Palworld 1.0 Showed Me Why Everyone Loves Survival Games

Survival games have been wildly popular for years now. I’ve dabbled here and there to see what the fuss is about, but I’ve always fallen off after a few hours. Usually, I get tangled up in one meagerly explained system after another until I lose track of what I’m supposed to do, and my time with the game peters out.

When Palworld 1.0 came out to rave reviews, I figured I’d give the genre another shot – and I’m glad I did. Palworld’s gradual, newbie-friendly onboarding helped me see what a whole lot of people have loved about survival games all along. Palworld made me a believer.

Palworld 1.0 (Steam)

I’m glad I came in at the 1.0 mark, because I’ve heard Palworld had a much steeper learning curve out of the gate. But now, new players start with a series of missions designed to guide you through the game’s numerous systems. You learn how to punch trees to get wood to create a crafting bench. You learn how to make a club you can use to beat some Pals to death (it’s a dog-eat-dog world out there) to get wool. You then use that wool to make clothes. You set up a camp. You build a house. You activate a teleporter and explore deeper into the game world.

Before long, you’re gliding off cliffs Zelda-style before whomping on every Pal you see to catch them in spheres to put them to work. You can deploy them at your camp, ride them, or have them fight by your side to take on big roaming Pals and towering bosses. It’s a blast. And there’s no way I would have stuck with it if it hadn’t held my hand and eased me into the systems that make up the game.

I still have a long way to go, because I was nowhere near powerful enough to defeat the first boss solo. But those early missions gave me a much-needed handle on what else I can spend my time doing as I level up enough to become a threat. There’s a vast world out there I can keep exploring, all while catching Pals and building up my base. I’m having a blast doing it.

Palworld’s 1.0 is available on Steam, Xbox, and PS5. It costs $29.99, but you can save a few bucks on a Steam copy at Fanatical, which is currently running its summer sale.

Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN’s board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.