playing it, I feel like this is a good place to stop. However, I do want to highlight a few things that were particularly great for me. The arachnophobia mode is such a welcome addition for someone who has it, especially considering that the spiders in Grounded 2 are way more terrifying than the original. Also, the visuals and performance, I felt at least, were much improved compared to the first.

So, after all of this, why did I give it 4 out of 5 hearts? Well, it's for one simple reason only, because the game is still in early access. Even though the game is already nearly the length of the original and is much improved, I feel like I can't honestly give it a higher score until the full game is released. Especially since the story is not finished and some areas are not fully developed yet.

Grounded 2 is a fantastic game, and even if you aren't a fan of survival games like I was, I still recommend you try it out for yourself. Thank you for reading and your support; it means the world. See you later!