Travelling through a vast, green landscape with fantastical monsters at your side: This game idea may not be very original.
In fact it sounds a lot like "Pokémon." Even so, the developers of the open-world adventure game "Palworld" have achieved a surprise hit.
The game principle is familiar. In "Palworld," as in "Pokémon," players capture monsters in the wild that have all sorts of different abilities.
For example, the wild boar-like Rushoar rams himself through rocks and opponents at full speed, Depresso becomes a super sprinter after consuming energy drinks, and you can even fly around with the big Nitewing.
Otherwise the game is more reminiscent of "The Legend of Zelda" and "Minecraft." You explore the mountainous islands mostly on your own and collect useful items and resources to help build a base.
The story - in which you fight against gangs, freedom fighters and the police - is almost a minor matter. The monsters you collect (Pals) are helpers when you’re building and farming, and in battle are very dangerous to your opponents.
You also have to take up arms yourself, namely using a bow and arrow. If you suffer too many injuries in the fight, it’ll quickly be game over and you’ll lose all the items you have collected so far.
Although the game is still in the early access phase and lacks some depth, it’s already become a big hit with up to 2 million players.
"Palworld" has a lot to offer beyond the "Pokémon" comparisons, and with a hundred Pals to collect, it's hard to get enough of the seemingly endless game world. The game is available for PCs on Steam and costs around €30/$30.
