Palworld is an action-adventure survival game with a vast open world that players can explore solo or in multiplayer groups of up to 32 members. The world is inhabited by humans and coexisting creatures resembling animals, known as Pals. The game was announced in 2021 and was released in early access on January 19th, 2024.

The game was created and published by the Japanese studio PocketPair. The developer is known for previous titles like OverDungeon and the survival-crafting game Craftopia. Palworld has gained popularity for its unique blend of gameplay elements. If you're curious to learn more about this record-breaking game, read on!

Gameplay and Mechanics

As mentioned earlier, Palworld combines survival, adventure, and action mechanics in a sandbox environment. Players have access to a large, open world that can be traversed on foot or using various mounts. 

The title features Pals, creatures resembling animals, which serve as mounts, companions, pets, or even workers. Many players have drawn comparisons between Pals and Pokémon, acknowledging the developers' inspiration from the nearly 30-year-old franchise. PocketPair openly admits drawing inspiration from games like Dragon Quest, Rust, Ark: Survival Evolved, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (especially in terms of visual aesthetics), and their previous work, Craftopia.

The game boasts an extensive crafting system, requiring players to create various items, build shelters, and develop their settlements. Most tasks can be performed independently or with the assistance of Pals. The game also emphasizes action, with a world full of dangers, ranging from large, wild, and formidable Pals to hostile player encounters. Combat has sparked some controversy, but we'll delve into that shortly!

Story

Palworld lacks a linear narrative and only provides a basic outline, serving as a pretext for gameplay. Players create their own story by choosing a specific path for their adventure and guiding it according to their preferences. 

The game offers significant freedom, allowing players to explore the world, hunt wild Pals, or capture them in the picturesque landscape, transport them home and engage in breeding, even by mixing different types of those monsters. Pals can assist in establishing and maintaining farms, building homes, and keeping them clean. 

Some Pals excel as factory workers or miners, extracting valuable resources, while others can serve as bodyguards or soldiers. How players choose to treat and utilize their Pals depends entirely on individual decisions, offering a wide range of gameplay possibilities.

Fun Facts

Palworld has broken popularity records, selling 2 million copies within the first 24 hours of its release. After four days, sales reached 6 million copies. In terms of active players, Palworld has rivalled previous favourites. 

On the first day, there were 1.3 million active players, with 1.5 million playing simultaneously within 24 hours, causing a slight server overload on Steam. The current peak is 1.8 million players, surpassing the previous favourite, Counter Strike 2, which had the same number of active players.

It's worth mentioning controversies related to the combat mechanics, with players noting the high level of brutality associated with various firearms, which may seem mismatched with the picturesque and charming world full of friendly creatures.

Key Features

• Combination of survival, action, and adventure gameplay
• Vast open world – sandbox game
• Significant gameplay freedom and activity choices
• Capture of Pokemon-like monsters for use as mounts, companions, workers, or soldiers
• Cross-platform gameplay