Microsoft's newest first-party title Grounded 2 launches in Xbox Game Preview in just a few hours here - and ahead of that imminent Game Pass release, a bunch of early impressions and reviews have started to hit the web.
If you're yet to be totally convinced by Grounded 2, these write-ups might just change that - the general consensus seems rather positive despite some early teething issues! Anyway, here's what folks are saying about Xbox's Grounded 2 so far:
IGN (8/10)
"Out of the early access gates, Grounded 2 is well on its way to becoming one of my favorite survival games ever, even in its very incomplete and fairly buggy state. The story, exploration, and RPG mechanics have all been enlarged in a big way, and the addition of mountable insect pets is exactly as much of a game changer as I hoped it would be. There’s certainly a lot of room for Grounded 2 to grow in early access, including enemy variety, some more memorable areas, a better base-building system, and especially technical performance. But as incomplete as it is, Obsidian already very clearly has something special on its hands and it promises to be the evolution of this small but mighty series that I was hoping for."
Eurogamer (No Score)
"I've had a mixed experience with Grounded 2. It flip-flops between brilliance and frustration. The magic of living in an insect kingdom that's been made massive around me, by virtue of my being shrunk, is absolutely still here. I will never tire of watching spiders the size of cars prowl around the blades-of-grass forest around me, or bees buzz like helicopters above."
Windows Central (No Score)
"There’s a long road ahead for Obsidian with Grounded 2. There are a lot of bugs to fix, a lot of performance improvements to make, a lot of graphical settings and accessibility features to add, a lot of content and story updates to release, and a lot of engaging with the community to do. It’s immediately clear to me, though, that the larger and more experienced team at Obsidian (now assisted by Eidos-Montréal of Tomb Raider and Guardians of the Galaxy fame) is taking every lesson learned from the first Grounded and applying them to the sequel from day one."
PC Gamer (No Score)
"All the improvements contribute towards Grounded 2 being one of the best survival games I've ever played, but strip out all the new mechanics and quality of life tweaks and you're still left with just one of the most impressive, striking and playful game worlds ever created. Brookhollow Park, even in its incomplete state, is an absolute joy to explore, full of enticing nooks and crannies, incredible set pieces and plenty of childlike whimsy."
Polygon (No Score)
"Until more updates trickle in, Grounded 2 will have to ride on that feature for a while longer. Anyone coming back to the series on day one will find the same “start from zero” survival loop with the same arachno-jump scares — less of a recess and more of a job. I’m not sure that it’ll be exciting enough to get my COVID gang back together, but any pals that are new to the series will get a good fort out of their playdate, no matter how long it lasts before their imagination takes them elsewhere."
Screen Rant (No Score)
"I was far more invested in this narrative in the sequel, not just from the perspective of eventually escaping the park, but in terms of unraveling the greater conspiracy. Grounded 2 is entering early access today, and I hope Obsidian keeps listening to feedback and refines this sequel into something even better than the original. Given the lessons learned from the first game, plus another early access period, there's so much potential here the second time around."