Summary
Creature catching games likePalworldowe a huge debt toPokémon, the franchise that popularized the genre. There are many ways in whichPalworldis an echo ofPokémon, to the extent of the latter’s parent company looking into legal action. Catching Pals is practically identical to catching Pokémon: lower the Pals' health to weaken them, and then capture the Pal with an aptly named Pal Sphere. That said,Palworld’s Pal Spheres are a pale imitation of Poke Balls and lack some of the unique quirks that have allowed the feature to evolve with the games over time.
Pal Spheres vs Poke Balls
In the beginning, there was only one, standard Poke Ball design: a black and white ball with mysterious inner workings able to shrink even the largest of Pokémon. In the canonical past, as detailed inPokémon Legends Arceus, Pokeballs were whittled out ofa kind of berry called an Apricorn. As thePokémonfranchise expanded, more types of Poke Balls were included. Great Balls and Ultra Balls were made to catch higher level Pokémon, but developers also created Poke Balls that could be utilized in specific situations.
A Net Ball is great for capturing Water-type Pokémon or Bug-type Pokémon. A Dusk Ball triples the chance of catching Pokémon at night or inside dark caves. These specializations add an extra layer of interest to gameplay. Players who are determined to capturea specific type of Pokémon, like a huge Wailord, will need to consider their strategy. They could use a Dive Ball, since Wailords are found in the water, or they could opt for a Heavy Ball which has an increased chance of capturing Pokemon over 220 pounds. Wailord, for reference, weighs an average of 877 pounds.
The design of the ancient past’s Poke Ball has it looking like it would fit right intoPalworld, wherein players craft their own clothes, weapons, and survival items. Instead, Pal Spheres are glowing, almost elegant devices with swirling gold-work designs. There are six types of Pal Spheres:
Pal Spheres' power levels are rather self-explanatory; a Mega Sphere has a higher catch rate than a regular Pal Sphere, and a Giga Sphere has a higher catch rate than a Mega Sphere. As players encounter morehigh level Pals throughout the world, they will need to arm themselves with Hyper Spheres and Ultra Spheres, leaving behind lower level Spheres. InPokémongames, players might prioritize Great Balls and Ultra Balls as they reach higher level areas, but the basic Poke Ball can still be useful.
Missed Crafting Opportunities For Pal Spheres
There are plenty of massive Pals inPalworld, each with their own individual territories. When players venture out from their home bases, they just need to ensure that they have some Pal Spheres of the appropriate level in their inventory. There is not a lot of strategy involved. InPokémon Legends Arceus,the obvious inspiration behindPalworld, players have to arm themselves with the appropriate type of Poke Ball to catch Pokémon mid-flight or Pokémon that are unaware that they are being hunted. This adds a level of intrigue thatPalworldlacks. InPalworld, it is a legitimate strategy to just lob Spheres at a Boss-level Pal while the player’s own Pals do all the damage.
Palworldhas limited itself by sticking with Pal Spheres that increase in catch power level rather than including specialized Spheres. While adding in specialized Spheres may make certain aspects of the game more difficult, challenge is an important aspect of gameplay. For example, there is an opportunity forexclusively cave-dwelling Palsto only be captured by a specific kind of Sphere. This would send players on a mission to gather the materials needed to craft said Sphere, making for a major addition to the gameplay loop that could be both intriguing and fun.Palworldhas borrowed many mechanics fromPokémon, so it only makes sense to take this one as well.
Palworld
WHERE TO PLAY
In this game, you’re able to peacefully live alongside mysterious creatures known as Pals or risk your life to drive off a ruthless poaching syndicate. Pals can be used to fight and breed, or they can be made to work on farms or factories. You can even sell them or eat them.Survival: In a harsh environment where food is scarce and vicious poachers roam, danger waits around every corner. To survive, you must tread carefully and make difficult choices…even if that means eating your own Pals when the time comes.Mounts & Exploration: Pals can be mounted to traverse the land, sea and sky—allowing you to traverse all kinds of environment as you explore the world.Collect all kinds of exciting Pals to fight, farm, build, and work for you in this completely new multiplayer, open world survival and crafting game!
