In 2018, Microsoft went on a studio buying spree. One of the studios that people seemed to be the most excited about was Obsidian, creators of Fallout New Vegas, and most recently, The Outer Worlds. The studio announced that they have multiple projects in the works and one of those was Grounded. In Grounded, you play as a kid or group of kids that have been shrunk down to the size of insects. You are working to survive while trying to find a way to return to your normal size. We don’t know how we got to this size or what caused it yet. There is still a good amount of information to be released about the game.
Initially, many were not sure what to think. The ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids’ style game wasn’t what most people wanted from the studio. many didn’t pay attention to the fact that this game was designed by a small group within pany. The first time we got an in-depth look at Grounded was at PAX East 2020. Here Obsidian talked more about various game mechanics, a little about the story, and some of the options available for people who may be afraid of giant spiders. In June 2020, people were given their first chance to get hands-on with Grounded through demos on both the PC and Xbox One consoles. I jumped at the chance to play and I was pleasantly surprised with what I experienced. I did not doubt the quality that Obsidian could deliver but what I played was a lot more fleshed out and detailed than expected.
In the short 30 minute demo, the player is tasked to fix a mysterious machine in the middle of the game map. You can follow the game prompts or just explore the game world. As you make your way through the Grounded demo, you get a good feel for the crafting and combat systems. Everything here is very solid and I can tell that this is only the tip of what is being done with this title. During PAX East and during various live streams, Obsidian also shows a lot of their base building as well. Crafting and base building look like they will be both complex and approachable while adding a lot more depth to the game than many were expecting.
Again, the demo was very short but everything felt great. The survival elements were very accessible but not overly simplified. With the Xbox Games Showcase approaching, I am sure that we will see more information about the game. There is a lot more about the story that we are still waiting to hear but we are sure that it will be interesting. You can also look forward to playing more Grounded on July 28th when it hits early access and Xbox review. If games like Ark and Minecraft, Grounded will be a game that you need to check out. If you are still a little hesitant, check it out once it hits Gamepass.
