Is Palworld a Pokemon clone? That is a tough question to answer because there is a lot going on in both games. If you haven’t seen Palworld yet, its mechanics and design have made people dub it “Pokemon with guns.” This is for good reason; it has similar character designs and a very familiar monster-catching mechanic.
Of course, there are some differences. For instance, you can use guns to damage Pals in the overworld so you can catch them. Not only that, you can perform various tasks that are more akin to a survival game. It is because of this that the game got its nickname, but how alike are they? Is Palworld a Pokemon clone?
Palworld / Pokemon – Similarities and differences
No. Palworld is not a Pokemon clone. That doesn’t mean the two games aren’t similar. As stated above, there is a reason why Palworld got the nickname “Pokemon with guns.” Why is this? Let’s break down the similarities and differences.
Similarities
If you think there is something familiar about Palworld, you are not alone. From day one, many hopeful players have stated that it looks like a game in the long-running Pokemon franchise. Here are similarities we have seen between the two based on the trailers for Palworld:
- Both have a catching mechanic involving balls
- There are methods of researching the creatures (Paldeck in Palworld and the Pokedex in Pokemon)
- You must train creatures to battle
- The creatures share similar designs
Differences
While the two games may feel quite familiar to someone, some pretty obvious aspects of Palworld set it apart from the Pokemon franchise. These differences are:
- Palworld has guns and allows you to fight alongside your creatures
- Open-world boss fights and creature fights that aren’t turned-based
- Action RPG mechanics such as dodge-rolling (of course, you can draw a parallel to Legends: Arceus from this)
- In-depth crafting system using your captured creatures
As you can see, Palworld is more than just a rip-off of the Pokemon franchise. While there are similarities, there are some key differences that help Palworld stand out. You could also say that games such as TemTem are also clones. Palworld is set to release in January in early access.
