Grounded
" Innovative action-adventure with creative survival and crafting, but frequent multiplayer lag "
Grounded Review
Grounded is a highly praised survival adventure game that immerses players in a backyard setting where they are shrunk to the size of an ant. The game combines exploration, crafting, base-building, and combat against giant insects, offering a fresh take on the survival genre. Players appreciate the balance between solo and cooperative gameplay, with multiplayer enhancing the experience significantly. The story, surprisingly deep for a survival game, unfolds through exploration and environmental storytelling, keeping players engaged.
The crafting system is detailed and rewarding, allowing for creative base-building and gear upgrades. Combat is challenging but satisfying, especially boss fights like the Broodmother spider, which require tactical approaches. The game’s nostalgic 80s-90s themes and music add charm. While the game is generally polished with beautiful graphics and an immersive soundtrack, some players report multiplayer connection issues and occasional bugs. Overall, Grounded delivers a long-lasting, enjoyable experience for fans of survival and exploration games.
Highlights
Players highly praise Grounded's unique gameplay mechanics, including its inventive survival and crafting systems, engaging combat, and rewarding base-building. The graphics are described as beautiful and immersive, with detailed insect designs and a nostalgic backyard world. The storyline, though subtle, is well integrated, with environmental lore and mystery that enrich the exploration experience. Multiplayer co-op is especially lauded for adding fun and teamwork dynamics, enhancing replayability and enjoyment.
Criticisms
Common criticisms include multiplayer connectivity issues, such as frequent disconnections, stutters, and crashes, which can disrupt the cooperative experience. Some players find the difficulty curve punishing at the start, recommending adjustments for a smoother entry. A few note that the user interface and keybindings, especially for controllers, can be confusing initially. Additionally, certain aspects like collectible tracking and grind mechanics could be clearer or less tedious. Minor bugs persist but are generally non-gamebreaking.
Pros
- • Innovative survival mechanics combined with creative crafting and base-building systems.
- • Engaging and tactical combat with memorable boss fights like the Broodmother spider.
- • Beautiful, detailed graphics that bring the backyard world and insects to life.
- • Immersive and nostalgic 80s-90s themed soundtrack and atmosphere.
- • Deep and intriguing storyline revealed through exploration and environmental clues.
- • Great balance between solo play and multiplayer co-op experiences.
- • Regular updates and content expansions keep the game fresh and evolving.
Cons
- • Persistent multiplayer connection issues causing frequent disconnections and lag.
- • Steep difficulty at early stages can be frustrating for new players.
- • User interface and keybinding setup can be confusing, especially on controllers.
- • Some grind elements feel tedious and unclear in progression requirements.
- • Occasional minor bugs and glitches, though rarely game-breaking.
- • Incomplete or unclear collectible tracking causing player confusion.
- • Combat exhaustion mechanic sometimes disrupts gameplay flow.
Rating Criteria
The world is a vast, beautiful and dangerous place – especially when you have been shrunk to the size of an ant. Can you thrive alongside the hordes of giant insects, fighting to survive the perils of the backyard?
