Palworld is a seemingly overnight sensation most notable for its similarities to Pokemon, since in both games players capture unique-looking creatures and use them to progress in battle.

But another aspect of Palworld’s success can be attributed to elements that would never occur in a Pokemon game, such as the selection of weaponry and armor, and the emphasis on survival.

While Nintendo just does a rinse and repeat each time they make a new Pokemon game, the developers of Palworld have instead made a survival game more akin to something like Ark. The game’s combat is also significantly different, with a player’s “pals” feeling more like assists in combat as opposed to the main battle method like in Pokemon.

In addition to featuring guns and player vs. pal combat, Palworld also allows the player to capture other humans. Just like a pal, a human NPC can be beaten and captured within the game’s Pal Spheres. 

Another controversy featured in Palworld is the fact that pals can be forced to work on the base, farming, mining, and gathering resources while the players explore the region and capture more pals. 

Combining this with the ability to capture humans as pals, it’s not hard to see why the controversy has arisen, with many seeing these more mature themes in Palworld as an insult to Pokemon.

Although Pokemon and Palworld share many similarities on the surface, that is where the similarities stop. Palworld is not just Pokemon with guns. It’s a good survival game that players should take seriously.