Background information
Dune: Awakening is gripping and overwhelming
by Philipp Rüegg
Through the park with the insect battle tank: I played "Grounded 2"
6-8-2025
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Debora Pape
Darling, I've been shrunk again: that's the motto of "Grounded 2". The survival spectacle doesn't feel like a completely new game, but rather a well thought-out development of the first instalment.
In «Grounded 2», the teenagers from the first «Grounded» are simply out of luck. They've just returned from their involuntary mini-adventure (haha!) and regained their human size when it happens again: the four of them are to be honoured in the city park for their bravery in the face of spiders, bugs and ants. But something goes wrong and I wake up as Willow, the teenager of my choice, in a laboratory the size of a Coke can.
«Grounded 2» continues the story of the first instalment. Despite launching as Early Access, this time there is more background information right from the start. I quickly learn that the company behind the shrinkage experiments is Ominent. To understand the story of «Grounded 2», it is not necessary to have played the first part. Especially as the story is rather in the background anyway. The beautiful game world and its inhabitants are much more important.
«Grounded» is dead, long live «Grounded 2»
«Grounded 2» plays almost exactly like its predecessor from 2020: I am a shrunken teenager and try to defend myself against creepy-crawlies with too many legs in the beautiful garden world from a first- or third-person perspective. If desired, also in co-op with up to three other people.
In true survival style, I have to be careful not to starve and die of thirst. I use blades of grass to build a base that provides protection against enemies and that I can expand and furnish to my liking. By analysing newly collected items, I unlock additional blueprints for the base and my equipment.
Collecting hidden pink bubbles gives me so-called «raw science». This allows me to improve my skills. Mutations, brain lard unlocks and discoverable milk teeth also serve this purpose - why the latter? Don't ask me, I'm just passing it on and they were already available in the previous game.
With peep mode, a kind of binoculars, I can spot animals and recognise their weaknesses and resistances. The first time I do this with an animal species, I receive a trading card. It would be great if the weaknesses were also displayed in battle. The best collected knowledge is of no use to me if I unexpectedly find myself in a difficult battle and don't know the information on the creature card by heart.
The game world: still beautiful
As with its predecessor, «Grounded 2» features a beautifully designed game world. Rays of sunlight shine through thin grasses and colourful flowers stretch towards the sky. In terms of colour dynamics, however, I like the first part with its brighter, fresher colours a little better. In «Grounded 2», the world appears slightly sepia-toned and less rich in contrast.
The whole park feels very lively. Lice and flies wriggle in spider webs. Something is crawling and flitting everywhere. Sometimes even too much. I'm constantly being jumped on by little red mites, which don't pose any danger but are annoying nonetheless. And time and again, I unintentionally run into the aggro range of some beetle because I'm searching the tips of the blades of grass far above me for coveted dewdrops.
Bigger, better, more
The open world of «Grounded 2», Brookhollow Park, is significantly larger than the garden in part 1. In addition to familiar animals, there are now more species, such as caterpillars, scorpions and snails. I haven't come across the dreaded wolf spider yet, but I'm sure that the bastard is lurking in some dark corner and will scare me to death sooner or later.
For arachnophobes, «Grounded 2» also offers a mode that turns spiders into cute blobs, but I want to see them for what they are: scary beasts. Me. Hate. Spiders.
The good crate management in «Grounded 2» is not an innovation, but I would like to emphasise it anyway. If I collect resources and store them neatly in warehouses, the game automatically uses the stored materials for building and crafting items. This saves a lot of sorting.
I think it's a shame that the development studio has copied the armour from its predecessor one-to-one. I'm wearing the same clover poncho and the same ant helmet. I think that's lame for a part 2.
Me and my battle armour
A major new feature of «Grounded 2» are the animal companions, which remind me strongly of the competitor «Smalland». I get the first so-called buggy (...haha!), a warrior ant, after the first few hours of the game. I have to steal a warrior ant egg from an anthill. This proves to be more difficult than expected: after a long run in the dark underground, I run out of healing bandages in the fight against too many ants - and eventually die of poisoning within sight of the coveted egg. I prepare myself better for the second attempt and am successful.
Twelve in-game hours - about 20 minutes in real time - later the egg is in the incubator, then I can finally pick up my buggy. Now we are talking!
Up to this point, battles against strong bugs and spiders were a tedious endeavour. I often only saved my life by escaping through what felt like half the park. Collecting blades of grass for base building is also a tedious task on foot because I can only carry five blades at a time.
