Palworld created quite a bit of ruckus when it came out. Most notably, it is known as Pokémon with guns. Players have even crowed the game as king but that was during the initial launch. It made records and went to the top of Steam charts. The game is also available on Xbox through Game Pass. Pokémon with guns might seem exaggerated but if you are not comfortable with this name then there is another one. It can also be called a Pokémon survival game. That is the best definition for the game. At its core, it is a survival game through and through.
It is a kind of Pokémon with mechanics that a lot of fans have been wanting for a long time. Think of it like the combination of Pokémon, Breath of the Wild, Ark, and some other game. The combination of these elements and the art style is what makes the game such a great one.
People might not like this comparison but it is evident from the get-go. It borrows a lot of concepts that other games do much better. Some of the character models can get really close to Pokémon. There is some questionable stuff that one should take into consideration. However, it does manage to fill a void for some players. It makes you wonder Is Palworld worth it? Let’s find out.
The Start
It is a pretty interesting game that can be fun even if you are not into survival games. Palworld gives you a lot of stuff even though it is in early access. It needs some tweaking to get better. It is constantly getting updates and is getting better with each one. Even with the rough edges and early access stuff, it is still a fun time.
There is still some stuff against it. It feels unpolished, thrown together, and can lack a feel of the world and personality. Palworld is a survival game so if you don’t like survival games you might not like it. It is not that intensive but you are still chopping trees, catching stuff, building stuff, and things like that.
The loop starts after the survival mechanics. You will be catching Pals as you throw balls at them. You can weaken them and then throw the ball at them to contain them. These Pals can be taken to the home base to stay there or you can bring them with you on adventures. You can throw the ball and let one of the Pals follow you.
The Use of Pals
Some of these Pals are ridable and some even fly. They can help you fight the enemies. It’s a good thing that everything has been left uncompromised. Fighting alongside Pals is cool. You can only do so much in Palworld.
You can teach them different attacks and command them to do certain attacks. It is simple and gives you a sense of freedom. The main reason for catching these Pals is XP. You gain XP when you catch them and when you catch a bunch or the same one, you gain a huge XP boost. Catching a new Pal that you have not seen will also give you an XP boost.
As you level up you will get points. You can then use these points to raise basic stats like health, stamina, attack, and stuff like that. Along with these points you can earn points that can be spent in the technology skill tree. The technology skill tree looks exactly like Ark Survival Evolved’s tree.
You can unlock new things to craft, and improve stuff. It can take you from cooking at the campfire to using the stove, making storage boxes, new weapons, fences to defend your home, and so on. The workers are the Pokémon Pals. All of them have their own customization and characteristics. That’s what makes Palworld more interesting.
These Pals will be planting seeds, you can harvest wool from some, water Pals put water on crops or power a mill to create more stuff. For all of it to work, you need to keep the Pals rested, fed, and happy. Sometimes your base can get attacked so you have to rally your Pals to defend it.
Upgrade and Defend
As you upgrade your house, you will go up from a small hut to a big house with fortifications, like towers turrets, and even weapons that these Pals can use. Along with all this stuff, you will be going on adventures. The main quest revolves around finding these big boss towers that have boss battles that you need to prepare for. These can be challenging.
Palworld map can be huge so finding these towers might take a while. The map is really big and even after hours of gameplay it still feels like I have barely scratched the surface. There are dungeons with special Pals and loot inside. These dungeons can have rare Pals or even big boss Pals. You can even find bosses in some unexpected places.
There are towns with NPCs. However, these towns are scarcely populated. That’s when its early-access nature starts to show up. The towns are lifeless with a few characters here and there. There are even some vendors. You can visit a shop to buy new Pals, buy items and that’s all for now. There is a potential for the town to be better.
There are even bandit camps on the map. The enemies you fight in these camps are humans. It feels weak and there is not much excitement to it. It is still not as good as fighting the boss and stuff. There is a depth to Palworld. Getting better, leveling up, fighting alongside your pals, unlocking new weapons and stuff is when the game is at its best.
Get Going
After starting Palworld, the pacing of it can be just quick enough that you progress at a decent pace. How good it will feel later down the line will depend on how the game is updated and how you play it. Once your Pals start to make stuff for you like capture balls and ammo, the game is at its best.
You can throw your Pals around, feed them, pet them, and of course use them in battle. Pals will help you with different tasks at your base as mentioned earlier. It’s stuff like that that puts a creative spin on the stuff. There is even a breeding system in the game.
The game will throw a lot at you even if it is not complete yet. It is a casual survival game with monster hunting, collection, and tons of exploration thrown into the mix. Some of these elements feel like they have been thrown together and the similarity that they share with the game leaves an open hole. All these similarities make it devoid of any identity.
It does not seem like it has lore, world-building, or any other type of depth. All of the things are just tossed together on the frypan. Sure, there are collectibles to read out in the world. These collectibles will shed light on factions and some bosses. It’s not enough cause I have seen less lore-dependent games done more than this. In short, you are just a random guy fighting monsters and some bad guys along the way. Some boss encounters are a lot better than others. There is nothing interesting yet but full release can change that.
Verdict (Is Palworld Worth It?)
There is a solid foundation for a game to be a lot better. A lot of the things feel incomplete but it is a game still in development and nearly all of these things can be improved over time. It is a live service game so the focus is on the long-term goals rather than the short-term. Adding new stuff that is not dependent on the previous game is what’s going to make it better. It relies too much on the identity of other games which results in a lack of identity. Adding more lore to the game can help solidify its identity.
There are negatives of the Palworld and I might have been a little harsh on the game but despite that, it got me hooked. It is accessible and easy to start out from the get-go. The nice and sissifying progression system can be good for new players. A lot of the stuff that it lacks stems from the fact that it is in early access. Updates can change everything negative about the game into positive. If you are into survival games and can tolerate a half-baked game then it can be a fun experience for you. Palworld is best enjoyed when played in CO-OP. I will revisit it in a year or two to see if it has gotten better.
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