Highlights

  • Palworld is an early access game available on Xbox Game Pass, featuring over 100 different creatures called Pals that can be captured and bred.
  • Players can exploit their Pals for labor, using them to complete tasks and even eating them if necessary.
  • The game offers both single-player and online co-op modes, and a future update will introduce PvP combat.

The multiplayer monster-collecting game Palworld is now available on Xbox Game Pass in early access. Developed and published by Pocketpair, the game is available to play on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, as well as PC via Game Pass and Steam. Palworld has been dubbed “Pokemon with guns” by the developer and offers players the chance to fight and team up with creatures called Pals, while also crafting and exploring the game's vast open world and dungeons.

To start with, Palworld features over 100 different adorable Pals to find and collect, each with a unique set of skills and role to play in a party. There will also be boss Pals to conquer and capture, so building the appropriate team before taking them on will be paramount. Like Pokemon, capturing a wild critter involves weakening it sufficiently and then tossing a sphere to suck it up, and those that can’t be captured can be bred with some hard work.

Palworld playable characters
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Pokemon-Inspired Palworld Reveals New Dragon Creature

Developer Pocket Pair reveals a new Palworld creature in the latest Paldeck that bears a striking resemblance to two Dragon-type Pokemon.

Palworld released on January 19 around the globe at 12:00 AM PST, and for those who don’t have an Xbox Game Pass subscription, the game costs only $29.99 USD. Although it’s only recently launched, the creature-collecting adventure game is already getting overall positive reviews from users and critics alike.

Palworld Is More Than a Pokemon Clone

Though compared with The Pokemon Company’s ubiquitous franchise, Pocketpair’s game takes a slightly different approach to creature interaction. In many ways, Palworld lets players be the equivalent of Pokemon’s Team Rocket, exploiting their Pals for hard labor. Although it’s not clear how willing or unwilling they are, the cute critters are put to work on the player’s settlement to complete a range of tasks, including harvesting resources, building structures, defending against encroachers, and crafting tools like guns.

The player can even chow down on their furry unpaid labor if scarcity demands. There are also rare Pals being sheltered in wildlife sanctuaries, and the more unscrupulous of explorers can sneak in and do some poaching to expand their collection or make quick cash. In many ways, the juxtaposition of cute wildlife with a darker theme calls to mind Massive Monster’s Cult of the Lamb, which also successfully combines the endearing and irreverent.

In addition to its single-player experience, up to four people can adventure together in Palworld's online co-op mode, and a dedicated server can host up to 32 players. However, since the game is currently in early access, the PvP element of Palworld is not yet available. With a future update, explorers will be able to engage in PvP combat to see whose team is best and possibly get their hands on some stolen Pals and items.