Survival-crafting fans rejoice, Grounded 2 is now available in early access. Though in its current state, the early access only offers a portion of what the game will eventually become by the time Grounded 2’s full release date arrives in the distant future, there’s still a strong enough foundation for players to enjoy in the meantime.
Whether players are new to the franchise or survival-crafting games as a whole, there are a few unwritten rules that players will want to know before jumping into Grounded 2’s early access. Even if players plan on breaking these rules, knowing them in the first place could prove to be the difference between life and death.
The Unwritten Rules of Grounded 2’s Combat and Exploration
Resources and Enemies in Grounded 2 Respawn After a Few Days
Collectibles like Milk Molars and Raw Science won’t respawn, though most resources will. It can vary depending on the resource, but it generally takes anywhere from 1 to 3 in-game days for resources to respawn. Players can use this to their advantage to farm particular spots where rare resources in Grounded 2 spawn in large quantities, rather than scouring the entire park just for one specific resource.
Not only do resources respawn, but enemies do too, including bosses. So, just because players clear out a POI or pathway doesn’t always mean that the location will be safe when players next return. This is especially important to be mindful of when choosing a location to build a base in Grounded 2, as player-made structures don’t reliably stop enemies from respawning. Of course, this can be helpful if players are trying to farm a specific enemy, but it’s otherwise recommended to pick a spot to build where enemies don’t regularly visit, or at least where the nearby bugs aren’t hostile.
See The Best War Games’s Grounded 2 Interactive Map here to find rare resources, enemy spawns, and the perfect spots to build a base.
Grounded 2’s Brookhollow Park Is the Ultimate Playground
While committing the time and resources to building a full-blown base near an enemy’s spawn point might be more trouble than it’s worth, this isn’t to say that players should never build near enemies or dangerous POIs. Instead of a full base, players should consider building key structures at these kinds of locations where they see fit.
- Trail Markers track and share locations with teammates, ensuring players won’t soon forget important discoveries.
- A lean-to can serve as a convenient respawn point when far away from a base. Players can quickly return to the fight to help teammates or have easy access to retrieving their dropped loot this way.
- Traps, stuffed bugs, and bug trophies can make difficult fights easier, while also increasing the loot players earn from killing specific enemies. These kinds of structures are best used in areas where players will need to fight waves of enemies for a mission objective.
Pack the Essentials for Every Adventure in Grounded 2
As with other survival-crafting games like Grounded 2, carrying more items on hand at all times limits players' carrying capacity, but it’s arguably worth it to carry an emergency supply of consumables, resources, and weapons, because oftentimes it makes the difference between life and death. After all, it’s better to have something and not need it than to need it and not have it.
The most important thing that players should always have is the buggy mounts in Grounded 2, even if only to provide some extra storage space to offset the handful of things that players should arguably carry at all times. Beyond this, it’s recommended to bring crafting materials for some of the key structures mentioned earlier, as well as food, water, healing items, and two different weapon types to deal with enemies’ weaknesses and resistances to certain damage types. This way, players can confidently handle any surprises that come up while exploring or completing quests.
- Released
- July 29, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen / Violence, Blood
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
WHERE TO PLAY
When you've been shrunk to the size of an ant, what was once familiar is now a wild, uncharted frontier. Traverse sprawling manmade spaces overgrown with nature with buggies that can fight alongside with you, uncover hidden secrets, and fight to survive in a world much larger than the backyard. The playground may seem familiar, but beneath its bright colors and towering structures lie mysteries hidden in plain sight. Are you ready to uncover them?
Survive, Adapt, Overcome - The world is relentless, but so are you. Shape your adventure with unique archetypes, each offering distinct abilities to match your playstyle. Whether you rely on precision, cunning, or sheer strength, you’ll need every advantage to survive against the threats lurking in the park.
Stronger Together - The perils of the park are daunting alone, but with friends, every challenge becomes an adventure. Work together to build, fight, and uncover the secrets buried beneath the grass. Whether you’re facing danger side by side or continuing your journey in a shared world, survival is always better with allies.
Walking is Bogus. Introducing Buggies - They scurry, they fight, and now—they help you survive. Hatch, raise, and ride your own insect friends - buggies! Saddle up and ride through the park, command them in battle, or have them help gather resources. The right partner could mean the difference between thriving and barely surviving.
A Shadow That Follows You - The threat is always there—watching, learning, waiting. You don’t know where it’s coming from, only that it never leaves. The deeper you dig, the closer it gets. Some mysteries should stay buried, but it’s too late now. It knows you’re looking. And it’s ready. Every answer drags you deeper, every step invites something closer. You were never alone. You thought you were in control. You were wrong.
