Grounded was a game I played through with Michael in co-op, but I also sank countless solo hours into my own saves. I have so many hours on that game, and honestly, lost my mind when they announced Grounded 2. I caught a bad cold this week, so I haven’t played as much as I wanted—especially with Super Earth also calling for backup (thanks, Helldivers 2). Still, I managed to play with Michael over the weekend—and in this post, I’ll be sharing both of our early impressions.
We’re once again the size of keychains, tossed into the chaos of the oversized outdoors. After only two years of trying to work out the PTSD (thanks, Obsidian) we’ve all had because of Orb Weavers, Wolf Spiders, and Black Ox Beetles, we’re out fighting for our tiny lives once again. But why are we small again? And why, instead of it being in a backyard, is this all happening in a park? A friggin park! The map is so much bigger than in the previous game. With over 10 hours in, I’ve barely scratched 20–30% of the map.
Grounded 2 starts you off in a similar fashion to its prequel, by walking you through the basic controls. I honestly appreciate that, because it doesn’t always click right away. The controls feel smooth—until you hop into co-op. We’ve encountered either slight lag in some cases while playing, or the latest case: my screen completely froze just as a Wolf Spider was walking straight to me. Needless to say – haha, I died. But this still image on my screen lasted about 3-5 seconds. In a world where every second can mean the difference between squashing or being squashed… this isn’t a nice thing to experience.
Other than those hiccups we came across, the game just looks amazing. The blades of grass, the textures, the updated creature designs—everything feels more polished. It’s like they dialed everything up a notch from Grounded 1, especially the bug details. Sometimes I just stop and look around, because they’ve done a great job with this game. That is, until I am interrupted by the newly introduced cockroach with its entourage of babies.
We’ve been having so much fun – also stressful moments- while playing together from scrambling to stock bandages and food before an Orb Weaver fight, to naming our own ant buggies (think of them as cars). I’ve dubbed mine Anthony, and Michael’s ant is Antonio. Going around with your own ant is something that we’ve all been wanting since Grounded 1. I’m so happy that they’ve added it around this time (they can even carry your stuff!), and I wonder if they have any expansions to other bugs that we can domesticate.
As you might’ve guessed, I’m in charge of healing items, food, and base design. Michael’s the adventurer, the brawler, the insect-parts collector. So with our powers combined (and a few near-death experiences), we’re holding our own in Grounded 2.
Right now, we’re fully hooked on Grounded 2. We still panic a bit when our ant buddies get injured mid-battle—but we’re learning to toughen up (kind of). We’re excited to dive deeper into the story, uncover new areas of the map, and see what weird and wonderful insects are waiting to jump-scare us next.
We’re just scratching the surface of this giant park—what should we explore next? Share your suggestions or survival stories with us!
