Grounded 2's 'Into the Abyss' Update Is a Solid Offering

Early access games have a reputation, and it's not a good one. You buy in early, you get a decent chunk of content, and then the updates slow to a crawl while the studio quietly moves on. Grounded 2 is doing the opposite of that, and it's worth paying attention to.

August 11 was a big day for Obsidian and Eidos Montréal's backyard survival sequel. The fourth major content update titled Into the Abyss — dropped, and it brought something genuinely impressive with it: a completely rebuilt underwater movement and combat system. The original water zones were clunky and everyone knew it, so instead of slapping a band-aid on it, they scrapped it and did it right.

On top of that, Grounded 2 officially launched on PS5 the same day, opening the game up to a whole new audience. The game was already sitting at 3 million players across Xbox Series X|S and PC. Now PlayStation players can finally get in on it. If you've been waiting on the sidelines for that reason, the wait is over.

To put the update cadence in perspective: Into the Abyss is the fourth substantial drop in under a year, following Hairy and Scary, Toxic Tangle, and Beat the Heat. That's a real development pace. These aren't minor patches dressed up with a flashy name. Each one has added meaningful content to the game. In a world where some studios charge full price and then nickel-and-dime you for the rest, this is refreshing.

If you've been sleeping on Grounded 2, now's a good time to wake up. The underwater overhaul alone is reason enough to jump back in, and if you're a PS5 player who's been locked out until now — welcome to the backyard.