Grounded 2

About

Grounded 2 is a single player and multiplayer survival role playing game. It was developed by Eidos-Montréal and was released on July 29, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Shrunk to the size of an ant, explore a vast, overgrown backyard filled with danger and hidden secrets. Customize your character with unique abilities and use buggies to aid in survival. Team up with friends to build, fight, and uncover the mysteries lurking beneath the colorful, towering environment.

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85%

Audience ScoreBased on 10,267 reviews

story287 positive mentions

optimization385 negative mentions

The graphics are stunning, with vibrant colors and a detailed art style that enhances the immersive experience.
The story features engaging narrative and character development, building effectively on the foundation laid by the first game.
The atmosphere is whimsical yet dangerous, enriched by creative world-building and ambient music that enhances the overall experience.

The game suffers from significant performance issues, including low frame rates, crashes, and poor optimization, even on high-end systems.
Many players find the gameplay to be monotonous and grindy, with repetitive tasks and limited content beyond resource farming.
The monetization aspect has drawn criticism, with some labeling it a 'cash grab' due to the presence of microtransactions and an unfinished feel.

optimization
1,458 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
62%
26%
The optimization of "Grounded 2" has received significant criticism from players, with many reporting severe performance issues, including low frame rates, stuttering, and crashes, even on high-end systems. While some users acknowledge that the game is in early access and express hope for future improvements, the current state is deemed unacceptable by many, leading to recommendations to wait for optimization patches before purchasing. Overall, the game's performance is a major concern that overshadows its otherwise promising gameplay and content.
- “Performance seems to have improved since launch; also, it's still early access. Knowing the path from Grounded 1, it'll be quite a full experience in a year or two.”
- “For an early access game, it runs smoothly on my laptop with few crashes and issues.”
- “Definitely worth buying now after the recent performance update.”
- “The optimization on this game is absolutely horrible; even with the numerous updates, it still feels horrible.”
- “The game is good, but oh my, is the performance goddamn awful for such a simple-looking game.”
- “The performance is atrocious, like 40fps on high-end pc (4090) with low graphics.”
stability
1,074 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The stability of "Grounded 2" in its early access state has received mixed feedback, with many players noting significant bugs and glitches that detract from the overall experience. Common issues include frequent crashes, disappearing buggies, and performance drops, particularly in multiplayer sessions. While some players find the game enjoyable despite these problems, they recommend waiting for further updates and optimizations before diving in fully.
- “Other than some bugs (pun intended), the game looks and runs great even on low settings.”
- “It runs great overall.”
- “Honestly, it runs great and I am having so much fun!”
- “The game is a buggy piece of shit that constantly lurches and crashes; this isn't early access, this is you shouldn't be exposing people to your current coding skill level.”
- “There were frame dips everywhere on the map, crashes almost every 20 minutes, glitches all over the place; the game was a mess and it was unplayable.”
- “The current state of the game is buggy (no pun intended) and hard to play at times.”
story
947 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
67%
3%
The story in "Grounded 2" has received mixed feedback from players, with many praising its engaging narrative and character development while noting that it builds effectively on the foundation laid by the first game. However, some players feel that the current story content is limited and lacks depth, with many quests feeling repetitive or poorly integrated into the gameplay. Overall, while the story shows promise and has captivated many players, it is still in early access and is expected to expand significantly in future updates.
- “Grounded 2 is just as incredible in the storyline so far and I absolutely love the direction it is going in.”
- “The story is deeper and more engaging this time around, with characters who feel meaningful and memorable.”
- “The story thus far is also very intriguing and provides a good challenge to the game in some parts of the story.”
- “The story is so rushed and quick, you are basically forced to do the story missions instead of anything else, because blueprints and materials are mission blocked.”
- “I am so uninvested in this game's story compared to Grounded 1; it is a huge disappointment.”
- “The story is done in around 2-3 hours and there isn't much to do after exploring for 8 hours more.”
gameplay
650 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
64%
5%
