One of the biggest surprises at the recent Xbox Game Showcase event is that Obsidian is releasing not only Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed, but also Grounded 2 in 2025. But does this return to the garden improve over the original? Or is it a crushed ant?
Thankfully, we got some answers from the Iron Lords, going hands-on with Grounded 2.
Returning to the Garden – Grounded 2 Preview
Cog and Addict start the preview reflecting on the original Grounded and how that release was a departure for the studio. Instead of making a western RPG, Obsidian’s first original release under Xbox was this survival game inspired by Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Despite this departure, Grounded became a cornerstone game for the survival community.
The biggest takeaways from their hands-on with Grounded 2 were some key improvements over the original.
Expanding the Garden
One of the biggest additions is a larger world. Cog mentioned that Grounded 2’s opening area is larger than the entirety of the original Grounded. This level of scale is a huge improvement that coincides with rideable mounts.
Fitting with the theme of being in the garden, players can now ride on Ants and other insects, getting around the world faster. And as shown in the reveal trailer, your mounts can fight alongside you. But insects aren’t the only rideable mounts, as the Lords comment on riding on mice.
Flying mounts, like Dragonflies, could potentially join the game in the future.
Putting On the Glasses
Another major improvement over the original Grounded is the presentation. The Lord’s comment on Grounded 2’s visual leap, citing stable performance in the build they played.
Based on my opinions on the game’s visuals, the colors and level of detail appear sharper than the original Grounded, based on the reveal trailer.
Balancing the Sticks
For a co-op experience, difficulty and game balance must be solid. Thankfully, the Lord’s comments after hands-on imply that Obsidian is ensuring that’s maintained from the original title, with player drop-in-and-out Co-Op dynamically adjusting gameplay difficulty.
Closing Thoughts on Grounded 2
Hearing Cog and Addict discuss the changes, improvements, and more coming to Grounded 2 has me hyped to try it out when it launches in Game Preview. It will release on Xbox and Xbox PC on July 29th. Stay tuned for additional updates and more on Obsidian’s latest release, here at Lords of Gaming!
