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digitec plays "Oxygen Not Included": "Fallout Shelter" meets "Terraria"
by Philipp Rüegg
"Grounded": "Darling, I've shrunk the children" is now a survival game
30.7.2020
Translation: machine translated
House-high ants, thistle needles as arrows and an aluminium can as a shelter. "Grounded" is a survival game set in the world of the Disney classic "Darling, I've Shrunk the Children". Even in the Early Access phase, it is a worthwhile and humorous adventure.
For once, the latest Obsidian game is not an action RPG. "Grounded" is a co-operative survival game where you have to survive as a tiny creature in a garden full of giant ants and mean ladybirds. The parallels to the 80s film "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" are unmistakable.
The developers of "The Outer Worlds" and "Pillars of Eternity" are breaking new ground. The traditional role-playing game house is clearly enjoying the financial security it has gained through the takeover by Microsoft. Although "Grounded" is still in Early Access, it already looks fresh and motivating.
A small front garden becomes a gigantic jungle
"Grounded" can be played either alone or with up to three other players. The game is played in either first or third person. After selecting one of four characters, you find yourself the size of a fruit fly at the bottom of a small front garden. You don't know how you got there or why you have shrunk. Now you want to get to the bottom of this mystery. At this stage, however, the story is still very short. I can't yet say whether it makes reference to the film. I wouldn't expect Rick Moranis' character Wayne Szalinski to make a guest appearance.
You have a lot to do with collecting resources, building equipment and constructing a safe shelter to protect yourself from the voracious insects. Because they lurk behind every cloverleaf. At first you fight with a pebble, but soon you will be able to make spears and armour from the ants you kill.
As befits a survival game, you need to eat and drink regularly. The latter can be found unpolluted in the form of laundry and large drops of water. The flora and fauna in "Grounded" is already extremely diverse. From small blowflies to creepy spiders, there are many dangers lurking for you. And you are constantly learning new construction plans or finding new resources to explore.
There's a lot to discover in "Grounded" in the current Early Access phase, so it's already worth taking a look. Especially at a price of around 30 francs. It's also included in the Xbox Game Pass. But you won't miss out on anything if you wait until version 1.0 is released. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what else Obsidian gets out of "Grounded". You can get a first impression in our Let's Play.
"Grounded" is available for PC and Xbox One.
We stream on Youtube and on Twitch. Why not also check out our Discord channel.
This is how we stream:
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chAs a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
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