The gameplay of "Grounded 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it retains much of the charm and mechanics of the first game while introducing new features like mounts and improved combat mechanics. However, numerous reports highlight significant performance issues, including crashes and bugs that detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the familiar gameplay loop and quality-of-life improvements, others criticize the lack of innovation and the presence of game-breaking glitches, suggesting that the game is still in need of refinement as it progresses through early access.
- “The gameplay is a mix of new mechanics like dodging with the familiar mechanics like three-hit-combo and perfect block, crafting and building are mostly the same with some quality of life tweaks made, the tools being condensed into one single omni-tool helps save inventory space and prevents you from going anywhere without your harvesting equipment while also requiring a mix of raw science and bug parts to upgrade each aspect.”
- “The core gameplay remains familiar in the best ways, with improvements and additions that feel like natural evolutions rather than forced changes.”
- “The new mechanics hold a lot of promise, and it's shaping up to be grounded: but awesomer and better, which is what every sequel should strive to be.”
- “Monotonous, grindy, repetitive gameplay with zero new ideas or anything that would make it stand out among its many peers.”
- “Every annoying, uninspired gameplay choice that bogged down the previous title is evident here.”
- “As is, many of the core mechanics carried over from the first game feel more grindy and less enjoyable overall.”
graphics
636 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
62%
7%
The graphics of the game have received mixed feedback, with many praising the stunning visuals and vibrant art style that enhance the immersive experience. However, numerous players have reported significant performance issues, including low frame rates and frequent crashes, even on high-end systems, due to poor optimization and limited graphics settings. While the overall aesthetic is considered an improvement over the first game, the lack of customizable graphics options and the game's demanding requirements have left some players frustrated.
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning, making the world feel alive and full of detail.”
- “The visuals are stunning, with vibrant colors and lots of detail in the environment.”
- “The graphics are amazing while still keeping the 'grounded' art style.”
- “I have a newer expensive setup and even on low graphics the game is a glitchy mess.”
- “The performance is atrocious, like 40fps on high-end pc (4090) with low graphics.”
- “The graphics are not optimized yet so try turning down fps and quality.”
grinding
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
8%
89%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the gameplay monotonous and repetitive, often requiring extensive resource farming and upgrades. While some appreciate the addictive nature of the survival loop and the fun of base building, others criticize the tediousness of tasks and the lack of engaging content beyond grinding. Overall, players suggest that the game can feel overly grindy, with some expressing hope for improvements in future updates.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “Depends on how much you like grinding.”
- “Monotonous, grindy, repetitive gameplay with zero new ideas or really anything that would make it stand out among its many peers.”
- “Too much grinding, not recommended. Waste of time, no pathway.”
- “There isn't enough content to keep your attention for more than a day, and unless you like endless farming of materials for building bases, there really isn't much else to do post 'story.'”
humor
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding the quirky characters, funny glitches, and unexpected moments of chaos to be highly entertaining. Many reviews highlight the amusing interactions with bugs and the lighthearted tone of the story, making it a fun experience, especially in multiplayer settings. While some glitches can be frustrating, they often add to the comedic value, creating memorable and laugh-inducing gameplay moments.
- “Great story, funny characters, and lots of exploring.”
- “The game is incredibly fun, hilarious with friends, and 100% worth the purchase of 1 & 2!”
- “There are a lot of unexpected funny moments that were birthed while we play this game together, and I am looking forward to the full release.”
music
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
56%
5%
The music in the game has received a largely positive reception, with many players praising the soundtrack for its engaging and atmospheric qualities that enhance the overall experience. While some users noted that certain in-game tracks can feel mismatched or overly intense, the nostalgic elements and catchy tunes have resonated well, contributing to a rich and immersive environment. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant improvement over the previous installment, with many expressing excitement for future updates and additional music content.
- “The soundtrack alone is a lullaby for the soul.”
- “The music, lore, environment is stunning.”
- “Whoever made the soundtrack needs a massive massive raise.”
