Palworld: A Fresh Take on the Pokemon Genre

Palworld is an exciting new independent game developed by Pocketpair that combines the mechanics of Pokemon with intricate crafting, an expansive open world, and delightful chaos. While some critics have criticized its similarities to Pokemon in terms of creature design and naming conventions, Palworld offers a unique experience that sets it apart from the traditional Pokemon games.

At first, I was skeptical about Palworld. “Pokemon with guns?” I thought. “That’s not for me.” But as the buzz and player count grew, my curiosity got the better of me. I jumped into the game on January 21st and have been playing ever since. And despite my disdain for Minecraft and Valheim, I found myself enthralled by this Pokemon-inspired survival game. It was the Pokemon game I had been waiting for.

As a child, my life revolved around Pokemon. I had Silver, Gold, Diamond, Pearl, Platinum – I had them all. Then, when I was in college, Pokemon Go was released, and I found myself in the hospital at the time. Not only was it a fantastic source of entertainment during a particularly severe kidney infection, but it also served as a way to make new friends and embark on adventures with old ones. Pokemon Go changed the face of Pokemon, and the stunning 3D graphics of Sun and Moon drew me back in.

However, since then, my interest in the series has waned significantly. I spent years of my life playing Sun and Moon, but Sword and Shield, and then Scarlet and Violet, left me somewhat disappointed. The annual release of Pokemon games started to feel less groundbreaking. Sure, there were new Pokemon and a few shiny additions, but the age-old format lacked a fresh sense of innovation. You’re a young person setting out on a journey, defeating gym leaders, aiding legendary creatures, taking down the Elite Four, and the new version of Team Rocket.

It’s the same thing year after year, and while it’s great for some, I felt a distinct lack of novelty. Enter Legends Arceus.

Legends Arceus looked like the Pokemon game I had always been waiting for, with Pokemon roaming a vast and explorable world where Pokemon and humans didn’t yet cooperate, and where you crafted pokeballs instead of buying them – it all sounded exciting.

And yet, once again, it was a letdown. My mother describes The Lord of the Rings as a “brown” movie, and I would describe Arceus as a “brown” game. It lacks excitement, it lacks a reason to keep coming back. The crafting system feels underdeveloped, and the story follows the same old formula. Decidedly, I was disappointed.

However, it is in the areas of survival and crafting where Palworld truly shines. While rough around the edges, the gameplay revolves almost entirely around these crafting elements. Like in any good survival game, you build your base and then upgrade it. Your explorations have purpose – you search for resources, gather materials, or buy items from the not-so-trustworthy trader in Little Town. In Palworld, your explorations matter, whereas in Arceus, it feels like you’re running from point A to point B and back again.

But building a base for survival doesn’t overshadow the Pals themselves – they are the heart and soul of the game. By integrating creature capture with base building, capturing Pals serves a purpose. You need fire Pals to cook food and create molds. You need water Pals to irrigate berry plantations – everything makes sense. Whereas in Pokemon, you fight to have the best of the best, in Palworld, every creature has its place. Of course, when you find stronger creatures, you’ll swap out your original team, but the Palworld world is constantly evolving – quite literally.

And while the game’s story and lore are rather basic, everything around you feels alive. Random raids occur, with Pals engaging in battles, and most importantly – other players. One thing that has always been missing in Pokemon is a sense of real community within the game – it’s usually just battling, trading, or nothing.

While the multiplayer system in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is a partial solution to this problem, the MMO-style ability to pass by random bases and encounter other players is absent in Pokemon. On my Palworld server, for example, my partner’s base is just over the horizon, and I can see him leisurely tossing Tanzees. Below my base, one of our friends has gone all out, with practically every piece of equipment and a few Palworld Pals that I haven’t even discovered yet.

This multiplayer aspect brings a sense of life to Palworld. While we didn’t form a group to explore dungeons or roam the world together, the knowledge that other people are out there makes this world feel real, vibrant, and exciting – much more convincing than the interactions with various NPCs you encounter in Pokemon. I helped my partner capture an Eikthyrdeer, and our shouts over the microphone were genuinely hilarious – especially when he was in another room. I’ve never had an experience like that in Pokemon, and it’s a moment I’ll never forget.

Whereas modern Pokemon worlds often feel flat and lifeless, the world of Palworld has spirit. Of course, there are bugs. Of course, the Pals now have guns. But honestly, it’s the most fun I’ve had in a long time.

Palworld – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The source of the article is from the blog agogs.sk