It’s time to get shrunk, gear up, and enter Brookhollow Park in Grounded 2, out in Xbox Game Preview and Steam Early Access today. Grounded 2 takes us – and the first game’s cast of teenagers – to some brand-new bug-stomping grounds, and this world is bigger, denser, and holds many more secrets and stories to uncover than the Backyard we played in previously.

But if you haven’t played the first Grounded, don’t worry about things you may have missed. Grounded 2 is built to be a welcoming entry point for new players, and the best possible Grounded experience all round.

“Grounded 2 gave us a fresh start, a chance to rebuild the game from the ground up, push the world further, and finally introduce features like mounts, new biome structures, and a more narrative-driven experience,” says Chris Parker, Game Director on Grounded 2.

“The story begins fresh, and we’ve designed the world, tools, and pacing to be more approachable from the start. Whether you’re into survival systems, co-op gameplay, weird bugs, or just want to explore a wild suburban park with friends, this is the best way to experience what makes Grounded special.”

The park is full of sizeable perils for such tiny folk, but fear not, we’ve been in and among the weeds (literally) to bring you some top tips for getting started on your adventure in Grounded 2. Grab your Omni-Tool, and hop in.

Analyze Everything

Everything you’ll gather up in Grounded 2 has a use, and scanning items at a Resource Analyzer is the best way to find out what they do. Doing so also unlocks new crafting recipes, unveiling new creations that you can build with said component. Be sure to scan every new ingredient that you find before you use it; anything from plant resources to bug bits may reveal something super useful for your adventure, whether it’s a piece of furniture or powerful armor for those dangerous escapades (such as the possibility of a spider unceremoniously stomping through your base).

Get Armed

Even with only one section unlocked for Game Preview launch, Brookhollow Park is a vibrant, inviting space with nearly as much ground to explore as the entirety of the original Grounded– but danger will find you fast. Without the right tools, even a tiny pack of mites can catch you and leave you suffering.

Before you venture too far from your home base, be sure to craft some basic weapons – a crude Pebblet Spear will help you take down small bugs at first, but a bow for long range combat or a Warhammerlet for heavy stun attacks are also great options that can be crafted from easily accessible components. You’ll also want to make some armor as soon as possible – I quickly crafted the Red Ant armor set for some early game protection (sorry to the friendly ants) which gave me some much-needed confidence in working through missions and finding new supplies.

Bag Your Buggy

Exploring such a vast landscape on such little legs feels like a monumental feat, so we’d recommend working toward the questline that unlocks the Buggy  – Grounded 2’s new insect mounts – a priority in your first hours. This can be a tough task to get through – you’ll need to do a fair bit of hunting for all of the right components, and the final part – securing a Red Ant Soldier Egg – means taking on a fair few powerful foes. Make sure you armor up, pack some strong weapons, and craft some healing items before venturing to go get it.

These mounts – starting with a strong Red Ant Soldier – are fresh additions in Grounded 2, and will help you swiftly traverse the park with ease. Not only that, but your Buggy pal can help you carry heavy items used for base building, support you in combat, and gobble up smaller items in bulk so you don’t have to dismount and slowly pick them up one by one. The Buggy makes all the difference when there’s so much to do and see, so be sure to get it as soon as possible.

Stay Supplied

With so much to do it’s easy to forget that Grounded 2 is a survival game, and the sudden need to eat and drink will creep up on you. Luckily, the park is teeming with edible wildlife, and building a Roasting Spit will let you cook bug parts you’ve harvested. Water can be found dotted around the park too, but we’d recommend crafting a Canteen at the workbench so you’ll always have a drink or two on hand. The recipe for the Canteen is unlocked by scanning Grub Hide, and Grubs are pretty easy to find and take down once you unlock the Omni-Tool shovel upgrade – you’ll often spot them rumbling around underground. Keep a few snacks on you at all times and an eye on those sustenance levels. Just don’t slurp the nasty water. Don’t do that.

Swot Up on Science

Upgrading your Omni-Tool – a new tool that combines the axe, shovel, hammer and wrench into one single, handy piece of equipment – will make survival much easier. To do that, you’ll need to earn Raw Science points, which can be primarily accumulated from scanning items at the Resource Analyzer, or completing Ranger Challenges which can be picked up at Ranger Stations dotted around Brookhollow Park. Raw Science points can be spent at these spots too – either to add additional skills to your faithful Omni-Tool, or at the Science Shop which lets you exchange Raw Science points for cooking recipes, building components, decorative pieces, and other useful upgrades.

We hope these tips are helpful, whether you’re getting shrunk again or preparing for your first adventure in Grounded’s large, tiny world.

Grounded 2 is available in Game Preview today for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, and Xbox Cloud, in Early Access on Steam, and with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. And with Xbox Play Anywhere, a single purchase lets you play with Xbox consoles and Xbox on PC with full cross-saves – at no additional cost.

Grounded 2

Xbox Game Studios

☆☆☆☆☆
213

★★★★★

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Shrunk again, but the world is much larger. Survive a sprawling open world alone or in co-op with friends. Craft weapons, forge armor, and build bases while exploring the park on your trusty Buggy mounts. Unravel hidden mysteries and face unexpected threats. But something else is out there—and it hasn’t forgotten you.
Shrunk to the size of an ant, you’ll find once-familiar spaces turned into a sprawling, uncharted frontier. Survive alone or in co-op with friends, crafting weapons, forging armor, and building bases as you explore manmade playgrounds overgrown by nature. Traverse this new realm on trusty Buggy mounts—your capable allies—and uncover the mysteries lurking beneath bright colors and towering structures. But stay wary: something else is out there, and it hasn’t forgotten you.

Survive, Adapt, Overcome
The world is relentless, but so are you. Shape your adventure with unique archetypes, each offering distinct abilities to match your playstyle. Whether you rely on precision, cunning, or sheer strength, you’ll need every advantage to survive against the threats lurking in the park.

Stronger Together
The perils of the park are daunting alone, but with friends, every challenge becomes an adventure. Work together to build, fight, and uncover the secrets buried beneath the grass. Whether you’re facing danger side by side or continuing your journey in a shared world, survival is always better with allies.

Because Walking is Bogus
They scurry, they fight, and now—they help you survive. Hatch, raise, and ride your own insect friends – Buggies! Saddle up and traverse through the park, fight on them or alongside them in battle, or use them to gather resources and build your base. The right partner could mean the difference between thriving and barely surviving.

A Shadow That Follows You
The threat is always there—watching, learning, waiting. You don’t know where it’s coming from, only that it never leaves. The deeper you dig, the closer it gets. Some mysteries should stay buried, but it’s too late now. It knows you’re looking. And it’s ready. Every answer drags you deeper, every step invites something closer. You were never alone. You thought you were in control. You were wrong.