- “The only thing (aside from the usual shortcomings of an early access game) that is somewhat annoying is the background music during the day - it's too epic and intrusive for my taste.”
- “Often, I'll be fighting a spiderling and the music that's playing will seem like it's for a giant spider or ladybug.”
- “The music doesn't really match up with what I'm doing.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
30%
15%
The atmosphere in Grounded 2 is widely praised for its whimsical yet dangerous tone, enhanced by stunning visuals and immersive settings. Players appreciate the creative use of everyday objects in a small environment, the detailed world-building, and the ambient music that enriches the experience. While the nighttime adds a layer of challenge, some users note that adjustments to lighting could improve exploration pacing.
- “What makes Grounded 2 truly shine is its atmosphere—a perfect balance of whimsical adventure and real danger.”
- “It’s a sandbox of imagination, made richer by its stunning visuals, clever mechanics, and unforgettable atmosphere.”
- “The strongest part, like in Grounded 1, are the atmosphere, world building, and overall tone of the game which has just been nailed in this one, too.”
- “Of course, the nighttime adds its own challenge and atmosphere too, but a slightly longer day would really help with pacing and exploration.”
- “The way the environment reacts to you, the detail in the insects, and the ambient atmosphere all feel more refined and carefully crafted.”
replayability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
61%
17%
Overall, players find the game to have high replayability, particularly due to its engaging mechanics and potential for future updates. While some users note current bugs and limitations, they express optimism that improvements will enhance the experience, making it more enjoyable and replayable over time. The addition of new features, such as mounts and character customization, is also seen as a way to further increase replay value.
- “While early access limits some content, the systems in place already provide substantial replay value.”
- “☑️ infinitely replayable”
- “I'm still suggesting this game, because I know it will be worth your time as the updates roll out. Grounded 1 is honestly such a charming and replayable game, and I don't doubt Grounded 2 in its 1.0 state will be even better.”
- “There’s not really any reason that a game like this shouldn’t be more playable on deck.”
- “Some kind of replayable activity in the end that's rewarding and fun.”
- “The multiplayer is a bit buggy; it would be nice to have an option similar to The Forest or 7 Days to Die to rent servers to further boost replayability and hopefully fix the multiplayer disconnections.”
emotional
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
18%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be unexpectedly profound, with character development and narrative elements that resonate deeply despite the game's small-scale setting. The experience is enhanced by the chaotic yet creative gameplay, which evokes nostalgia and a sense of vulnerability, though technical issues can detract from immersion. Overall, the game elicits a range of emotions, from joy to frustration, making it a memorable experience.
- “Buggies add a surprising emotional layer.”
- “Character development has never been so literally small-scale yet emotionally massive.”
- “The narrative is surprisingly emotional.”
- “The story is boring and lacks integration into the gameplay; it feels like just a random narrative to listen to.”
- “The emotional depth is missing, making it hard to connect with the characters or their struggles.”
- “I felt no emotional engagement throughout the game; it was all surface-level without any real impact.”
monetization
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
73%
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many users labeling it a "cash grab" due to the presence of microtransactions and the perception that the game was released in an unfinished state. Reviewers express frustration over the game's abrupt ending and lack of content, suggesting that it feels more like an incomplete expansion rather than a fully realized sequel. Overall, players recommend waiting for further updates and improvements before purchasing.
- “I feel I had been misled, as the initial advertising was for a full finished game, except the first iteration was maybe 10-20 hours until we fought the stranger, and the game just abruptly halted.”
- “It just feels like they were just out for the cash grab in its current state.”
- “Unfortunately this is a massive cash grab, wait for at least a year before buying this game.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Character development in the game has seen notable improvements, with players praising the emotional depth achieved despite the small-scale nature of the characters. Additionally, the new character designs have been well-received, enhancing the overall storytelling experience.
- “There have also been significant improvements in aspects like the storyline, character development, and gameplay rhythm.”
- “I also love the new character designs; they look amazing!”
- “Character development has never been so literally small-scale yet emotionally massive.”