When it comes to the survival-crafting genre, you have options. In fact, it sometimes feels like you have too many choices. But for those in love with the genre, a quality game can retain their attention for countless hours. If you’re the type to fall head over heels for a survival game, you’re in luck because Grounded is about to launch on PS5. It’s a new world to explore, and our Grounded Beginner’s Guide, full of tips and tricks, should help you thrive!
What is the Point of Grounded?
In Grounded, you play as a child shrunk to the size of an ant, stuck in the background with blades of grass towering overhead and skyscraper-sized wasps and spiders wanting to eat you alive. For those afraid of bugs or with severe arachnophobia, it’s an absolutely terrifying experience. But there’s a lot of charm in the colorful world design and scientific mysteries of the game’s storyline.
If you follow the main story, you’ll uncover who shrunk you and why and find a path back to your normal size. You’re not alone, though. You can play Grounded cooperatively, with up to three friends at any time, or battle the backyard’s critters completely solo. It’s up to you, though I know which I’d rather choose when fighting a black widow the size of a mountain!
To help you fight, you’ll craft armor and weapons, use tools to obtain resources, and construct a towering base with walls and turrets to remain safe against the denizens of the dirt.
Is Grounded First Person?
You’re a player with preferences, and that’s okay. If you would rather play a game in third-person over first-person, then Grounded may entice you. It offers both. You can easily switch between first- and third-person camera modes by hitting the “U” key on the mouse and keyboard.
We’re not sure which button will switch your view on PlayStation 5, but once control schemes become available to the public (likely on the game’s launch), you’ll be the first to know!
Related: When is Grounded Coming to PlayStation 5?
How Long Does it Take to Beat Grounded?
While Grounded does feature a story with plenty of missions and objectives to tackle, most people who enjoy the game do so in a free-form manner. They explore the backyard, fight eight-legged freaks, and build monumental bases that would impress the Tudors.
But if you want to mainline the story and finish the tale of how the children shrunk down to the size of an ant, it will take you approximately 26 hours. If you focus on side content alongside the main story, you’re looking at about 70 hours.
After that, the backyard is your oyster!
Does Grounded Have a Creative Mode?
In a survival game about playing as a shrunken child in a backyard full of toys and bugs, one would imagine a creative mode fits nicely into the mix. If that’s what you were thinking, then congratulations—you’re correct!
Grounded does have a creative mode, known as Playgrounds, that will allow you to create custom maps with access to all of the game’s assets, including the many bugs in Grounded.
Overall, the controls in Playgrounds appear simple. You can snap items to the ground, place down objects, rotate and raise items, and then hop in to test out your creations with the press of a button.
Grounded Tips and Tricks for New and Returning Players
To help you survive the world of Grounded, we have a few tips and tricks:
- To unlock additional crafting recipes and increase your power level, you must track down BURG.L Chips and Milk Molars. They’re scattered throughout the game world, with some hidden inside half-crushed soda cans or beneath berry bushes. But be wary, as many will have eight-legged guards!
- As you progress through the story, you’ll unlock mutations that will help you better survive. Some of these increase your health, others improve your stamina usage, and they’re all useful when fighting bosses and mobs.
- Before you explore too deep in the backyard, place down a small base with a handful of crafting stations. Your first order of the day is to secure food and water, which decay at an alarming rate. You constantly need to drink water. I recommend crafting a canteen and keeping it full always so you can take some water on your trips.
- The building mechanics in the game aren’t solely for constructing a base or rest stop along your travels. You can use many of the construction pieces to help you reach tough spots, like secret areas, or to gain a height advantage over certain enemies.
- The world of Grounded is positively massive, and that’s not always a good thing. It can take a long time to travel anywhere, which is why I recommend constructing zip lines to key locations, like your base, to help you navigate the terrain with ease.
As more previously exclusive Xbox titles launch on PlayStation 5, we’ll have additional guides and coverage for you straight from the team at Insider Gaming!
