Palworld Is Absurd Action With Potential

Palworld is a hodgepodge of different genres. It scratches the itch of wanting to catch all the cutest creatures, building a base and surviving the elements. From the start it pushes players to go farther as the objectives push them towards a boss battle. The survival elements are a swift reality check when night falls and crafting a fire becomes your highest priority. There’s also some thinking involved as different pals won’t work until certain machines are crafted. 

The game’s base building can get a bit cramped pretty quickly. Especially if there are larger pals wandering around, but progression is almost locked to catching more pals. Players will get the most experience from catching ten of each, rather than gathering and crafting. Catching more pals also leads to more items needed to keep them happy on each base. This means juggling a lot on top of random raids and can quickly become an overwhelming chore for players new to the survival genre. At the same time, it provides a structure for those who might be put off by a “sandbox” gameplay loop.

Palworld is still in early access and this becomes clear as the map opens up. There are areas where pals are clumped together, run over the hill and there’s just empty space. Not just of pals but also resources. When your character is starving and their food has expired, players’ only hope is to find a fast travel statue and scurry back to the base. Luckily food does take a while to expire so this becomes an element that builds tension, but doesn’t ruin the fun. The game is also in need of content variety to fix repetitive dungeons. 

Despite its marketing, players will encounter more pals that don’t use guns. There are certainly a few, like one that can be used as a rocket, but early on it might be better to handle combat yourself. This lowers the risk of pals knocking out creatures before they can be captured. Players will also need to work up to having guns themselves. Be aware that Syndicate members won’t have this limitation and you might end up in a gunfight with only a pickaxe.

How long Palworld can survive on its shock value alone remains to be seen. Its gameplay is satisfying enough that hours can pass before you realize. There’s also the expected technical issues that come with a beta. If you aren’t chomping at the bit to jump into what’s a slow grind at points, maybe wait to see where things go.