Grounded

What to Know

Critics Recommend

Average Score

Total Reviews: 18

Play It

Grounded is a breath of fresh air in a tired space, taking the best elements of the genre and presenting them in a simple, charming way.

Play It

Critics Recommend

Critic Reviews: 18

Critics Consensus

# Reviews: 18

Grounded is a breath of fresh air in a tired space, taking the best elements of the genre and presenting them in a simple, charming way.

Where to Play

** VSG may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Rate and Review

What did you think of Grounded?

Player Reviews1 Vote

Critic Reviews for Grounded

Critic Reviews

Score Distribution

18

Reviews

Average Score

100

Ranges

Recommended

Vikki Blake (Eurogamer)

Grounded’s charming, Honey I Shrunk the Kids premise is elevated by its uniquely welcoming approach to wonder.

September 26, 2022 |

Full Review

Grounded is a delightfully creative and occasionally terrifying survival sandbox.

September 26, 2022 |

Full Review

90/100

Fraser Brown (PC Gamer)

3.5/5 stars

Alex Avard (GamesRadar+)

Grounded has always been a solid idea on paper, but Obsidian brings that potential to full fruition for launch, delivering on the thrills and fun of its brilliantly Spielbergian conceit.

September 26, 2022 |

Full Review

Vikki Blake (Eurogamer)

Recommended - (Read Review)

Grounded’s charming, Honey I Shrunk the Kids premise is elevated by its uniquely welcoming approach to wonder.

Fraser Brown (PC Gamer)

90/100 - (Read Review)

Grounded is a delightfully creative and occasionally terrifying survival sandbox.

Alex Avard (GamesRadar+)

3.5/5 stars - (Read Review)

Grounded has always been a solid idea on paper, but Obsidian brings that potential to full fruition for launch, delivering on the thrills and fun of its brilliantly Spielbergian conceit.

**Read all 18 critic reviews on the desktop version of VSG.

Read the Reviews (18 total)

