What feels like out of nowhere, Obsidian Entertainment revealed Grounded 2, the sequel to the popular ant-sized backyard survival game Grounded, during the Xbox Games Showcase. The follow-up expands not only on the lore and items but also masively increases the map size and introduces new mechanics.

Set two years after the original, Grounded 2 takes place in Brookhollow Park, just a few blocks away from the backyard we survived in before. The people of this town were celebrating the anniversary of the teenagers’ safe return when suddenly an explosion went off in the park, and they appeared to be gone once more. This new location is much larger than in the previous game. The developers stated that the starting zone alone is almost the same size as the entire map of Grounded. We can expect many new biomes, and in classic Obsidian fashion, they are very creative, like a frozen area that is actually a toppled ice cream cart or a food shack. Similar to the first game, many more will be added over time through updates. This also includes the story, with an all-new mystery that we will uncover over the next few years.

Every bug in the park can be tamed. Each one will have its own skills, like riding soldier ants into battle, some spiders stunning enemies when you mount them, or worker ants helping to carry items across the park. Insects are not the only new battle mechanic. You will also be able to dodge incoming attacks. This will come in handy, as the enemy AI has been given a big upgrade over the previous game. The new companions will make combat and hauling a lot easier, but what about resource collecting? Well, they have introduced an omni-tool, which combines the axe, hammer, shovel, and wrench. This way, you will not have to switch tools, and it will free up some much-needed backpack space.

Grounded 2 will release on July 29th in early access on Steam and Xbox.

Have you played the first game, and are you looking forward to the sequel? Let me know in the comments.