Overnight and stellar success Palworld is quite literally taking the gaming world by storm, and in more ways than one. Whether it be its astronomical sales records and popularity or its controversial similarities to Pokémon, the fact remains that it’s more than just a Pokémon clone. Gamers and Pokémon fans alike deserve great games to play, and the Pokémon franchise has failed to produce something that isn’t mediocre or just another entry into the series as of late. I hate to say it, but Pokémon games and the fans seem to be OK with the current way of things, the sales numbers don’t lie either. But what happens when you release a game in the open world survival/crafting genre and add those token Pokémon elements? You get Palworld, a solid game that was a surprise to me and many other gamers. It has been dubbed “Pokémon, but with guns” which I find to be a bit reductive as it shares more of its DNA with games like Ark: Survival Evolved, Rust and even Minecraft. While there are guns in the game, and “Pals” (the monsters you capture, raise and train) that can wield them, that feature is not as prominent as you may think, only a few of the Pals actually use them. That is not to say that the Pokémon-like elements are shoved aside in favor of its survival elements because I would say that they are quite equal in nature and complement each other quite well. So, in a nutshell, you explore a vast world, capture Pals, base build, hunt, battle foes with your Pals, conquer towers (Palworld’s version of gyms) and much more. The game is in early access at the moment, so it’s reasonable to assume that they will add more things to this game in the future before it is considered a full release. I will say that Palworld has released in a much better state than Pokémon Scarlet/Violet did. At first glance or even a second, it’s reasonable to say that main entries into the Pokémon franchise have not changed all that much since the very first installments, Pokémon Red and Blue. Rarely does the mainline series see something truly different, so that’s why Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Snap, Unite and Go feel slightly refreshing and give Pokémon some hope, but it’s not enough. Traditional Pokémon games have grown as stagnant as the yearly sports sims and Call of Duty of games. Nintendo has failed to give Pokémon fans something they truly deserve, and that’s why Palworld flourishes so easily and why it’s so successful. Imagine, if the traditional Pokémon games were not limited to the same basic formula it has relied upon for years. What if they took a strong pivot into another genre that included the roots it has stuck to all this time? You might arrive at something like Palworld. Or what if they just ditched it all together and dove into the simulation aspect: what if you could build and manage a Pokémon hospital? What if you could start a Pokémon farm of sorts and become a breeder? Or make a game where you’re not the same kid destined to be the best Pokémon trainer in the land and let them choose to be the bad guy for once? Just some ideas, all of which sound immediately more enticing than going around some forest for the 93rd time looking for a shiny Pikachu. I hope this is Nintendo’s and The Pokémon Company’s wake up call as well Pokémon fans out there that if you strive to do something different and use the potential of your franchise, you might get something cool. I’m not saying stop making traditional Pokémon games, but I am saying we are well overdue for the “Skyrim, but with Pokémon.” Palworld is currently available on Steam and Xbox platforms.