Summary
Pocket Pair’s new survival crafting gamePalworldhas enjoyed immense popularity, boasting over two million concurrent players at the height of its hype. Furthermore,Palworld’s whopping 200,000 reviews on Steam and “Very Positive” rating are a testament to the game’s merit. It is safe to say thatPalworldis a hit. All that said, the game is still just in early access.Palworldhas rough edges at the moment, and some of the elements of the game are half-baked. Anything to do with the narrative, especially the disparate factions of the Palpagos Islands, is especially underdeveloped.
Even after hours of gameplay, players might be hard-pressed to describe what is going on in the world of Pals. Players don’t have to be told why they are building bases and catching Pals, but they may wonder why they are encouraged by the game’s tutorial to findPalworld’s towersand defeat the bosses guarding them.
Victor Ashford
Shadowbeak
The five factions ofPalworldeach have their own attitudes toward Pals and ideas about how these creatures should be treated. The Rayne Syndicate, for example, are Pal poachers that catch, imprison, andsell Pals on the black market. The Free Pal Alliance, on the other hand, advocates for the preservation of Pals by any means necessary. This is why they will attack player bases: putting Pals to work is against their beliefs.
Village NPCs are often protected by members of thePalpagos Islands Defense Force (PIDF). If a player commits a crime, officers in helmets and flak jackets might spawn to attack them. The Brothers of the Eternal Pyre are a cult-like group led by Alex Travers, who had once been part of the Pal Genetic Research Unit. The most formidable tower boss is the leader of the Pal Genetic Research Unit, Victor Ashford, who created his Shadowbeak partner through genetic experimentation.
There is a lot of potential in these interesting characters. It takes work to find the backstories of these leaders, but reading their diaries is well worth the effort.Zoe and her Grizzboltare the first bosses that players challenge in the game, and her diaries tell the story of her struggle for survival inside the cruel Rayne Syndicate.
Lily Everheart, leader of the Free Pal Alliance, writes about how she will do anything to protect Pals, even if that means paying the PIDF a “hefty sum.” It is easy to imagine how this could be a mission or quest inPalworld, with the player brokering a deal between Lily and PIDF leader Marcus Dryden.
How The Factions Could Carry the Palworld Story
Pocket Pair should consider the backstory of their faction leaders when fleshing out the story ofPalworld. There is a lot of potential hidden away in their diaries, and in their locations spread throughout the map. Before storming the tower that she guards, players could get to know Zoe Rayne, for example, when she raids the player’s base. Without tutorial tips, players would not know that the gameplay ofPalworldinvolves battling the tower bosses. Zoe and her Grizzbolt could challenge the player to a battle and, as long as they don’tcapture her in a Pal Sphere after the fight, explain that the other factions are also in the business of guarding towers. This would guide the player to their next challenge and a new area of the map.
The freedom players have toexplore the open world at their leisureis great, but having faction characters to speak with, battle against, and run missions for would encourage players to linger in and appreciate a specific area. This would also open up opportunities for the players to learn more about the factions and their leaders, and if they sympathize with one cause or another. Furthermore, what little players have so far about the story of Palworld suggests relationships ripe for exploring: the Free Pal Alliance has worked with the PIDF and Alex Travers of the Brothers of the Eternal Pyre defected from the Pal Genetic Research Unit. Quests or missions that unveil how this happened would be fascinating to play through.
As it is now, players cannot speak with the faction leaders, only fight them inside the towers scattered throughout the Palpagos Islands.
The Mystery of the Towers in Palworld
The first mission that Pocket Pair should address in the story of Palworld is the connection between the faction leaders and the towers. In terms of gameplay, the towers serve as a challenge to conquer and are thePalworldversion ofPokemon’s gyms. In terms of story, even the bosses inside aren’t sure why they are there. In Zoe’s diary entries, she writes, “I’ve started to wonder… Why am I guarding this big tower again?” Zoe goes on to say that the towers are related to a legendary power, but that she’s not sure what that really means. Her father guarded the tower before her, showing that this is a long but inexplicable tradition.
As the game is now, these faction bosses are just challenges to overcome rather than fleshed-out characters. As time goes on andPalworldbecomesa polished, fully released game, players will have higher expectations when it comes to the game’s narrative. Future updates toPalworldshould bring more Pals and more clarity as to why the player fights tower bosses.
Palworld
WHERE TO PLAY
In this game, you can peacefully live alongside mysterious creatures known as Pals or risk your life to drive off a ruthless poaching syndicate. Pals can be used to fight and breed, or they can be made to work on farms or factories. You can even sell them or eat them.Survival: In a harsh environment where food is scarce and vicious poachers roam, danger waits around every corner. To survive, you must tread carefully and make difficult choices…even if that means eating your own Pals when the time comes.Mounts & Exploration: Pals can be mounted to traverse the land, sea and sky—allowing you to traverse all kinds of environment as you explore the world.Collect all kinds of exciting Pals to fight, farm, build, and work for you in this completely new multiplayer, open world survival and crafting game!
