Justin Bell’s score (his last with Obsidian) is also appropriately atmospheric and he goes on a high note. Beneath the surface, however, is a dark and almost horrifying fringe, enhanced by excellent audio work. The game looks like a cartoon come to life. Although it can’t compete with the visual fidelity of, say, a hellblade or a Last of Us, Grounded uses a striking color palette and exceptional sense of scale to make a big impact. Now for the aesthetics: Grounded is a master class in art direction.
However, Obsidian’s signature sharp-witted writing style and exceptional environmental storytelling, coupled with a delightful twist from Shazam actor Zachary Levi, make the story a compelling mystery that you’ll want to solve. NPCs are few and far between, and the vast majority of the story’s twists and turns are told through audio recordings. The best way I can describe what has been done here is the history of the release of Fallout 76 was actually captivating. Now the entire story is playable, and luckily it’s pretty good. Last time I played only 20% of the story had been implemented into the game. However, I would argue primarily that this is the expansion of the story. New tiers of weapons and armor, refinements to survival systems, a plethora of new enemy types, and at least a 4x increase in map size are just the tip of the iceberg. It’s also worth noting that the game has significantly increased the amount of content since its early access launch. Blocking, parrying, and throwing weapons play an important role in your arsenal here, adding extra depth to the game. Though it’s still imperfect compared to some of its first-person counterparts (particularly chivalry and the dishonored series), the combat here is still a notable step above titles like Skyrim and The Outer Worlds. Every square inch of this tiny map grown is immersive, carefully crafted, and packed with detail.Īnother area where Obsidian has gained significant prominence is in the game’s combat. Exploring this map is in many ways more reminiscent of a game like Breath of the Wild or Skyrim than the beautiful (if sometimes barren) landscapes of something like Minecraft.
Grounded’s map is meticulously crafted, intentionally working off set pieces, landmarks, and biomes to extraordinary effect.
From the variety of biomes to the emphasis on environmental storytelling, Grounded shows a side of Obsidian that I don’t think gamers have seen before. First off, the map has evolved from a novel, albeit small, survival map into by far the best world Obsidian has ever designed. A lot has changed in the two years since I last played it, and for the better.
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