Review: Grounded 2 - The Evolution of a Miniature Giant

Grounded 2 marks the return of the shrunken teenagers to Obsidian's microscopic universe. Released in Early Access on July 29th, 2025, for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Game Pass (Ultimate and PC), and Steam, the title draws attention for its ambition right from the start and relies on community engagement to shape its development.

The game represents an ambitious evolution of the survival formula in miniature that drew millions of players to the first game. Developed by Obsidian Entertainment in partnership with Eidos-Montréal, the game transports players from the original's backyard to the vast Brookhollow Park, an ecosystem full of danger and wonder. The premise is still the same: four teenagers shrunk to the size of ants must survive giant insects, hostile natural elements, and a dark scientific conspiracy. But here, the scale is larger, the mechanics more refined, and the possibilities endless.

Grounded 2 already delivers a jaw-dropping visual experience. The use of Unreal Engine 5 and the power of current consoles result in crisp graphics, from the sunlight filtering through the leaves to the details of landscape elements.

An expanded world full of surprises

Brookhollow Park easily surpasses the original backyard. The starting area alone is comparable to the entire previous map, and the territory should triple during Early Access. The park features varied biomes, such as icy locations, underground trails, and contaminated areas, as well as nostalgic landmarks (diners, ice cream carts, and trash cans).

Buggies: the big innovation

The inclusion of insect mounts, the "Buggies," is one of the most talked-about features. They can be ants, spiders, orb-weavers, and others, each with its own unique abilities (such as summoning workers or stunning enemies). This addition significantly changes exploration and combat, directly addressing old community requests. However, some feel they’re a bit unbalanced and overpowered at times.

Omni-Tool: Simplification with Elegance

Another addition that prevents tool clutter is the Omni-Tool, an accessory that combines an axe, hammer, shovel, and wrench into a single item. A lot more convenient, it’s being considered as an effective solution for inventory management. However, some players complain of misclicks when switching between attack and utility functions.

Refined Combat

Combat has received significant improvements: enemies are more intelligent, there’s new mechanics such as dodging and more challenging behaviors, making fights more satisfying.

Other Mechanics and Progression

The game features classes/archetypes (Ranger, Rogue, Mage, Warrior), which bring different progression styles and abilities. Also, there are mysterious narrative elements and objectives, such as finding out why you got shrunk again and finding ORC Transmitters hidden throughout the map.

The story picks up two years after the events of the first game, with the same protagonists now more mature. The Ominent corporation returns as a villain, linking mysteries and conspiracies to the new setting. There’s a greater focus on narrative, more striking dialogue, and themes of anti-corporativism are central to the game.

The promise is a lore-rich journey, with secrets scattered throughout Brookhollow, iconic NPCs, and storytelling brands like “Punch-O” and “Minotaurs & Myrmidons”.

Built in Unreal Engine 5, Grounded 2 offers more immersive visuals, with detailed biomes, grand structures, and improved lighting and environmental effects. However, during the first days of early access, reports of bugs and performance issues appeared. A patch brought 40% to 60% stability improvement, fixing issues such as collisions, bug spawns within the terrain, visual clipping, and improving the drop rate of important resources like acorn caps. Still, the team recognizes that not everything’s been resolved and continues to adjust the game based on feedback.

The core of Grounded has always been the co-op experience with up to four players, and Grounded 2 keeps this number, preserving the intimate feel of playing with friends.

Co-op progression, use of Buggies, and shared exploration enhance the group fun without compromising the spirit of shared survival that worked so well in the first game.

Pros

- Expansive and creative world (Brookhollow Park full of memorable biomes)

- Buggies enrich exploration and combat

- Omni-Tool simplifies the crafting experience

- More elaborate narrative, with more personality

- Iterative and community-based development strategy

- Revamped visuals with Unreal Engine 5

- Available directly on Game Pass with cross-save

Current Challenges

- Performance issues and bugs, despite recent improvements

- Slow or repetitive starting phase

- Limited compatibility, still an Xbox/PC exclusive

Grounded 2's Early Access release shows that Obsidian and Eidos-Montréal have taken the series to the next level. Visually charming and technically polished, it offers new and welcomed mechanics (Buggies, Omni-Tool), with an engaging narrative, collaborative development, and a clear roadmap. Mount balance, building, and performance polishing still need improvement, but nothing that can't be addressed with the planned iterations.

If you enjoyed the first Grounded, you'll find a familiar experience here that respects the legacy while reinventing itself with creativity and ambition. As many reviewers have already pointed out, even though it's in Early Access, it's already worth it and has the potential to become one of the greatest survival games of the current generation.

Who is this game for?

- Co-op survival fans looking for tactical challenges and creative building.

- Casual players looking for humor and a vibrant world ("Easy" mode is accessible).

Avoid if: You prioritize immediate technical polish or if you’d rather wait for the final version.

With Obsidian's commitment to listen to the community via Discord, forums, and streams, Grounded 2 has everything it needs to become a genre classic. For now, it's a gem in the rough that's worth every hour of exploration, death by caterpillar, and epic escape on a mounted beetle.

"Grounded 2 is the upgrade fans have been waiting for, full of sharper tools, weirder bugs, and enough requests to make you wonder if they've been lurking in your forum threads." Obsidian Entertainment.