What you can actually play in Grounded 2 right now

Brookhollow Park now extends deep underwater

The current world includes established land regions, the Garden Patch and Sinkhole Anthill, plus the Pond, Bayou, Mountains and deeper Abyss. Ranger Outposts, research facilities and traversal systems connect exploration with story and equipment progression. [2][3][4][5]

These regions are playable, but their presence does not mean the eventual park is complete or that every route is open at the start of a new save. [2][3]

Diving is a separate progression path

Swimming 2.0 adds a directional burst and underwater enemy lock-on. Diving Suits provide a progression path for deeper exploration, with Optical Discs unlocking suit recipes. The Omni-Clipper handles underwater harvesting; the Harpoon Gun, mines and Croakwurst Bomb add aquatic combat options. The Abyss also contains low-gravity combat and platforming. [2][3]

Getting around and finding resources

Buggies, the expanded Pneumatic Transit System (PTS) and craftable Ziplines with ZIP.R provide different ways to cross the park. PEEP.R 2K works in first- and third-person views, with zoom, a dynamic compass, a chopping list and resource tracking linked to the map’s Resource Finder. [3][7]

Base building works on land and underwater

Gathering, crafting and base building sit alongside combat and exploration. The live construction systems cover shelters and decoration, cooking equipment, Buggy support and underwater facilities. Building therefore has several purposes: developing a home, supporting progression and preparing a foothold in another environment. [3][4][5]

Construction tools and building sets

BUILD.M is the building-grid system for selecting and placing construction pieces. Land-building options include Pumpkin, Mushroom and Scale Roof pieces, alongside Acorn Stairs and floor hatches. Utility structures include the Buggy Buff Hut and EverChar Roasting Spit; the latter cooks more food at once and also lights the base. [4][5][6]

Coziness gives decoration a purpose

Coziness rewards base decoration with perks and recipes. The base-music system changes with Coziness too. It gives furnishing and developing a home its own rewards alongside equipment and combat progression. [3][7]

What underwater construction adds

Underwater base building is available in the survival game. Bubble Floors create breathable spaces, while the Bubble Diffuser is an underwater air source. Aquatic stations and buoyant structures extend construction beyond dry land, allowing submerged bases rather than just decorative objects in a creator map. [2][3]

Customising your equipment

The Glitter Bar in Ominent Outposts supplies cosmetic customisation for the SCA.B 2K wrist device and Omni-Tool. This changes their appearance; it is separate from upgrading tool tiers or unlocking recipes. [3]

Equipment, mutations and encounters shape your build

Warrior, Ranger, Mage and Rogue describe combat archetypes rather than permanent character classes. Your equipment, weapons and abilities determine the build you play. [14]

Active and passive mutations do different jobs

Active mutations are equipped choices; passive mutations apply automatically according to your weapon loadout. Player build choices therefore involve both equipment and mutation selection. Buggies have a separate mutation system for their own capabilities. [4][5]

Progression has more than one track

Equipment and Omni-Tool upgrades develop combat and harvesting, while Brainpower unlocks recipes. Diving Suits and Optical Discs open the underwater progression path. Buggy stats, tiers and mutations form another track alongside these player upgrades. [3][5]

Molar progression expanded again in 0.5.1

Patch 0.5.1 adds Molar upgrades for Mega Milk Molars, Milk Molars and Moldy Milk Molars, and expands the available upgrade tiers for Milk and Moldy Milk Molars. This is a live progression change, not a future-roadmap item. [21]

The current Tier 4 Omni-Axe recipe changed

Patch 0.5.1 removed Infused Ooze from the game and changed the Tier 4 Omni-Axe recipe. The first-party note does not enumerate the complete revised recipe, so the exact current Leviathan requirement is unknown in the governed evidence. Other Tier IV tool branches should not be assumed complete. [21]

