Palworld

Palworld[b] is an upcoming action-adventure, survival, and monster-taming game created and published by Japanese developer Pocketpair. The game is set in an open world populated with animal-like creatures called "Pals", which players can battle and capture to use for base building, traversal, and combat. Players may also assign the “Pals” to bases where they will automatically complete tasks for the player. Palworld can be played either solo or online with up to 32 players on one server. It was announced in 2021 and launched through early access for Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in January 2024.[3]

The game's comedic premise, which involves using firearms and equipping Pals with them, has earned it the nickname "Pokémon with guns". Other elements, such as using Pals for food or as manual labor in mines and factories, have also garnered attention. It was generally well received, with praise for its gameplay, content, and satirical premise, but criticism for its reliance on shock humor and use of unoriginal designs and mechanics.

Palworld sold eight million units in its first six days of early access and reached over two million concurrent players on Steam, making it the second-highest played game of all time on the platform. As of February 22, 2024, the game has sold over 15 million units[4] and is one of the best-selling PC games.

Gameplay
In Palworld, players control a customizable avatar from a third-person perspective and explore the open-world Palpagos Islands. Players must manage their hunger level, craft basic tools, gather materials, and build bases that act as fast travel points. Unlocks through a technology tree allow the player to craft and use weapons, structures, and decorations.[5]

The islands are inhabited by over 100 creatures called Pals, which players directly engage in combat with to weaken and then capture using "Pal Spheres". Pals can also be bought on the black market through non-player characters or traded with other players.[5] After obtaining Pals, they can be summoned to battle or stationed at bases to assist with tasks such as scavenging, crafting, and cooking depending on their type. Each Pal has a Partner Skill, allowing further utility by using them as weapons or mounts.[6]

The game's bosses include various factions, such as the Rayne Syndicate, the Free Pal Alliance liberation movement, the Brothers of the Eternal Pyre, the Palpagos Islands Defense Force, and the Pal Genetic Research Unit.[7] These factions are led by powerful Pal trainers who reside in towers across the islands and are the game's main boss battles.[8] The factions include human NPCs who occasionally spawn in the world, either patrolling or battling each other, who are hostile to the player and can fight them with weapons. The game features a wanted level system; if the player commits a crime, usually against humans, other human NPCs will become hostile and defense force troopers will spawn to attack them until they are killed or evade their pursuers.[9][10]