Earth is shown from space as "Dog Days Are Over" begins to play. We then see Unten and Zerita talking inside of her apartment.
- Unten: I always thought there'd be a time when I could stop pretending. I'm not some great leader, hell, I'm not that much of a hero either. I wish I could just be...Unten, again.
Zerita smiles softly and shakes her head.
- Zerita: Unten, you're a hero if I've ever known one. Heroes don't get breaks.
Unten is shown standing on a rooftop at night, his narration playing over the trailer as he watches a skyscraper in the distance explode, presumably killing everyone inside.
- Unten: I guess you're right.
The trailer cuts to the two standing in front of a list of people, with their addresses next to their names. He sighs and strokes his chin, Zerita's eyes scanning the paper.
- Unten: We can't charge in with an army this time. We need a task force, a small team of people who can get in and out.
She taps the table with her claw and shrugs, looking over at her friend.
- Zerita: You know these guys better than I do. Any ideas?
Rachel is shown driving through a desert on her motorcycle, while we see Bombyx slamming her fists into a punching bag inside an A22 training room.
- Unten: I might have a few.
Gameplay shows a 2D platforming level where Unten runs through the streets of Tokyo, using a combination of electrical blasts and Imperium slashes to battle a wave of robots.
SAVE THE WORLD...
In a stage set in Rome, Zerita uses her robotic arm as a grapple hook to swing across a ledge, Rachel reflects a laser blast with her shield gauntlets, and Bombyx soars through the skies in an shoot 'em up section.
OR DIE TRYING.
Back in the Tokyo stage, a fast-paced motorcycle section has Rachel fleeing from a high-tech tank. In Unten's segment of the level, he grabs a glowing neon Blump, causing a flash of light that overtakes the screen.
- ???: The inhabitants of Earth fascinate me. You're not particularly strong or smart...and yet here you are.
Rachel smirks and crosses her arms, standing across from the unseen figure. The scene cuts to Unten, who's turned into a being made of pure energy from the Blump.
- Rachel: It's our resilience.
The four characters are shown standing together before the screen fades to black, the game's title revealed in bold white text.
GROUNDED
Grounded is the fourth installment in the Prodigy series, and we're very proud to be developing the game. It's our first time handling these characters we love and respect, and we hope that the title won't disappoint. Taking place after Fantendo - Zenith, a weary and disillusioned Unten is thrust into action once more when he uncovers a secret plot that will threaten the entire planet. As he processes what it means to be a hero and if he can ever have a regular future, he recruits his friends Zerita, Rachel, and Bombyx to help him on his international mission to save the world. Can Unten succeed where he once failed? Or will Earth fall to the same fate as Zeon?
Like its acclaimed predecessors, Grounded is a fast-paced 2D platformer. But for the first time in the series, Rachel Harel and Bombyx Icarusiot are playable. Rachel is a brawler who can't fight from afar, but has excellent defensive capabilities due to her shield gauntlets. Bombyx isn't too strong up-close, but she possesses the incredibly useful ability of flight and powerful nuclear breath that can melt the robotic enemies you'll face. Returning characters Unten and Zerita also have new abilities, with the beorn packing Imperium and his close friend utilizing her multi-purpose cyborg arm.
All four of these characters can collect Elemental Blumps, a new variant on the classic fruit that allows them to assume new forms. One of these is Electric Unten, which lets the hero dash forward at high speeds and dish out shocking melee attacks. In the middle of the action, action-packed sequences that have the player riding vehicles and taking to the sky will change things up.
We look forward to helping shape the exciting next phase of the well-loved New Fantendoverse, and we hope you'll be along for the ride with us. Thank you for reading our presentation, and we'll see you at the next showcase.