Grounded by Obsidian Entertainment

A cooperative survival game developed by Obsidian Entertainment. It takes the familiar survival genre and flips the perspective entirely. You are shrunk down to the size of an ant and dropped into a suburban backyard that suddenly feels massive, dangerous, and surprisingly beautiful.

From our time playing, Grounded feels like a mix of childhood imagination and genuine survival tension. What looks harmless at normal size becomes terrifying when everything around you is bigger, faster, and stronger.

Our Time in the Backyard

The backyard is one of the most memorable survival worlds we have played in. Every blade of grass feels like a tree, and simple landmarks turn into major points of interest. Exploration always feels rewarding because there is almost always something new to discover just beyond the next leaf.

Playing together changes the experience completely. Coordinating roles, scouting areas, and helping each other survive encounters turns even routine tasks into shared adventures. Mistakes are common, but recovering from them as a group is part of the fun.

Gameplay and Progression

Grounded focuses on learning and preparation. Food, water, crafting, and base building are all tightly connected to exploration. Progression feels natural, as stronger gear and tools come from understanding the environment rather than rushing objectives. Combat encourages planning instead of brute force. Studying enemies, learning attack patterns, and choosing the right equipment often matters more than raw stats. Some encounters feel intimidating at first, but overcoming them together is extremely satisfying.

Exploration & Story

The story unfolds slowly through labs, environmental clues, and discoveries scattered throughout the yard. It never interrupts gameplay but instead rewards curiosity. As more areas open up, the backyard reveals layers of mystery that keep pushing players forward. The world feels designed to encourage exploration without forcing a strict path, which fits perfectly with cooperative play.

Base building in Grounded is flexible and creative. Over time, our bases evolved from simple shelters into well-defended structures suspended in the grass or built against natural terrain. Building high off the ground adds strategy and safety, while also creating some great views of the backyard. Shared bases give the group a sense of ownership and long-term goals beyond simple survival.

Final Thoughts

Grounded takes a familiar genre and makes it feel fresh by changing perspective and scale. It balances charm, challenge, and cooperation in a way that keeps sessions engaging without becoming overwhelming.

As a community survival experience, Grounded stands out for its creativity, atmosphere, and emphasis on teamwork. It is easy to get pulled into the backyard and surprisingly hard to leave.

Verdict - 9.2/10