Palworld is far more entertaining than it has any right to be for a game with the development philosophy of mashed potatoes.

It takes inspiration from a number of other popular titles, the most noticeable ones being Ark and Pokemon, then blends the pieces together and adds a bit of Open World Survival Craft™ jank as garnish. Honestly, I was expecting a meme, but it turned out to be so much more.

In typical fashion for this genre, prepare for menial grind. Thankfully, this is offset by automated gathering and crafting to a degree—through Pal Labor—as the game progresses. There are currently 100+ Pals to find and catch, basic base building, five Towers(boss battles) to conquer, and craftables ranging from mundane items to unique equipment.

The explosive success of this game shows that not everything needs to be deeply innovative, overly artsy, or have strikingly complex narratives, so long as the gameplay loop is solid and fun. I'd even go so far as to say that the unhinged and unapologetic nature of Palworld really highlights how dull and pretentious gaming has become in current days.

I am enthusiastically waiting to see how this evolves while in Early Access.