With the buggy, I have a strong and loyal partner at my side: I'm faster in the ant saddle, hit harder in battle, have a larger inventory and my warrior ant brings down blades of grass and dandelion stalks for base building in no time at all. Instead of five stalks, it can carry twelve. There is even an integrated hoover mode: In this mode, my buggy collects everything on the ground that comes in front of its antennae. This saves me a lot of button presses when collecting resources.
If I'm travelling on my own two feet for once, my ant automatically rushes to my side in battle. And as if that wasn't enough: buggies also have individual abilities. My warrior ant can charm an additional worker ant, which also helps me in battle.
Even just walking in a straight line becomes easier: the park is covered in tall, sturdy blades of grass - like trees. I have to avoid them on my routes and am constantly running in zigzags as a result. I don't care about blades of grass on my ant. It just pushes them to the side.
The new buggy feature really is a game changer for the franchise. My companion almost seems too powerful for me. There are two unlockable buggies in Early Access so far, with more to be added later.
Me and my omni-tool
One really useful improvement in «Grounded 2» is the omni-tool. It fixes a bad habit that occurs far too often in survival games: the numerous tools required for basic functions. In «Grounded 1» these are an axe, a hammer, a shovel and a repair tool. So many tools that I have to carry around and equip.
In the worst case scenario, not all tools and weapons fit in the toolbar and I have to search for the required item in the inventory and equip it depending on the situation. That's about as much fun as a visit to the dentist.
The developers perhaps find this just as annoying as I do and solve the problem in «Grounded 2» elegantly with the Omni-Tool. It's a tool that I carry around my arm at all times, so it doesn't take up any space in my inventory. And it has all the basic functions that I use to gather materials. I can use it to cut down stalks, dig, tap stones and repair my base. Depending on the situation, I just have to press the action button. Many, many, many thanks for that!
I can improve the individual functions of the omni-tool in the same way as the previous tool levels and thus chop down more unruly weeds later. For me, this solution is an absolute win and other games should take a leaf out of my book.
I can't see the meadow for all the grasses
Maybe it's just me. In «Grounded 1», I found it much easier to find my way around the world in the first few hours of the game. There, I quickly encountered conspicuous landmarks such as a baseball and the shrinking device. In «Grounded 2» I end up at a ranger post, an outpost with terminals for unlocking skills. Because I often need the terminals at the beginning, I set up a temporary camp here. However, there is almost only grass near the post. There are no raised and grass-free areas for a better overview. All I can see in all directions are blades of grass.
Because the interface doesn't offer a compass display either, I have difficulty visualising where things are. I can help myself with waymarks on the map, but a feeling of disorientation remains until I finally know every blade of grass.
Early access diseases
«Grounded 2» plays very well despite Early Access. I haven't had any major problems. Sometimes dewdrops get stuck in the air when I chop a blade of grass. Normally they should fall down with the first blow. Once, after chopping down a dandelion stem, no collectable stem parts appear. And once after mounting my ant, I slide off the saddle into the ground of my base and can't free myself. A respawn with a loss of equipment durability is the only option.
The in-game German translation is mostly good, but it caused confusion before I first boarded my buggy. The action menu shows the word «wall decoration» instead of «mounting» and even though «pet» is a correct translation for the English «pet», it doesn't fit in context. «Pet» can also mean «petting», which is what is meant here.
My summary of the early access game
«Grounded 2» brings a number of useful and fun new features. The significantly larger new game world alone is reason enough for «Grounded» fans to take the plunge into the park. Nevertheless, the game does not reinvent the wheel. Essentially, «Grounded 2» is just «Grounded» even better.
But it doesn't have to stay that way. The development studio has already published a roadmap for future updates. Among other things, new buggies, armour and creatures are planned. Features have also been announced that could potentially introduce new game mechanics, such as water bases and «Coziness» - whatever the latter is supposed to be. Perhaps «Grounded 2» will also bring a touch of «Subnautica» to the game.
«Grounded 2» has been available in Early Access for Xbox Series X|S and PC since 29 July. The game was provided to me by Microsoft for Steam for testing purposes.
Header image: Debora Pape
Feels just as comfortable in front of a gaming PC as she does in a hammock in the garden. Likes the Roman Empire, container ships and science fiction books. Focuses mostly on unearthing news stories about IT and smart products.
9 comments
later