Summary
Palworld, an open-world, creature-collecting, survival-crafting game from indie developer Pocket Pair, has some quirks. The game made a name for itself by arming the Pokemon-like Pals that populate the Palpagos Islands with guns. As if that wasn’t innovative enough, the Pal Spheres that catch giant monsters inPalworldcan be repurposed for capturing NPCs. Although the game warns players that these actions aren’t exactly ethical, the mechanic has become a fan favorite nonetheless, one that thePalworlddevelopers could iterate on in future updates.
Palworldallows players to operate as ethically, or unethically, as they wish. They can make their base into a paradise for Pals, or prioritize efficiency over good working conditions. The same freedom of choice should be applied to the treatment of humans as well; players deserve more engagement when keeping NPCs as either respected guests or prisoners of war.
Why Palworld Players Capture NPCs
Palworldplayers have found various purposes for their captured NPCs. Merchants are convenient to keep around because of their cache of high quality goods and schematics, the blueprints used to craft new items like headpieces or armor. Similarly, Black Marketeers are ominous figures that have a supply of poached Pals. Not only will they buy and sell Pals, they will happily take any captured humans out of the player’s hands.OnePalworldplayertook this to an unprecedented level by capturing over 150 NPCs and then locking them up in a base made to serve as a maximum security prison.
This isn’t to say thatPalworldshould add in more mechanics to make crafting maximum security prisons easier, but there is an opportunity for Pocket Pair to officially acknowledge that some players like to hoard humans the same way they do Pals.Palworldalready lets merchants visit player bases on occasion, but the game needs a more interactive way to do this. Captured NPCs should be more responsive to their circumstances, for instance. The addition of dialogue from these NPCs, once captured, could spawn quests or even barter for their release.
NPCs of Palworld Could Become Future Friends
Not many of the NPCs inPalworldare friendly. Members of certain factions, like the Free Pal Alliance or the Brothers of the Eternal Pyre, will attack players on sight rather than strike up a conversation. ThePalworldmerchants and marketeersare interested in making sales, however, and that means making friends with potential buyers. Since players already tend to kidnap these useful NPCs,Palworldcould add in a mechanic for players to cordially invite all the following types of NPCs to come to their base, rather than forcing them there against their will:
In games likeTerraria, players craft suitable rooms for NPCs to come and stay in on their bases. A similar mechanic could be added in toPalworld: if players craft a kind of stall or house for merchants in their base, then the next time they chat up an NPC, they could be presented with the option to invite them to their base. The player has access to the merchant at their convenience, and the merchant gets a new home – no kidnapping necessary.
This mechanic could open up further opportunities for new types of NPCs, like doctors or veterinarians. NPCs with unique skill sets and abilities could be enticed (or forced) to visit players' bases. Patch 0.1.5.0 unintentionally made it so that players canno longer capture tower bosses like Zoe Rayne, a fix that the developer has since apologized for implementing. Capturing boss NPCs was viewed as an achievement, rather than a glitch to be fixed. Future updates could lead to a more official way to capture tower bosses, or even win over their friendship.
Pocket Pair could lean in to the fan habit of capturing NPCs rather than patching it out. This would please fans who have already nabbed some humans alongside powerful Pals. Kidnapping NPCs is another way thatPalworldstands out from other creature collecting titles, so the developers should be aware, if not proud, of how this mechanic has impacted gameplay. Fans should watch for futurePalworldpatches to see if Pocket Pair will encourage, or discourage, NPC collections.
Palworld
WHERE TO PLAY
In this game, you may 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!
