Palworld is Cynical, Yet Surprisingly Tasty Blend of Games
Palworld, often and peculiarly referred to as „Pokemons with guns,” has taken Steam by storm. And I got carried away by the wave of hype and joined the crowds playing the game. What did I find? Familiar mechanics served up in a way that's familiar and surprisingly satisfying.
Palworld took Steam by storm, breaking popularity records. The current version of the game has many cons, but that's to be expected since it's early access. Wanting to find out what all the fuss is about, I joined the millions of people playing this game. I received a chaotic and surprising combination of several games, the influences of which on Palworld are so evident that I detect a certain, let's say, fanservice in it.
Colorful deja vu
Right at the beginning, we are welcomed by a short film interlude featuring three cute creatures known simply as "pals." Our persona, created in the character creator, wakes up on the beach and picks up a strange device that displays a message saying "Towers are the key." It sounds quite mysterious, but we soon disregard this message as we have more interesting activities - crafting basic gear and a few pal spheres (pokeballs). After that, we head out with a smile on our faces and a club in hand to persuade the nearby creatures that they really want to be friends with us. For this purpose, you need to properly beat them up, sorry - "weaken" them, and then throw a previously crafted poke... I mean, pal sphere at them.
I don't have to mention the similarity to Pokemon, as it's evident at first sight (and even bordering on plagiarism). Palworld takes inspiration from not only Pikachu games, but also from many other well-known titles. The visuals, like the character models, immediately bring to my mind Fortnite, especially when my character is holding a gun. The landscape and way of movement remind me of Genshin Impact and the last two "Zelda" games - we can climb rocks, towers, or walls, and if we have crafted our own parachute, we can jump from a significant height and glide.
When I reached the first tower, a cutscene began in which Zoe greeted me along with her poke... I mean with her pal named Grizzbolt. The short intro screen struck a cord with me and reminded me of my beloved Borderlands 2. The screen in a specific way pauses for a moment and a stylized board with the names of the opponents appears. After losing the battle and facing a fatal outcome, I lost all of my gear. To recover it, I had to return to the place of my demise and retrieve it. Just like in Valheim.
Mixture is strange, but surprisingly tasty
To be honest, I don't mind this strange blend of familiar mechanics and bits and pieces from other games at all. I would only remove guns from Palworld, as shooting adorable animals isn't the kind of experience I look for in a good game. However, I have to admit that this specific mix resonated with me - maybe because, as a PC player, I see Pokemons in Palworld that I have never encountered before.
I experienced the last Pokemon boom during the heyday of Pokemon GO, a game where catching creatures was and continues to be satisfying. However, being a die-hard PC player, I never really had the opportunity to play the role of a trainer on the monitor screen. Palworld, despite its grotesque nature, completely made up for it and I'm happy that I can now not only train my cheerful pals but also observe them as they wander around the base and participate in various activities. Perhaps in the future, the devs will enable these creatures to interact with each other to bring more life to the game world. I also feel the lack of NPCs that could be invited to the headquarters for a chat, but hey - it's still early access.
What bothers me the most is the brutality. Shooting with a bow, guns, or beating a cute kitten with a baseball bat doesn't give me satisfaction. I was quite shocked when, during one of the expeditions, I managed to obtain... the living, still beating heart of one of the pals. Pocketpair, really?
There are plenty of bugs, but I turn a blind eye to them
Palworld offers beautiful views, cute creatures and plenty of errors. The game seems to suffer from gravity issues, as I witnessed pals falling from the sky surprisingly often. The biggest problem arose when the boss, who looked like a mix of a mammoth and a forest, fell from a low height and turned aggressive, attacking everything around. This time, I was closer to the place of my death.
However, I'm not the type of person who complains about bugs after purchasing a game in early access, as long as they don't take away from the game - especially when it provides as much entertainment as Palworld. Exploring the world and observing the landscapes are a pleasure on their own, but the main dish is, of course, catching creatures, leveling up, and expanding the base. I believe the construction aspect needs further improvement as I still struggle to create visually appealing buildings. It's a pity that the developers weren't inspired by the previously mentioned Valheim in this matter.
As time goes on, when our headquarters starts to reach higher levels (which can be increased by building a Palbox and carrying out specific actions, such as constructing certain structures), more creatures can be placed in it, and those "with a song on their lips" will handle repetitive tasks like gathering resources and tending to farmlands. Leading such a tight-knit community is surprisingly satisfying.
What's next?
Currently, 1,809,781 people are playing Palworld at the same time, setting a new record. I have a feeling that the game will surpass the 2 million threshold [the game reached a record peak of over 2 million players simultaneously]. I have read comments where players anticipate a quick drop in the game's popularity, but I disagree. If the devs frequently introduce updates that add more content, the high number of gamers can be sustained for a very long time. One thing is certain: it's been a long time since we've had an explosive launch like Palworld. Will the game establish new trends, like Vampire Survivors, or will it become a permanent fixture in the memosphere, like Among Us? Time will tell.
