I only recently got an 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Xbox Series S, so Grounded had slipped under my radar until I got invited to a preview of the new Hot and Hazey update. It’s as though Honey I Shrunk The Kids and A Bug’s Life had a twisted little baby - twisted because you wear the repurposed chitin of your slain bug foes, taunting the remaining survivors as you adorn yourse♔lf with armour made of their fallen brethren.
But, that’s all old news - you could do that in Grounded already, appꦡarently. I may have missed the initial launch into early access, but I’m here for the newest update, which is shaping up to be a real scorcher. Hot and Hazey - as the name implies - adds a brand spanking new sizzle mechanic that cooks your shrunken avatar as they explore a recently discovered sandbox. It’s got sandcastles, oases, and sun so intense it’ll cook you if you don’t find shade or wear appropriate gear. I’m quite a fan of weather effects in survival sims and RPGs, and Grounded implements them brilliantly.
The location of the shade changes dynamically based on the time of day and the position of the sun, so every time you venture into the box you’ll have to chart a new course through. This will also make the main reason for going there - looking for buried treasure - trickier and more exciting. I asked if this mechanic would affect all the overground levels, but it will only be active in the sandbox for now. However, developer Obsidian says it’s hopiꦗng to build more areas that take advantage of it in future updates. Sign me up.
While watching this preview for a game I’ve never played, I was impressed by the variety of environments I had yet to explore. 🍸There’s a lot to see in a backyard when you’re the size of an ant, and Obsidian has brought to life several new areas that look like a joy to traipse around in. As well as the new sandbox - shaped like a cute crab - there’s an anthill under it, which is the first dungeon in the game. You can venture down to find new loot and take on the inhabitants. There’s also a picnic table and a trash heap.
The ‘hazey’ part of the update comes in the form of an updated Haze. Obsidian has responded to community feedback that this area was barren, and they’ve decided to make it even more barren, but in a way that’ll actually entice you to go there and check it out. Now there are 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:fungally infected bugs - gross - there that will try to eat your tiny brains. There’s also a lab hidden away under a dense fog. Screw the old Haze, I heard it was trash anyway. Not the 2008 shooter - 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:that deserves a second chance - but the improved gloomy infected version of🌞 Grounded&rsqu🍸o;s Haze area looks set to be way more interesting, and still just as desolate.
As well as location specific updates, Grounded is going to be seeing a host of new RPG mechanics soon. I love RPGs - 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:even though I barely finish them - so seeing some more systems get implemented makes me excited to try them out. Armours will now have different weight classes that affect stamina regeneration, and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:weapons can be upgraded with different attributes, meaning your favourite early game armaments will be useful for longer. There are also gummy vitamins that improve your characters stats, as well as a refineme🎀nt coming to the way you unlock upgrades.
I’m glad Obsidian is able to split its time evenly among multiple different aspects of the game. Overhauling various parts of Grounded seems like the best way to keep progress on it steady, rather than a laser-focused update on just one area. From reworking old areas I’d never been to, to updating game mechanics I hadn’t used, to creating whole new environments I’m yet to explore, there’s a lot of new stuff to keep current and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:new players engaged - I, for one, am excited♏ to finally give Grounded a go when thiꦚs new update goes live on October 20.