The enemy mix is broader than ordinary insects

The roster includes ants, spiders, beetles, mantises, scorpions and flying threats, alongside aquatic creatures. O.R.C. receiver-controlled enemies and O.G.R.R. enhanced creatures are distinct groups. CNK robots—including CHOP.R., SAUC.R. and C.K.U.—and the Pond Jockey Swarm add encounters beyond the familiar insects. [3][4][5]

Rideable insect allies have distinct roles and progression

Buggies are insect allies used for travel, gathering, carrying and combat. Acquiring a mount is the start of its development: stats, tier upgrades and mutations let it progress alongside your character. [5][14]

These are rideable allies, not a list of every wild creature. The ordinary Potato Beetle, for example, is distinct from the planned Potato Beetle Buggy. [3][4][5][17]

Patch 0.5.1 buffs Buggy perception so companions can join fights more easily and fixes inventory loss, disabled Buggies after nest destruction, Toe Biter Sweep damage and restrictive summoning behaviour. [21]

Stats, tiers and mutations are separate upgrades

Moldy Milk Molars develop Buggy stats, including health, damage and gathering effectiveness. The Buffin’ Barrel advances a Buggy to the next tier, increasing its capabilities and what it can gather. Mutations reinforce each creature’s role: some stay active, while others trigger through your actions. [5]

Hotpouch support gives access to equipment functions while mounted. The Ladybug’s water cannon removes Tang and can target airborne pests, while the Toe Biter moves between land and water. [3][4][6]

The Stranger and O.R.C.s form an active pressure system

Beyond individual enemy encounters, the current game tracks attention from the Mysterious Stranger. Disrupting O.R.C. creatures, caches and transmission devices raises heat; sufficiently high heat can trigger an O.R.C. wave. It connects your activity in the park to a response, rather than being only a sequence of isolated story appearances. [3]

What raises pressure, and what responds to it

Disrupting the network

O.R.C.-related targets contribute to Stranger attention when you interfere with them.

Retaliation

High heat can bring waves of controlled creatures. The exact trigger conditions should not be replaced with a universal raid timetable.

MIX.R activity

These defence encounters can reduce attention. Repeatable MIX.R behaviour and a Pond MIX.R are part of the current system.

O.R.C. Beacon

A separate way to deliberately call in a wave, rather than wait for attention to trigger one.

This gives you both reactive and deliberate encounters: some follow the attention accumulated through play, while others can be started through a Beacon or MIX.R activity. [3]

O.R.C. and O.G.R.R. are not the same thing

O.R.C. enemies use receiver/control technology and can have additional combat behaviours. O.G.R.R. denotes a separate enhanced-creature group. Their origins and story connections belong on the Lore page; the distinction here matters because they are different encounters and progression targets. [3][5]

Stranger-linked crafting

Ransacked Ominent Outposts contain the Forbidden Workbench, a special station for additional Mysterious Stranger items. It connects this part of the world with crafting as well as combat, without requiring the story’s identity mysteries to be explained here. [3]

Build, share and play experiences outside the campaign

Playgrounds lets you build custom maps, modes and scripted encounters, or download, play and vote on community creations. It is a separate way to play alongside the authored survival campaign. [8]

Logic tools, not just scenery placement

Trigger Volumes react when a player enters a defined area. Linked Random Chance tools and Creature Spawners can then produce different encounters. Pathing tools and other gizmos support scripted movement, traps and challenges; the Lab Building Set supplies pieces for custom research-facility environments. [3][8]

Buggy Racing and custom defence events

Buggy Racing is part of Playgrounds, with the Lakeside Loop starting map and tools for building tracks. Race starts, checkpoints, gates, Sticky Sap and speed-boost pads support point-to-point or lap races for one to four players. Custom MIX.R tools include a Creature Spawner and Wave Manager, separating where enemies enter from how a defence event progresses. [3][9]

Custom Game is not the 1.0 release

Custom Game 1.0 is the name of the delivered custom-game settings package. It is not the game’s product version: Grounded 2 remains in Early Access with an unfinished story. [3][13]