Common Sense Media Review
By Marc Saltzman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Pokémon-like game with weapons and violence.
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Palworld
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 8 parent reviews
What’s It About?
Unofficially and Informally referred to as "Pokémon with guns," PALWORLD (by Japanese game studio Pocket Pair) is an open-ended fantasy action-adventure game populated by about 100 different anime creatures called Pals. You wash up ashore on a mysterious island, and, after you customize your character, you set out to battle these Pals, train and use them to fight others, build up your base, and explore the various areas in this huge game, either by yourself or with up to 32 others. The game garnered instant notoriety for its sense of humor and players' ability to equip Pals with firearms. Along with combat, players can buy or trade Pals with other characters (or non-player characters, too). The game is played from a third-person perspective, and players must accomplish goals, manage their character's health, gather items, craft tools on workbenches, build strong bases, and traverse the islands. While the story is vague, there are enemy factions to contend with, including fanatical groups and authoritarian regimes. Ultimately, you're encouraged to try to unravel the secrets of this mysterious land (and uncover the truth behind the origin of Pals), try to capture the strongest Pal possible, or breed it yourself. Despite a couple of differences in graphical quality, the Windows PC and two Xbox versions of Palworld look and play the same (and support cross-platform play between PC and Xbox Series S/X only).
Is It Any Good?
Palworld is a fun and mostly polished game that can be played solo or with others. It's simple to get into, especially for those who've played Pokémon games before, but even if unfamiliar with the genre, the handy tutorial walks you through the core mechanics of the game. There's plenty to see and do in this game. Palworld really starts to shine a few solid hours in, when you get the swing of crafting, battling, and yes -- just like Pokémon -- collecting all the 100 or so Pal creatures (with the main difference being able to arm them with weapons to help you attack and defend as you set out on these colorful islands). Palworld may not score a lot of points for originality -- and we may even see Nintendo attempt to shut down the game for its obvious nod to Pokémon -- but it's still a fun and deep game that's both accessible and challenging at the same time.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Palworld becoming a viral hit. As a game so similar to Pokémon but more violent, what's the primary appeal here? How can a game like this be harmful or confusing for younger kids who love Pokémon?
This game is controversial due to alleged copyright infringement on Nintendo's Pokémon franchise. Parents and kids can look into the meaning of copyright infringement. What's the difference between being inspired by someone else's work, and copying it?
Parents of young gamers could bookmark Common Sense Media and refer to it as a handy resource to managing potentially inappropriate content in the home.
Families can talk about how to navigate violence in video games.
Game Details
- Platforms: Xbox Series X/S , Windows , Xbox One
- Pricing structure: Paid ($29.99)
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Pocket Pair
- Release date: January 19, 2024
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: STEM , Dinosaurs , Magic and Fantasy , Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More , Sports and Martial Arts , Adventures , Bugs , Cats, Dogs, and Mice , Horses and Farm Animals , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires , Ocean Creatures , Science and Nature , Wild Animals
- ESRB rating: T for Rated T for violence.
- Last updated: January 29, 2024
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