Obsidian Announces Grounded, A Bite-Sized Survival Game
Hot on the heels of the release of The Outer Worlds, Obsidian Entertainment has announced the next game slated to join their growing lineup.
Senior programmer Roby Atadero and studio design director Josh Sawyer revealed Grounded, Obsidian's new co-op survival game, during the Inside Xbox stream at X019. Known for creating massive RPGs, Grounded, a passion project created by a small team of less than 15 staffers, takes the studio in a different direction.
The action unfolds in a suburban backyard, evoking some serious Honey, I Shrunk the Kids vibes. The four main characters, shrunken to the size of an ant in an experiment gone awry, must navigate the dangers of the micro-sized world. Monstrous bugs, forests of grass, weedkiller and more can all spell life or death as everyday objects transform into nigh-insurmountable obstacles.
"There's definitely the nostalgia factor," game director Adam Brennecke told IGN. "I grew up watching Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Bug's Life, all those movies. I think it's the fantasy of being in that world where mundane objects can become fantastical...Experimenting as a game designer is really cool in [that world] because everything is familiar... but how can you make that interesting as a game designer?"
The announcement trailer provides a glimpse at how Grounded blends survival and RPG elements. Gameplay unfolds from a first-person perspective, allowing players to craft, construct armor and weapons, swim, and cook food. Insects like ants, stinkbugs, and fireflies will appear throughout the title's day-and-night cycle, growing and changing within the evolving ecosystem. Players will also have quests to complete though its unclear what these missions will encompass or how they'll fit into the overall narrative.
Grounded comes to Xbox Game Preview and Xbox Games Pass for Xbox One and PC in spring 2020. PC players can also experience the game through Steam. Feedback from the community will play a large role in shaping how the game develops.