Palworld 1.0 – Video Game (PC, X-Box, PS)

“Adult Pokémon“

(685 Hours Played)

I have 685 hours in Palworld, so I think I’ve earned the right to say that this game hooked me pretty damn hard. As a kid, I grew up loving Pokémon. I spent countless hours catching creatures and wondering what it would be like to actually live in a world where these creatures really existed. Eventually, though, I grew out of Pokémon. Not because I stopped loving the idea behind it, but because the games simply stopped scratching the same itch for me.

Then Palworld came along. For me, Palworld feels like the natural evolution of that childhood obsession into something I actually want to play as an adult. It takes the creature collecting and exploration I loved about Pokémon and throws it into a survival game with crafting, building, farming, combat, automation, exploration, and a whole lot more freedom. And apparently, that combination just works.

The Pals themselves are a huge part of the appeal. Collecting them, breeding them, figuring out their abilities, putting together a useful team, and then having them work around your base is incredibly satisfying. The survival and base-building mechanics are what really separate Palworld from Pokémon for me. I can go exploring the world looking for new Pals, resources, bosses, bounties, treasure, and interesting locations, then come back and work on my base for a few hours. There’s always something else I could be doing.

Combat is fun, exploration is rewarding, and the progression loop is dangerously easy to fall into. You start with almost nothing and gradually build yourself into a well-equipped adventurer with a team of powerful Pals and a base or two that can actually take care of itself. Watching that progression happen over dozens or hundreds of hours is incredibly satisfying. (Though I will say the new XP rate of 1.0 is a little crazy high. You should consider turning it down to appreciate the game and different tiers of gear/resources.)

Now that Palworld has reached 1.0, I’m excited to see where it goes from here. I’ve already gotten more than my money’s worth out of the game, and I still have plenty of things I want to do. If you don’t enjoy survival/crafting games, you won’t enjoy the side systems in play here, even if they are “lite.” So keep that in mind; the creature collecting and battling part is only half of the game here. 

Is it perfect? No. There are still rough edges, and there are definitely systems that could use more polish. I have issues with the story/quest progression system in 1.0. It feels lacking in some areas and then overly complex in others. There should be more unity across the story in how bosses are reached/unlocked. I can say it’s still leaps and bounds above the practically non-existent story in early access. Back when all they had was journals to inform you of anything at all. But honestly, when I’ve put this many hours into a game, and I’m still looking forward to playing it, those complaints become pretty minor.

I loved Pokémon growing up. I love Palworld now. Palworld isn’t Pokémon, and it doesn’t need to be. But it’s a fun adult-styled evolution.