Games like Grounded

Both games trap you in a hostile miniature ecosystem where resource scarcity forces constant decision-making about what to build, craft, and defend. This creates the same rhythm of exploration → gathering → base fortification that makes Grounded's survival loop compelling, with the added pressure of managing your survival against genuinely dangerous creatures.

The co-op foundation works identically—you and a friend coordinate base-building projects and tackle threats together, which transforms grinding into shared problem-solving. Smalland sharpens this further with its mobile base mechanic: relocating your entire camp between trees adds a strategic layer absent from Grounded, forcing groups to weigh shelter comfort against resource proximity.

Where Grounded demands patience through resource tedium, Smalland condenses the gathering loop but sacrifices narrative depth in exchange. If grinding wore you down in Grounded, this streamlined approach feels like breathing room—though you'll notice the story doesn't compensate.

Best for co-op players who value systems depth and tactical base management over cinematic storytelling, and who've already felt Grounded's progression fatigue.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Smalland: Survive the Wilds.

For players who loved hunting for resources, upgrading a base, and turning a tiny foothold into a safe home with friends, Enshrouded scratches that same loop. You still gather, craft, build, and push outward in co-op, but the extra scale makes every expedition feel like a deliberate risk-reward decision.

Both games reward teamwork, exploration, and constant gear progression, and that matters because each outing feeds the next project back at camp. Like Grounded, the best moments come from splitting tasks, bringing home materials, and watching your survival setup evolve from fragile to formidable. Enshrouded also carries the same early-access unpredictability and grind, so patience with rough edges will feel familiar.

The big tradeoff is tone: Grounded’s backyard absurdity becomes dark fantasy and action-RPG combat. That shift gives the loop a broader sense of scale and a more heroic payoff without losing the build-and-explore rhythm. Best for players who enjoy co-op survival, crafting, and steady progression more than pure story pacing.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Enshrouded.

Both games drop you into a hostile ecosystem where you must transform a dangerous environment into a high-tech sanctuary. Whether navigating oversized grass or lightless caverns, the loop of scavenging rare resources to craft specialized gear drives the entire experience.

Core Keeper's base-building echoes the creative defense systems found in the backyard. Your growing home acts as a vital buffer against subterranean bosses, mirroring the relief of retreating to a fortified tower after a long day of foraging. Multiplayer synergy also allows for specialized roles, letting your team split duties between automation and combat.

Instead of a fixed map, you’ll encounter a procedurally generated world. This top-down shift trades cinematic verticality for a near-infinite sense of mystery. While both titles involve significant gathering, Core Keeper’s RPG talent trees provide a more structured sense of character growth to help offset the inherent grind.

Best for players who value unpredictable exploration and mechanical progression over 3D spectacle.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Core Keeper.

When a teammate slams a wall into place just as a storm rolls in, both Grounded and ICARUS deliver the same co‑op triumph. The shared focus on protecting your base from environmental threats makes the collaborative experience feel instantly familiar.

The gather‑craft‑upgrade loop fuels progression in each title—Grounded’s leaf scramble mirrors ICARUS’s ore‑refining cadence. Because the cycle rewards systematic planning, incremental mastery feels identical across both games.

Exploration and trading tie the experiences together: a sprawling map replaces Grounded’s cramped backyard, yet the hunt for valuable resources still drives each expedition. The shift to a scientific sandbox removes horror tension, offering a quieter, more methodical adventure. Players who thrive on methodical discovery will find this tradeoff refreshing rather than a loss.

ICARUS mitigates Grounded’s grind and micro‑transaction pressure with a one‑time purchase and a more generous resource flow. Best for cooperative survival fans who want an expansive, less‑horror‑focused sandbox to explore with friends.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Icarus.

That loop of gathering, building, and then watching something try to tear your base apart — V Rising captures it with surprising fidelity, just at a much darker scale. Both games revolve around carving out a fortified home in a hostile world, then expanding outward as your crafting options grow. The base-building here carries real weight because your castle isn't just storage — it's a living system that requires active upkeep and defense.

