At first glance,Palworldseems like aPokemonlover’s dream. It’s got cute, cartoony graphics, and quickly introduces viewers to mythical creatures that seem to have different element-inspired powers. Some of the creatures, “Pals,” even seem heavily inspired by, if not straight-up examples of,Pokemon. Much like the world ofPokemon, players ofPalworldwill run into different Pals out in the wild, especially in different biomes. Players get to interact with Pals and form friendships with them in what seems to be a fun open-world survival crafting adventure.
However, as players continue to read the game description or watch the trailer, it’s apparent thatPalworldhas a notably dark side to it — one that not everyone is too keen about. While players can befriend Pals, they can also make them fight, use them for labor, and even kill them to eat them.WhilePokemonplayers may engage in fights, as it’s part of the game overall,Pokemonfights are never to the death, and the games encourage players to forge meaningful relationships with their Pocket Monsters.Palworldtakes quite a different approach.
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What is Palworld?
Palworldisn’t expected for release until 2022, but that hasn’t stopped viewers from voicing their opinions about the upcoming game from Pocketpair.Palworldwill be a multiplayer open-world game with crafting mechanics that centers on finding mystical, mysterious creatures called Pals. While the description says players can befriend these creatures, they can also do much worse with them, too.
Palworldwillallow players to interact with Palsin a variety of different ways, and not all of them are wholesome. Players can have Pals fight or use them as shields in combat, breed them together to make new types of Pals, have them help with farming, or send them away to work in factories. The trailer showcases all of this, but the last point is particularly sad, as viewers can see Pals in a factory with tiny tears welled up in their eyes.
The environment ofPalworldwill not be easy to navigate, either, as players will have tocontend with weather changes, food shortages, and even illegal Pal poachers. Sometimes, if things get desperate enough, players will have to kill and eat Pals, even though it’s technically illegal to do so. Besides saving Pals from illegal poachers, players can also become illegal poachers by sneaking into the prohibited hunting area. Overall, it’s kind of a dark premise, even if it seems like players get to choose how they treat their Pals.
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How Is Palworld a Pokemon Clone?
Pokemondoes not have a monopoly on games with open worlds full of cute, catchable creatures. However, the similarities betweenPalworldandPokemonare just a bit too close for comfort.The animation style and creature designsalready look incredibly similar to more recentPokemongame designs, but there’s also an emphasis on catching and keeping Pals. Much like inPokemon, players can use their Pals to help them dig holes, swim, or even fly around.
Of course, the biggest difference betweenPokemonandPalworldis how the animals are treated.Pokemonpaints those who mistreat their Pokemon, like Team Rocket, as villains and reiterates that Pokemon are meant to be respected and taken care of.Palworld, on the other hand,lets players take advantage of the Palsin their area and use them for, what could be considered, selfish gain. Also, there’s combat between players and other Pals that requires the use of guns—somethingPokemonhas never had.
While there’s no official release date forPalworld, it’s definitely shaping up to be an interesting, and possibly divisive, game. The similar-looking creatures definitely makePalworldlook like aPokemonclone, but the markedly different gameplay is what sets these games apart.
