- Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
- Release Date: Apr 16, 2024
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
- Critic score
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Apr 21, 2024A remarkable port of the hit survival game we've already enjoyed on Xbox and PC. It prioritizes performance over resolution (and it really shows), allowing the huge garden to be brought to the Switch's circuits. Disappointing performance on desktop, but if you're looking to play it on portable, it's a good option.
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May 6, 2024Grounded is a fantastic survival game with a compelling core gameplay loop and a marvelous retro aesthetic that is bound to scratch the nostalgic itch of gamers of a certain vintage. On Switch, it’s another one of those seemingly impossible ports that feel magical just by its very existence. However, thanks to its technical issues and stripped-back presentation and performance, it’s hard to recommend to anyone with another system they could play it on.
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Aug 16, 2024Grounded on Switch is what it needs to be, a stellar survival sandbox with a uniquely crafted world and visual style. Added features like quests help to guide players new to the genre and those who have played these types of games before, but want a more quest focused experience, closer to an Obsidian-style game. What Grounded really seems to nail the most is it’s uniqueness in a space that is filled with similarly functioning games. Obsidian has found a way to take a tried and true formula and make it work in a new way that fits within the story and world that they have created. It also fits nicely on Switch, despite the fact that the long loading screens make it a drag at times, but this can be avoided by sticking to the respawn system instead of loading saves.
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Apr 19, 2024Grounded on the Nintendo Switch sacrifices a bit of visual fidelity for a really solid port of an incredibly quirky survival game.
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Apr 24, 2024Being able to access your shared worlds across platforms is nice, but for a game that offers cross play and has Microsoft account linking, I really wish it was full cross progression and cross play like you’d expect from a modern game with online components. I can see myself coming back to Grounded to play with friends online, but I’m leaning towards playing it more on PS5 with the faster load times, better performance, and more.
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Apr 22, 2024Grounded is a fantastic survival game, a colourful, unique, and original slice of joyful adventuring that everyone should play if they have the opportunity. It nails the Honey, I Shrunk The Kids vibe, its core gameplay loops are moreish, and its setting and enemies are often breathtaking in how they reframe the mundane. However, and as usual for these big efforts on Switch, this port has plenty of issues. They've had to tank the visuals, the all-important online co-op is flaky, the frame rate is fine until you start going big on bases — just all the stuff we've come to expect at this stage, really. If you can handle the issues, or if Switch is your only way to play, this game can still deliver the goods and the quality shines through. However, if you have another way to play it, we'd definitely recommend you do that instead.