5 Things Palworld Does Better Than Pokemon

When Palworld was first revealed, many gamers started calling it “Pokemon with guns.” PocketPair isn’t fond of this moniker, but it has lingered even as Palworld had to tweak some mechanics due to an ongoing copyright lawsuit. For all the broad similarities between Pokemon and Palworld, the games themselves are pretty different when it comes to playstyle. Despite certain Pal designs having eerie similarities to Pokemon like Leafeon and Lucario, there are some things that PocketPair actually pulls off better than the Pokemon franchise.

Before we dig in, a caveat. I adore the Pokemon games. I’ve been playing them for years. I don’t think Palworld will be replacing Pokemon any time soon. Despite the similarities, the two games are actually quite different. Palworld is an open-world survival game with Pals, whereas Pokemon is the gotta catch ’em all gym battle experience we all know and love. But in that different approach, there are some things I found myself appreciating about Palworld compared to my recent experiences with Pokemon games.

1. A Sense of Humor About Pals

I’ve got just one word for you, Palworld fans – Depresso. This grumpy Pal quickly became an icon, if not the mascot of Palworld itself. Compare that to perky Pikachu and chipper Eevee, and it’s clear the tone set by Palworld is a little different. At the end of the day, we’re catching Pals and putting them to work on our bases and in battle. It makes sense that some Pals would be a little less enthusiastic about it.

While the Pokemon anime and games do have their fair share of humor, the overall tone is pretty earnest. By contrast, in game and on social media, Palworld has an irreverent take that makes it a bit more clearly geared towards an older audience. One that might be nostalgic for and love Pokemon, but has also been hard at work at the day job for a while. We needed an icon like Depresso, and Palworld delivered.

2. More Expansive World Exploration

Pokemon took a stab at open world in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, and most fans agree it didn’t go so well. There are still areas of Paldea you can’t reach without first teaching Miraidon/Koraidon new tricks. And even when you do, those areas are relatively empty, with few NPCs or secrets to encounter.

By contrast, the Palpagos Islands have much more to offer players who enjoy exploring the map in a game. There are new islands being added all the time, and each one offers unique Pals, bosses, and bases to uncover. The world of Palworld just offers more to explore compared with recent Pokemon entries, which are still working out whether they want to be open-world or stick to the original formula.

3. Freedom for Players to Shape Their Experience

Listen, I love Pokemon. But the experience of your average Pokemon game is pretty straightforward, without much of a “choose your own adventure” element. You get your first Pokemon. You go off to battle with said Pokemon while also catching more Pokemon. While you choose your Pokemon team and can customize your avatar to some extent, pretty much everything else that happens isn’t really up to you.

By contrast, the open-endedness of Palworld can feel refreshing. You can roam as you please, and you set your own goals. If you prefer to focus on building the perfect base, avoiding enemies unless provoked, you can. Plus, the base building offers a lot more customization, where gamers who love a good build can sink hours into making their base. Yes, the catch and raise Pals element is similar, but otherwise, Palworld is a pretty different gaming experience from Pokemon.

4. Varied Game Mechanics

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, as well as the Legends games, put a new spin on the classics. But for the most part, Pokemon game mechanics are pretty straightforward. Catch Pokemon. Battle. Earn Gym Badges. Beat the Elite Four. Sometimes, solve a few puzzles, but that’s less common in newer entries.

Sometimes, the repetitiveness of the gameplay feels a bit boring. I abandoned my playthrough of Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee because I just couldn’t bring myself to catch ’em all… again. By contrast, there’s a bit more to do in Palworld thanks to the survival mechanics. You aren’t just battling. You’re building a base, exploring a world, and fighting to survive. With crafting, cooking, breeding, and base management, the game simply offers a bit more variety with its standard gameplay loop.

5. Updates & Patches with New Content

Pokemon has made some forays into content updates of a sort in recent years. Pokemon Sword and Shield and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet both had paid DLC. But for many, these DLC didn’t quite offer what fans wanted. In particular, the Scarlet & Violet era DLC felt a lot like bits of the original story broken off and resold to us for an additional cost. Free updates aren’t really part of the Pokemon model, and the paid ones have been hit or miss.

By contrast, Palworld is giving players a ton of new content in regular, free updates. Live service doesn’t work for every game, but the model of a few massive, yearly updates seems to be working well for Palworld. It lets Pocket Pair keep the game fresh in a way that Scarlet & Violet is struggling to do as it crawls onwards with Tera Raids and Mystery Gifts.

A Pokemon vs. Palworld Timeline Leading Up to the Lawsuit