Grounded 2 Launches in Early Access, Draws High Player Numbers
Obsidian Entertainment's highly anticipated survival-adventure sequel, Grounded 2, has officially launched into Early Access, bringing back the unique experience of playing as miniature, resilient children in a vast backyard world. The game quickly captivated audiences, reaching a peak concurrent player count of 49,836 at the time of this report. This significantly surpasses the original Grounded's peak of 32,012 players, indicating strong initial interest in the sequel.
The first Grounded garnered considerable praise from the community, boasting a 'Very Positive' rating on Steam with 90% of its 68,415 reviews being favorable. Players often highlighted its lively and richly detailed world, diverse content, and highly addictive gameplay loop. Now, with Grounded 2 in Early Access, the community is weighing in on whether the sequel lives up to its predecessor's reputation.
Early Player Feedback: Praises and Concerns
Currently, Grounded 2 holds a 'Mostly Positive' rating on Steam with 74% positive reviews. Players have pointed out several improvements over the original, including a larger map, more intuitive building mechanics, and a clearer user interface. The game's visual presentation, atmospheric music, and overall vibe have also been commended for retaining the beloved spirit of Grounded.
Many players are enjoying the expanded world and the new possibilities it offers. The revamped omnitool, which combines the functions of an axe, hammer, and shovel into a single, ever-present item, has been particularly well-received for decluttering inventory and simplifying resource gathering. New additions like ridable creatures and an increased variety of enemies have also contributed to a fresh and engaging combat experience.
However, the Early Access launch has not been without its hitches. A significant number of players have reported serious optimization issues, with unstable frame rates, lags, and freezes occurring even on high-end systems. Graphic settings are notably limited, offering only basic resolution and quality presets (low, medium, high) without granular control over resource-intensive options like shadows or anti-aliasing. The absence of modern upscaling technologies like DLSS and FSR has also been a point of contention for some.
Other technical problems include network errors, particularly affecting cross-play, and frequent crashes, with some users experiencing the game closing Steam entirely or crashing almost every time they open a menu (inventory, crafting, resource analysis, building). Combat hitboxes have also been described as feeling 'clunky' or 'off,' leading to a less precise and sometimes frustrating experience compared to the first game.
Despite these technical shortcomings, many reviewers remain optimistic, trusting that Obsidian, much like with the original Grounded, will refine the game during its Early Access period. The general consensus among those encountering issues is to wait for future updates before purchasing, especially for those with less powerful PCs or who plan on utilizing cross-play.
What Grounded 2's Early Access Means for Players
The journey of the original Grounded serves as a promising precedent. That game also started in Early Access and was diligently polished by Obsidian over several years. Even after its full release, the developers continued to support it with new content, bosses, locations, and items. It's reasonable to expect a similar level of commitment from Obsidian for Grounded 2, provided there are no unexpected shifts in corporate strategy from Microsoft.
Currently, players eager to dive into the raw yet enjoyable experience of Grounded 2 can do so on PC (via Steam and Microsoft Store) and Xbox Series X|S. The game is also available through the Game Pass subscription. While Russian localization is not yet present, there is a possibility it could be added in future patches.
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