Gamepur recently spoke with game director Adam Brennecke. There were no huge revelations, which isn’t surprising at this early stage. The news I’m excited about is that there will be bees (BEES), although there’s no date for that yet. I can wait. They won’t be alone in the sky either, as they’ll be joined by mosquitoes to begin with, and more flying bugs later: Hostile, or at least destructive flying thingies are conspicuous by their absence at the moment, but could become a bit of a nightmare. To counteract that, it’s worth noting that Grounded already has a difficulty setting that will prevent hazards like base attacks, if that’s your bag. I normally steer clear of those modes, but have been tempted, if only to enjoy its ambience for a while without the creeping dread of a spider ambush. Obsidian are also planning substantial, monthly updates until its full release, which is currently pencilled in for 2021. In addition to more minibeasts there’ll be more environments, materials, and base options. According to Brennecke, the first update is scheduled for the 27th of August.
It just so happens that I’ll be conducting my own interview with the Grounded team very soon, where we’ll be discussing the game’s artificial life in particular. Much of the game’s charm comes from getting to familiar creatures like ants and gnats from a different perspective, and of course I’m looking forward to seeing bees join the gang. I’m not sure how I feel about the mosquitoes, mind, as someone who only recently started appearing on their radar. Grounded is currently in Steam Early Access and the Microsoft Store for £25/$30/€30. It’s also included in the XBox Games Pass For PC, which has a long-running £1 for the first month offer.