Exploration works the same way it does in Grounded: new zones unlock new materials, which unlock new gear tiers, which make the next zone survivable. Co-op is also well-supported, so the same two-player dynamic that makes Grounded shine translates cleanly here.

The tone shifts hard — swap backyard whimsy for gothic dark fantasy, and the survival tension leans predatory rather than scrappy. Where Grounded's humor and charm soften the edges, V Rising keeps the atmosphere deliberately oppressive.

Best for Grounded players who want the same mechanical depth but a longer, more brutal progression arc — this one doesn't rush you to the finish.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to V Rising.

The core draw is the refined survival-crafting loop, which mirrors the original's loop of scavenging resources to fortify bases against encroaching miniature threats. This is bolstered by the expanded sandbox traversal, providing more verticality and environmental hazards to master.

The sequel significantly deepens the narrative stakes and combat mechanics, though it sacrifices the technical polish of the first game. You will trade the stability of the original for a more ambitious, albeit technically volatile, world-building experience.

Pick this up if you crave mechanical depth and story growth but can live with performance stutters and a heavy grind until the developers iron out the remaining technical bugs.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Grounded 2.

Len’s Island mirrors Grounded’s core loop of open-world survival crafting with co-op multiplayer, making resource management and base building essential for progression. This shared focus drives exploration and player collaboration, key to escaping hostile environments.

Both games emphasize building and crafting systems, which shape your survival strategy and personalize your experience, though Len’s Island adds procedural generation and RPG-style combat upgrades for variety. However, Len’s Island suffers from a fixed camera and unclear objectives, which can disrupt flow and frustrate players used to Grounded’s more polished guidance.

Pick Len’s Island if you want a survival co-op that leans into fantasy, farming, and dungeon crawling but can tolerate grind and a less intuitive interface. It’s a solid alternative for those craving crafting and base-building without Grounded’s horror elements yet still demanding patience for rough edges.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to Len's Island.

Both ASTRONEER and Grounded center their experience on co-op survival crafting — gather resources, build bases, and expand your footprint in hostile territory alongside friends.

The shared online co-op exploration loop creates that same addictive pull where each expedition feels purposeful and rewarding.

The key tradeoff: ASTRONEER trades Grounded's intimate horror backyard for sprawling sci-fi planet-hopping, replacing creeping dread with cosmic discovery.

Pick this up if you want co-op crafting with a friend but can live without the creepy-crawly tension and survival horror atmosphere.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to ASTRONEER.

Both games nail the destructible-environment crafting loop—breaking down your world for resources, then building bases from the salvage. It's the core gameplay hook that keeps you grinding in both.

Co-op multiplayer anchors both experiences, since scavenging and construction feel better with a partner.

DYSMANTLE trades Grounded's first-person horror tension for top-down exploration of a post-apocalyptic wasteland—a less intimate but wider-canvas approach.

Pick this up if you want base-building and resource loops without the intimate bug-horror vibe, and you're okay with slower traversal and simpler combat.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to DYSMANTLE.

The core of 7 Days to Die lies in its relentless fortification loop, which mirrors the desperate base-building tension found in Grounded. Both titles demand you transform a fragile shelter into a fortress to survive nightly waves of hostility, forcing you to prioritize resource gathering over all else.

While Grounded focuses on the claustrophobia of backyard scale and insect-themed combat, 7 Days to Die pivots toward a grim, post-apocalyptic aesthetic fueled by voxel-based destruction. You are trading backyard exploration for a procedural, undead-infested wasteland where every wall you build is calculated to withstand a massive siege.

Pick this up if you want the high-stakes base-building pressure of Grounded but can live without the polished narrative and vibrant presentation.

If you enjoyed this game, see our list of games similar to 7 Days to Die.