Deciding to state definitively what happened, or show their bodies, would mean that Grounded and Obsidian lose their plausible deniability. Grounded does try to keep up the appearance of a fun and whimsical world, and that means not showing you what happened to those that came before you. Who were the original wearers of these? Where are they? The one thing that stands out the most is that you won’t find any bodies. Some in seemingly normal areas, others in places like the bottom of the koi pond in the backyard. Numerous versions of the S.C.A.B, a wrist-mounted personal assistant of sorts, can be found discarded all over the place. Weapons and armor built out of bug carapaces can be found throughout the world, abandoned by their previous owners. Outside of the researchers, it is made fairly clear that you were not the first teens to step foot in the shrunken world, either. It’s fun to think about what may have happened to these intrepid researchers, exploring what is essentially an alien world. In its current early access state, Grounded leaves a lot up to interpretation. Something that drove the scientists out of the backyard, but it is never explicitly stated. There are notes and files that hint at something happening. They are in disrepair, no more than ruins occupied by angry sentry robots. These laboratories are universally empty, hinting at some kind of mass breakdown of the system. On the scientist front there are laboratories spread throughout the world, outright stating that researchers were there before you. One big thing is that it is clear that you are not the first people in this miniature world. You could experience the story in that way – as unfinished as it currently is – without engaging with some factual aspects of the world that are presented to you. There are giant bugs, but they’re pretty cute. You could take Grounded at face value: The kids are shrunk, they need to get unshrunk. You could safely experience the world of Grounded and not think of what may be happening in the grander story.
We continually underestimate games with a cutesy exterior, only to find them hiding dark interiors. I think it’s been quite a long time since any game was “kid’s stuff”. It can and has been safely brushed off by more “serious” gamers as kids stuff. This is played for whimsy, and that is reflected in the colorful world, goofy gadgets, and even a hamburger-making robot that assists you on your journey. That’s right: It’s Honey I Shrunk The Kids: The videogame. You play as one of four characters teens that have been shrunken down by a shrink ray. Grounded is a first person survival crafting game set in a random backyard. What is Grounded? I’m over here talking about it but I’ve not explained it. Its time in the sun is long past, probably until it releases out of early access, or adds an update that truly revolutionizes the game as people know it.
You see, Grounded is still in early access, and is approaching its second anniversary. It is mildly strange to see them taking the reins on a game like Grounded. Obsidian universally loved for Fallout: New Vegas, Alpha Protocol, The Outer Worlds, and Pillars of Eternity are a company with a long list of successful RPGs. It is a sly devil, with a surprising amount of talent under the hood. I didn’t hear about it until a friend suggested it as something to play together. Have you heard of Grounded? I don’t see it getting much mention in gaming press. Grounded is One of The Best Horror Games In Years
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