Outlet	Author	Score	Date	Quote	Read
Atomix	Sebastian Quiroz	85 / 100	09-26-2022	Obsidian Entertainment has done it once again. Grounded is an extremely fun survival game that takes the best elements of the genre and presents them in a simple way, where the experience is much bigger than it seems	Read review
Attack of the Fanboy	Marc Magrini	4.5 / 5 stars	09-26-2022	Grounded is a charming survival experience that mixes exploration, action, and crafting into one grand package. There are plenty of options for those wishing to get immersed in the world, and anyone willing to put up with the odd multiplayer requirements will surely get hours of enjoyment out of this game.	Read review
Checkpoint Gaming	Elliot Attard	8 / 10	09-26-2022	Featuring a fun and slightly silly setting for this genre, Grounded comfortably provides the basics that allow it to create an engrossing and at times horrifying survival experience. Add a good amount of worldbuilding and a narrative that compliments the gameplay nicely and you have a cooperative experience well worth your time, even if a few bugs (and not the good kind!) have stuck around throughout its pre-release period.	Read review
COGconnected	Mark Steighner	87 / 100	09-26-2022	Although it doesn’t reinvent survival game mechanics, Grounded’s setting goes a long way towards making the familiar seem new. The world is great fun to explore. It’s easy to lose yourself for hours in the game’s satisfying loops and creative environments. The narrative does a good job of giving you direction but not a rigid path, so you’re always free to take your time and enjoy. Slightly tepid combat and a few minor technical issues aside, Grounded is one of the most engaging survival crafting games I’ve played in quite a while.	Read review
Destructoid	Jordan Devore	8.5 / 10	09-26-2022	Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won’t astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.	Read review
DualShockers	Jack Coleman	8 / 10	09-26-2022	Overall, the survival genre is very saturated. Grounded is a unique take on a tired formula and is genuinely a breath of fresh air in the space. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel but it doesn’t have to, it’s chosen a premise and has adapted it beautifully and skillfully. While some improvements can be made in combat and other areas, the game is a well-made experience that survival fans will love. I personally can’t wait to jump in with three friends following the full launch. It can get lonely out there all alone in suburbia.	Read review
Eurogamer	Vikki Blake	Recommended	09-26-2022	Grounded’s charming, Honey I Shrunk the Kids premise is elevated by its uniquely welcoming approach to wonder.	Read review
Everyeye.it	Giovanni Panzano	8 / 10	09-26-2022	Quote not yet available	Read review
GameSpot	Mark Delaney	8 / 10	09-26-2022	Grounded doesn’t revolutionize its genre, but it does imbue it with the endearing heart of a child.	Read review
GamesRadar+	Alex Avard	3.5 / 5 stars	09-26-2022	Grounded has always been a solid idea on paper, but Obsidian brings that potential to full fruition for launch, delivering on the thrills and fun of its brilliantly Spielbergian conceit.	Read review
Generación Xbox	Javier Gutierrez Bassols	8.5 / 10	09-26-2022	Grounded is the perfect survival, building and role-playing game, with a good story and a miniature world full of life.	Read review
IGN Italy	Davide Ambrosiani	8.7 / 10	09-26-2022	Finally mature and complete, Grounded is a game that has a lot to offer and little to be forgiven for.	Read review
PC Gamer	Fraser Brown	90 / 100	09-26-2022	Grounded is a delightfully creative and occasionally terrifying survival sandbox.	Read review
Press Start	James Berich	8.5 / 10	09-26-2022	In a genre that’s markedly saturated, Grounded stands tall. Dripping with charm, its unique setting and premise give it ample space to impress players who think they’ve seen it all.	Read review
SpazioGames	Marino Puntorieri	7.5 / 10	09-26-2022	This final release for Grounded confirms that Obsidian gave its soul to the game, crafting a survival game which is still improvable, but unique in a lot of ways.	Read review
The Games Machine	Marco Bortoluzzi	8 / 10	09-26-2022	At the standard settings and medium difficulty, Grounded is more demanding than it might appear at first glance: at the start of the game, everything that’s bigger than a tick will slaughter you and it takes a bit to figure out how to progress; equipment also needs not only to be crafted but also maintained. Luckily, the game also offers settings that allow for a more forgiving experience, perhaps better suited to anyone who’s planning on going solo. Other than that, Grounded is technically solid, and its audio can be incredibly atmospheric (and a little bit scary).	Read review
Twinfinite	Kristina Ebanez	4 / 5 stars	09-26-2022	If you are in the mood to try out something new in the survivalist genre, Grounded may be the game you are looking for due to its unique shrunken environment and formidable enemies. All things considered, I can’t wait to see what will happen next in this first-person narrative from Xbox Game Studios.	Read review
Windows Central	Zachary Boddy	4.5 / 5 stars	09-26-2022	Grounded concluded its early access tenure with one final update to pull everything together and add hours of fresh new content, resulting in one of the best games of 2022. Grounded is bound to inspire other titles in the survival genre for years to come.	Read review

** Learn more about how to become a MetaMeter-approved Critic.

About Grounded

Game Description / Storyline:

The world is a vast, beautiful and dangerous place – especially when you have been shrunk to the size of an ant. Explore, build and survive together in this first person, multiplayer, survival-adventure. Can you thrive alongside the hordes of giant insects, fighting to survive the perils of the backyard?

RELEASE DATES:

DEVELOPER(S):

PUBLISHER(S):

GENRES:

SERIES/FRANCHISE:

GAME MODES:

GAME ENGINE:

DLC:

BUNDLED IN:

DIRECTOR(S):

PRODUCER(S):

DESIGNER(S):

PROGRAMMER(S):

ARTIST(S):

WRITER(S):

COMPOSER(S):

LINKS:

ESRB RATING:

Detailed Information

GAME MODES:

GAME ENGINE:

DLC:

BUNDLED IN:

DIRECTOR(S):

PRODUCER(S):

DESIGNER(S):

PROGRAMMER(S):

ARTIST(S):

WRITER(S):

COMPOSER(S):

Developed by Obsidian Entertainment. All titles, content, brand names, trademarks, logos, artwork, and associated imagery are trademarks and/or copyright material of their respective owners. © All rights reserved.