Picture the scene: you’re wandering through Viridian Forest, agonizingly trying to make it through to the other side, when you’re interrupted, for what feels like the thousandth time, by another Caterpie.
This time, though, rather than fighting directly or running, you have another option. You rummage in your backpack, pull out a rifle, and shoot the pesky bug to pieces—then turn your attention to all the other annoying creatures waiting to jump out of the tall grass.
No, this isn’t some kind of warped fantasy in my head—not anymore anyway—this is Palworld, this is Palworld, hitting Steam early access in Jan. 2024 before a console launch on Xbox and PlayStation later in the year.
While you won’t technically be able to slaughter hordes of Caterpie, it’s the closest you’ll ever come to payback against the Pokémon that only seem to exist to cause frustration.
In Palworld, not only can you recruit the help of Pals you have caught in your adventure, but you can also turn to rifles, rocket launchers, and a whole arsenal of weapons to really turn the tide in your favor.
Ever since Palworld was first announced, I’ve had a close eye on it. It wouldn’t be the first game to borrow mechanics we’ve become accustomed to in Pokémon, but unlike others, Pocketpair’s open-world survival game is shaking up the formula in a big way.
Not the world you’re used to
Palworld’s biggest difference from Pokémon is the guns both you and your Pals can utilize. If you’ve ever dreamed of Pikachu wielding a massive turret, it’s the closest you’re going to get, and it’s a great way of showing that this isn’t going to be the Nintendo world we’ve become accustomed to.
Multiplayer is also a big focus on Palworld. You can team up with your friends to tackle giant creatures, with combat scenes that remind me of Monster Hunter, and an in-depth character creator will provide much more customization than Pokémon ever has.
On top of all that, the gameplay is open-world, something Pokémon did with Legends: Arceus, my favorite Pokémon game of all time, but returned to a more familiar feel with Scarlet and Violet.
The feature I’m most excited about, though, is base building. I’ve sunk far too many hours into creative games with base-building features, like Ark: Survival Ascended and Minecraft, and I’ve longed for something similar in Pokémon.
Palworld is there for me in that capacity, with the ability to not only build a home and craft resources but to truly become an evil megalomaniac by turning the tide on the creatures and recruiting them for what is essentially slavery.
Weaker Pals that I’d usually have no use for later in the game can instead be my caddies, carrying around resources, or put to work in a factory to create high-tier materials that I’ll need on my adventures. More Pals mean quicker work, so I’ll have more of a reason to recruit those weaker, initial creatures—whereas, usually, you’d catch one and simply tick it off your Pokédex.
Your move, Game Freak
While it’s unlikely Palworld will be able to knock Pokémon from its perch, I hope it can at least put pressure on Game Freak to do something a bit different and expand its horizons. Pokémon: Legends Arceus broke the mold, and we need more in that style, pushing the boat out with new ideas.
With all these features, and a lot more to be discovered, Palworld is one of the games I am most excited for in 2024, and I have high hopes. Usually, I’d enter a new year excited about what Game Freak had in store, but this year I’m not too bothered, and my attention is firmly toward Palworld.
