Summary
The demand for monster-collecting games has climbed consistently since the advent ofPokemonbrought the opportunity to light; from thePokemon Gofever that sprang across the world in the summer of 2016 to the dinosaur-dominated world ofARK. Despite the influx of titles into the group every year, few saw the meteoric rise ofPalworldcoming, as Pocket Pair took the world by storm with its unique flavor of elements and animals that bear close similarities to those in thePokemonuniverse. For this unprecedented success to continue,Palworld’s updatesneed to focus on diversity.
The entire allure of collection-based games lies in the range of character classes players can attain and use in gameplay. AlthoughPalworldcan’t necessarily be accused of slim pickings in its Pal lineup since it features over 130 of them, most of the companions in the base-building title only have a single element they can manipulate in their arsenal. The singular type focus takes away fromPalworld’s multidimensionalPokemon-inspired premise, and it constitutes an obvious weakness the developer needs to address in future updates.
Palworld Needs a Bit More Hybrid Flair in its Gameplay
Paldecks Need More Customization to Thrive
ThePokemonuniverse has been one of the most popular media since its debut on the Game Boy in 1996. Since then, the gaming industry has evolved into an open-world-dominated affair, and aPokemontitle with fully exploration-based gameplay has been high on fans' wish lists. AfterPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s disappointing venture,Palworldstepped unexpectedly into the gap, blending the famed collection mechanic throughPal Sphereswith base-building elements.
Part ofPokemon’s popularity stems from its multifaceted characters, and with its collection bases Pals should be far more dynamic than they are in the present meta.
For example, Lucario is a fan-favorite inPokemon Go, and the Generation 4 character is particularly renowned for its prowess in defensive and offensive situations, thanks to its Steel/Fighting dual type. Such versatilePokemonare always sought after because of the edge they can give in battles. The dynamic flavor that stems from the bevy of type combinations inPokemongames is missing from most ofPalworld’s Pals, which hampers the customization potential available to Paldecks.
Single Type Supremacy Needs to Give Way to Dual-Type Focus
That isn’t to say thatPalworlddoesn’t have its dual types;Jormuntide Ignisand Astegon have a reputation for wreaking havoc on the battlefield by combining the Dragon type with that of Fire and Dark respectively. However, there are far more single-element Pals in the current meta than dual, creating a limited diversity problem forPalworld. Dual types, through their premise, are always more popular due to how they combine the strengths of elements, and their utility is why games likeMonster Hunterprefer to give hybrids a bit more focus in their gameplay.
Although there arenine elements for Pals to get grouped into, experiencing thePalworlduniverse can get old fast if the developer doesn’t create enough crossovers to keep its gameplay fresh. Of the nearly 140 Pals, only 14 have the privilege of tapping into more than one type, and Pocket Pair needs to break this monotonous trend.
Oserk in particular has teased the potential that dual-types have in battling and base-building, and an increased focus on creating these hybrids could yieldPalworldlots of fruit. Collection games thrive when creatures can access multiple elements, and whilePalworldcould still keep a healthy number of single-typers in the future, it would benefit immensely from seeing more elemental combinations.
