Grounded 2 Review: Is This Tiny Survival Epic a Must-Play?
Is Grounded 2 Review raving about a backyard masterpiece or a buggy mess? Launched in July 2025 Early Access, Grounded 2 amps up the survival chaos with mounts, bigger maps, and slick combat. gggamer.net dives into what’s awesome, what’s iffy, and why it’s a steal at $30. Let’s shrink down and explore!
Why Grounded 2 Feels Like Home
Grounded 2 builds on the original’s survival charm. Expect hunger, thirst, stamina, and gear durability, plus Raw Science for unlocks (quests, crafting). Side quests push exploration, while Milk Molars (white and gold) boost stats like carry capacity. Familiar trinkets (e.g., Fluffy Tough) and new ones add flair. The game’s 21-hour main story (Act 1) and side quests dwarf the first game’s barebones launch. If you loved Grounded, this feels like a beefier sequel.
What’s New and Shiny
Grounded 2 shakes things up:
Buggy Mounts: Ride Red Soldier Ants and Orb Weavers to zip around, carry loot, or fight (see our mount guide on gggamer.net).
Bigger Map: Matches Grounded 1’s full size, packed with outposts, resources, and secrets. No empty grasslands here!
Multi-Tool: Combines axe, hammer, repair tool, and shovel, saving inventory space. Unlock features with Spur resources.
Combat Upgrades: Perfect blocks, three-hit combos, and enemy blocks add depth. Dash moves (left, right, or away) spice up fights.
No Zip Lines: Travel relies on mounts or foot, though X buzz suggests zip lines in August 2025.
New Enemies: From Bombardier Beetles to dual-wield daggers, new creatures and weapons keep fights fresh.
Performance: Smooth or Shaky?
On PC (2K, 1440p, Epic settings), Grounded 2 runs at 165 FPS with one crash in 30 hours. Console performance varies—X posts report 60 FPS on Series X but dips on Series S. No major bugs, though enemy hitboxes can feel janky. Share your experience on gggamer.net’s Discord!
The Awesome Bits
Content Galore: 21-hour main story, tons of side quests, and secrets in every corner. Way more than Grounded 1’s launch.
Exploration Vibes: Hidden caves, Milk Molars, and Seeker Keys reward snooping.
Less Punishing Durability: Gear lasts longer (feels like it, anyway), making survival less grindy.
Acorn Turret Buff: Shreds Tier 2 mobs with basic ammo, perfect for base defense.
Mounts Rule: Extra inventory, faster travel, and combat help (Red Ants mow down Larvae).
The Not-So-Great Stuff
Slow Traversal: Even with mounts, the massive map feels sluggish. Fast travel between outposts would fix this.
Buggy Teleporting: Mounts sometimes vanish to their Nest when entering certain areas, forcing long treks back.
Inaccessible Areas: Root-blocked or explosive-required spots are hard to track without map markers.
Random Attacks: Periodic enemy waves hit anywhere, even mid-field, disrupting exploration.
Fixes We Want in August 2025
Fast Travel: Unlock outpost-to-outpost warping after Act 1 milestones.
Permanent Map Markers: Pin spots (e.g., blocked rocks) to revisit later.
Base-Only Attacks: Limit raids to your designated base (via a marker item) for predictability.
Zip Lines or Teleporters: Speed up travel, per community feedback on X.
Is It Worth Your $30?
This Grounded 2 Review says hell yeah! At $30 (or free on Game Pass), the content—21-hour story, mounts, and secrets—beats most survival games. Act 2 (rumored for September 2025) and new mounts (Ladybug?) will add more. If you dig Grounded 1 or survival epics, jump in now on gggamer.net for tips and codes!
