Grounded should be the breakout Xbox Game Pass experience of 2022

You should be paying more attention to Grounded. If you're one of the 50,000 backyard dwellers from Reddit, or one of the faithful who have quietly followed Obsidian Entertainment's love letter to 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids' for the past two years, please understand that this statement isn't aimed at you. It's for the rest of us. The 25 million Xbox Game Pass subscribers, the early access naysayers, and those who are perennially afraid of bugs of all shapes and sizes. I count myself among all of these groups, of course, and now with the Grounded 1.0 full release launch just weeks away I'm coming to regret not watching this fantastic cooperative survival game gradually grow in size. 

I was in attendance at XO19 when Microsoft Gaming revealed this miniature multiplayer game, developed by a small ancillary team at a studio otherwise responsible for some of the best RPGs of the last two decades, and was impressed by what I saw, heard, and played. But with the eventual Xbox Game Preview build offering just 20% of the planned content, I quickly bounced off Grounded and it all but fell off of my radar entirely. Looking at the game as it exists today, it's truly impressive what Obsidian has been able to achieve in such a small amount of time. 

Grounded has transformed from this niche experience, one that once felt target-designated to appease a crowd who were nostalgic toward a cult classic Rick Moranis comedy vehicle from 1989, to a video game that feels like a viable alternative to some of the best survival games out there. It's clear that Obsidian has imbued Grounded with the RPG sensibilities that made the studio so beloved – without sacrificing the accessible, family-friendly heart that made it so attractive to begin with.

The Grounded armor, Grounded weapons, and crafting systems have newfound depth, along with upgrade paths that demand careful resource allocation. Exploration requires coordination with friends, and combat necessitates at least a basic understanding of the parry system – particularly as you come up against some of the more terrifyingly imposing bosses. If you haven't encountered them yet, trust me when I tell you that giant Grounded spider Broodmother and Mantis are nightmare generators. But with that all said, it's equally entertaining to just grab a couple of buddies, build an impressive-looking base from twigs and leaves, and fight off waves of horrible ants. I don't know – there's a simplicity to Grounded that's hard to turn away from, and a depth that can easily hook even the most passive bystander. 

Into the wilds

Whether you're charting your return for Grounded as it leaves early access or looking to shrink yourself down for the very first time, one thing that you'll undoubtedly find impressive is the scope of the backyard. Grounded is a beautiful playground, with this sublime serenity permeating its world – you know, before the towering bugs start encroaching on your territory and wrecking all your hard work. What's awesome to see is just how varied the backyard biomes have become – from the Koi Pond to the Haze, the Trash Heap to the Sandbox and beyond, each complete with its own debilitating status effects to manage, and critters to frantically combat. Oh, sure, the Picnic Table sounds like a groovy place to hang, until the damned bees show up to party. 

In a Fall season where there are few exclusive upcoming Xbox Series X games, I'm surprised that there isn't more noise around Grounded. That could be a side effect of this first-party Game Preview experiment, where the early access nature of Grounded's existence has made an otherwise excellent co-op game feel ever-present and yet perpetually incomplete. So here's what I'll tell you: if you're looking for something a little different, or if you think your buddies will want to test their survival skills in a new type of warzone, then you should consider giving Grounded a run on September 27. It surprised me, and for you it just might do the same.

Grounded is one of our most anticipated new games of 2022. It is going to launch on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and will be available via Xbox Game Pass from September 27.