Summary
- Palworld sets itself apart from Pokemon by rejecting evolution, making it feel less like a clone and more unique in the world of creature-collection games.
- Evolution mechanics are often associated with Pokemon, but they are not exclusive to the franchise, with other games like E.V.O.: Search for Eden and Digimon also featuring this mechanic. Still, when gamers think Evolution, Pokemon likely comes to mind.
- The biggest difference between Palworld and Pokemon is that Pals can die in Palworld, adding a sense of realism and consequence to the game that Pokemon lacks. If players had to spend time evolving Pals only for them to die, the game could feel more frustrating than fun.
While they look a lot like Pokemon, the titular Pals in Palworld do not evolve. The game borrows heavily from the Pokemon franchise aesthetically and mechanically, but the lack of evolution is one of the most notable departures in its design. There are those gamers who enjoy figuring out how to make their creatures change into new and more powerful forms, but this is not the game for them. Further, there is no reason to believe that an evolution mechanic will ever be added, and Palworld will likely benefit from skipping it.
Palworld is setting itself apart from Pokemon by rejecting the evolution mechanic, which is noteworthy since Pokemon has become widely recognized by the mechanic of small, cute creatures undergoing rapid changes to become larger and stronger versions of themselves, effectively monopolizing this feature to the point that anything similar is immediately compared. By avoiding it, Palworld is able to stand out just a bit more, feeling like less of a clone than what many have described it as.
Visit This Palworld Location for a Lot of Coal and Ore
An intrepid Palworld explorer shares a convenient location where players can find ore and coal, two precious resources in the game.
Pokemon Won The Evolution Battle
Evolution mechanics are not unique to Pokemon. The Super Nintendo E.V.O.: Search for Eden featured an evolution mechanic in 1992, for example. Bandai released the first iteration of the evolving Tamagotchi digital pet several months after the first Pokemon games were released, as well as the Digimon franchise in the following years. It's as if there was a short but decisive battle over the evolution mechanic in the late 1990s, and Pokemon emerged as the victor.
Regardless, if one brings up evolution in a room full of gamers, most of them will immediately think about Pokemon. Other mechanics like the rock-paper-scissors type system aren't exclusive to Pokemon; it has been a fundamental mechanic in many RPG-style games over the last few decades. Pokemon has fleshed out its type system over the years, mostly adding new ones to balance things out. Examples of other game series that use similar systems are Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Digimon once again. Commonly used elements such as fire, ice, water, earth, and electricity can be found in myriad games. Palworld hasn't reinvented the wheel with its relatively simple elemental system, but has instead leaned on one of the key differences it has from Pokemon.
The Biggest Difference Between Palworld and Pokemon
Pals can die in Palworld, unlike in Pokemon where they typically just faint until they can be revived at a Pokemon Center. This is one of a few unique Palworld mechanics that really sets it apart, with another one being the Sanity mechanic. Evolving Pokemon often takes some kind of effort, whether its training or meeting other bizarre requirements. Not having an evolution mechanic makes sense because it would not be satisfying for players to spend time caring for and training their Pals when they can die at any time. Sadly, Pals are expendable, as cute as they may be. This is a grim reality in Palworld, much like the jarring shootouts that can occasionally be found occurring in its world.
Palworld is certainly a curiosity in the world of "Pokemon-like" games. Monster collecting and battling is a more ambiguous phenomenon which can also be found in other franchises. The Megami Tensei franchise, which includes Persona games, lets players collect and fuse demons, with many inspired by real-world folklore and mythology. Level 5's Yo-kai Watch is yet another more recent franchise that has earned a substantial following, albeit mostly in Japan. Even Final Fantasy has had a few games that involved some form of creature collection, such as Final Fantasy 13-2 where creatures like Chocobos can be summoned to fight alongside Serah and Noel.
Palworld is in early access for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 71 /100 Critics Rec: 58%
- Released
- January 19, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Violence
- Developer(s)
- Pocket Pair, Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Pocket Pair, Inc.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- Xbox Series X|S, pc
WHERE TO PLAY
In this game, you can peacefully live alongside mysterious creatures known as Pals or risk your life to drive off a ruthless poaching syndicate. Pals can be used to fight and breed, or they can be made to work on farms or factories. You can even sell them or eat them.
Survival: In a harsh environment where food is scarce and vicious poachers roam, danger waits around every corner. To survive, you must tread carefully and make difficult choices...even if that means eating your own Pals when the time comes.
Mounts & Exploration: Pals can be mounted to traverse the land, sea and sky—allowing you to traverse all kinds of environment as you explore the world.
Collect all kinds of exciting Pals to fight, farm, build, and work for you in this completely new multiplayer, open world survival and crafting game!
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Shooter, Survival
