Grounded Thumbnail

Grounded similar games & best alternatives

Grounded

PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 • 2022

Related articles

Quick resume

The world is a vast, beautiful and dangerous place – especially when you have been shrunk to the size of an ant. Can you thrive alongside the hordes of giant insects, fighting to survive the perils of the backyard?

Global score

90/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Role-playing (RPG)

Similar games

    Pros

    • Unique and immersive backyard setting
    • Streamlined crafting and building systems
    • Engaging cooperative multiplayer
    • Challenging and rewarding combat
    • Long playtime and replayability

    Cons

    • Some bugs and technical issues
    • Multiplayer login complexity
    • Combat can feel clunky to some
    • Grindy progression at times
    • Limited player count in multiplayer

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Cooperation, Fellowship, Intimacy, Leadership. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Exploration, Intimacy, Fellowship.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players have freedom to explore, build, craft, and choose playstyle with adjustable difficulty and custom settings."

    • Competence
      4

      "Challenging combat requiring skillful blocking and parrying; progression through crafting and exploration."

    • Competition
      -3

      "Focus is on personal progression and cooperative play rather than competitive ranked modes."

    • Continuation
      5

      "Many players report long playtimes, habitual play, and strong attachment to the game world."

    • Cooperation
      5

      "Strong emphasis on co-op multiplayer with teamwork, shared progression, and role specialization."

    • Creativity
      4

      "Robust building system with blueprint previews, customization, and base design creativity."

    • Domination
      -4

      "Interactions emphasize cooperation and shared experiences rather than dominance or power over others."

    • Escapism
      5

      "Players use the game as a fun, immersive escape into a tiny backyard world full of adventure."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of intrinsic interest and enjoyment rather than obligation."

    • Experimenting
      4

      "Encourages exploration of new areas, crafting recipes, and building designs."

    • Exploration
      5

      "Exploration is a core activity with diverse biomes, secrets, and vertical navigation."

    • Expression
      3

      "Character customization and base decoration allow for personal expression."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "Imaginative setting of being shrunk to insect size in a backyard with fictional story elements."

    • Fellowship
      5

      "Strong community and social play aspects with shared goals and cooperative achievements."

    • Growth
      4

      "Players develop skills in combat, crafting, and navigation; progression through learning."

    • Health
      -5

      "Typical sedentary gaming experience without physical activity or rehab elements."

    • Idle
      -4

      "Requires focused attention and engagement; not a casual or background game."

    • Intimacy
      3

      "Cooperative play fosters social bonds and shared experiences, though not deeply emotional."

    • Leadership
      2

      "Some players take leadership roles in cooperative play, but overall balanced group dynamics."

    • Progression
      5

      "Strong emphasis on accumulating gear, upgrades, and unlocking new crafting recipes."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "Mix of relaxing exploration and moments of tension from combat and survival challenges."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Enjoyable visual style, sound design, and immersive environmental effects."

    • Status
      -3

      "Limited social status or leaderboard focus; more about personal and group achievement."

    • Story
      3

      "Engaging narrative with lore and missions integrated into gameplay."

    • Strategy
      4

      "Combat and resource management require planning and tactical thinking."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Combat encounters and night cycles provide suspense and excitement."

    • Value
      4

      "Players report high value for time and money with extensive content and replayability."

    • Violence
      2

      "Combat involves fighting insects but is balanced with constructive building and crafting."

    • Survival
      4

      "Core survival mechanics include resource gathering, managing threats, and strategic defense."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026