Grounded 2 is now in early access, suspending some impressive creativity and ambition before fixing its bugs and technical faults. Even though the first act of this release is the only one out, which is about 25 hours long, it already manages to do everything better than the first part. Thus, this is likely to be a huge jump for survival games.
Players will find themselves and up to three friends shrunken down to ant size in a massive suburban park in the sequel, which tees up a fresh spin on the classic “shrunk-down” adventure. As players engage in combat with gigantic bugs, they build ingenious bases from commonplace items; meanwhile, they discover secrets hidden in a mysterious company that has a fascination for making children miniatures.
More Character, More Humour, More Heart
Unlike many other games, Grounded 2 will have both characterisation and comedy. The four protagonists of the returning cast are almost alarmingly at ease with their tiny predicament as they crack jokes and chat throughout where they go. Sloane Beaumont, our main guide, pulls a memorable appearance and act as a step grossly, mischievous, with plenty of humour. The writing and pacing have evolved overall, with story beats always present rather than hidden away behind long gameplay sequences.
New Regions and Exploration Opportunities
A backyard gig is now a park which has all sorts of new spaces. Notable features include an ice cream cart that has toppled over and become a cold wasteland, a tall statue begging to be climbed, and a cobbled garden winding in and out. At the moment, some areas feel a touch too familiar due to locations that appeared in the first game, such as bushy bushes and a volcanic fallen grill. Yet a large part of the park is still off limits and we can expect the variety and surprises of the later stages of the original to come later.
Gameplay Innovations and RPG Progression
Grounded 2 expands and improves upon the mechanics of the original game. The addition of returning systems such as enemy encounters, the mutation upgrade path, and a familiar array of weapons should delight fans of the original, according to Playtech Analyst Matthew Stover. Nonetheless, the follow-up features a useful omni-tool that replaces having to carry multiple tools, and repairs are gone, making this a pleasant quality-of-life upgrade.
The most significant gameplay change comes from the game’s new class system, whereby players will be allowed to choose to specialise as a rogue, mage, or one of the other distinctive classes of character, each of which has their own equipment and stat bonus. This system makes official and deepens a diversity of playstyles that the original only hinted at. It allows for tactical choices that truly matter and rewards experimentation.
Riding Insects Change Everything For Good
An important new feature is the ability to hatch and tame insects as mounts. These ‘external stallions’ changes direction and tactics. The red soldier ant is capable of transporting large loads and breaking down barriers while the orb-weaver spider scuttles on spider silk and frightens its enemies. Now adventurers can easily walk the map, help friends in danger, and fight on horseback, adding further excitement to exploration and combat.
Base Creation and Character Diversity: Opportunity for Expansion
Grounded 2 does a lot of things well but building bases is much the same. Although the construction system does its job, it can feel disjointed at times, with objects placed awkwardly on uneven surfaces. There is definitely room for improvement with early access.
Enemy variety is another area that’s still developing. Most enemies will look familiar to those who played the first game, whereas those who got the first are missing. Although fierce butterflies that freeze opponents and sharp mantises are exciting, new creatures will most likely be added as we access more parts of the park.
Performance issues: Technical problems on Early Access
Performance is still one of the game’s most significant hurdles. Playing with big bases and heavy resource gathering may cause framerates to drop and cause the game to crash occasionally. Also may cause some minor bugs like enemies getting stuck. When we are talking about problems of this sort, they are usual for early access release, so be mindful of that if you’re sensitive to technical roughness. Nevertheless, the bulk of the experience is strong enough to carry players through.
The Verdict: A Small World With a Big Future
Although it is not complete or a bit buggy, Grounded 2 offers an inventive, ambitious and fun survival experience. The new RPG systems, unique mounts, and likeable cast leave a nice impression for the future. As things stand, if there are further enhancements to opponent variety, map assortment, base construction, and performance, this sequel can turn out to be a classic in the genre.