Pocketpair’s Palworld has since become one of the most highly anticipated sandbox-style games to start 2024 off with, and a lot of that definitely has to do with the incredible public intrigue around its concept. From the first teaser trailer that hit the internet two years ago, the gaming community has affirmatively dubbed it “Pokemon with guns”, which is a conversation starter on its own.
From the variety of adorable creatures that are undeniably reminiscent of classic Pocket Monsters, to the fact that some of them are indeed capable of wielding firearms among other weirdly human skills, it almost seems like an eccentrically cute satirical take on the phenomenon many of us grew up with. It’s equal parts fascinating and perplexing, but more than anything by far too cute to ignore, so I took the plunge with gusto.