With plenty of Pokémon games coming out in the near future, fans of the monster-breeding genre who are craving a less friendly approach should check out Palworld, an indie game that's been gathering a lot of attention lately. Affectionately nicknamed "Pokémon with guns," Palworld is an open-world, survival crafting, monster-breeding online co-op game, where players can tame creatures called "Pals" to use them in various ways.

From stunning visuals to a solid setup, everything looks quite cute until players discover the vast number of guns, the existence of Pal slavery, and even mechanics that allow players to eat their Pal friends. Pokémon fans have speculated on these topics around the Pokémon universe before, suggesting that something like that probably exists there as well. While the manga and the anime adaptation have briefly explored some of these themes, the Pokémon games have avoided them. In contrast, Palworld puts these dark themes in the spotlight while still keeping the world a charming and colorful place to explore.

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From what the developers have shared so far, players must catch Pals, build a camp to survive, and battle dangerous gangs that want to steal the player's creatures, all while exploring the harsh world of Palworld. Catching Pals is possible with an item called "Pal Sphere," and players can turn those they capture into friends, use them as vehicles, or they can sell them, turn them into workers, or serve them as the next meal. Pals are key for survival as they can fly, light up fires, and provide water and electricity.

Since Pals have different skills and can even use guns, players can fight alongside their Pals in very dynamic encounters. They'll die to protect their owner, sometimes becoming their cover on the battlefield. Pals can also help with automation by working on mines, crafting weapons, building, and farming for their owners until they collapse. There are no labor laws to prevent the player from exploiting them, as long as they are being fed. Players can even use them as ammunition to take down enemies and buildings.

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Gameplay from Palworld

Palworld brings a new and inventive dynamic to the genre, with trainer and monster complementing each other in real-time battles, which is perfect for fans who prefer more action-packed games. While it portrays dark themes with some goofy humor, the humor doesn't serve to lighten the mood. While at first it might sound like an odd combination, guns and cute creatures might be exactly the twist that fans have been waiting for.

Palworld is being developed by Pocketpair and has a planned release date of 2022, though it's looking likely that it won't launch until 2023. Though it seems pretty advanced in development, but still much unknown about the game, such as how players will interact with each other in co-op and if there will be any story elements. For those who can't wait to shoot creatures at bad guys and create a Pal empire, tune in to Pocketpair's YouTube channel to see every Palworld trailer released so far.