Grounded (PS5) – Review
Shrinking Down to a Big Adventure: Grounded on PS5
Grounded takes the survival genre and throws it into a blender with Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, resulting in a unique and charming PS5 experience. You wake up shrunk down to the size of an ant in your own backyard, a world transformed into a sprawling wilderness. Blades of grass become towering obstacles, a single drop of dew a refreshing oasis, and everyday backyard creatures become monstrous threats.
Crafting Your Way to Survival
Survival in Grounded hinges on crafting. You’ll scavenge for materials – leaves, pebbles, even the discarded husk of a ladybug – to build the tools and shelter you need. A simple acorn cap becomes a helmet, a dew collector provides vital hydration, and a sturdy base protects you from the dangers of the overgrown world. The crafting system offers surprising depth. You can build elaborate multi-level structures or cozy, fortified hideaways, all depending on your playstyle and the challenges you face.
Combat: Outsmarting, Not Overpowering
Forget charging in and taking down enemies head-on. Grounded’s combat is a dance of strategy and resourcefulness. A ladybug, once a harmless insect, is now a heavily armored foe. A spider becomes a terrifying boss fight, requiring you to exploit its weaknesses and avoid its deadly attacks. Grounded rewards clever tactics and quick thinking over brute force.
A Vast World in Miniature
The backyard transforms into a diverse and treacherous environment to explore. Dense jungles of grass blades offer both cover and danger, while a single puddle becomes a vast, resource-filled lake. You can delve into the labyrinthine tunnels of an anthill, climb towering mushrooms, or zipline across dandelion fluff. The world is full of surprises, waiting to be discovered.
Unraveling the Mystery
While survival is the core gameplay loop, there’s a narrative thread woven throughout. Scattered audio logs and environmental details hint at the reason behind your shrinkage. This underlying mystery adds another layer of intrigue to your exploration, motivating you to push further and uncover the secrets of the backyard.
The PS5 Experience
Grounded runs smoothly on the PS5, but it’s not a graphical powerhouse. The occasional frame rate drop can disrupt the experience, so be aware. However, the DualSense controller elevates the gameplay. You’ll feel the satisfying click of crafting a new tool or the tense vibrations as a spider scuttles nearby. These small details add to the immersion and bring the world to life.
A Few Hiccups on the Path
Inventory space is a constant challenge in Grounded. You’ll need to make tough choices about what to keep and what to leave behind, especially early on. This can be frustrating, but it also forces you to be creative with resource management and prioritize crafting the tools you need most.
For players with a fear of spiders, the game offers an “Arachnophobia Mode” that tones down the spider visuals. However, even with this mode enabled, some may find these creepy crawlies unsettling.
Grounded on PS5 is a fantastic addition to the survival genre. It offers a fresh perspective, challenging gameplay, and a world brimming with charm and wonder. While some performance issues and a tight inventory might cause occasional frustration, the overall experience is an absolute delight. So, shrink down, explore the backyard, and discover the thrill of survival at a miniature scale.
