Summary
Palworldhas many mechanics and features that allow it its unique identity in the monster-capturing gaming market. However, some still considerPalworldaPokemonclonebecause many of the former’s monster designs closely resemble those of its competition. The future Sakurajima update makes it harder for Palworld to distinguish itself as one of the new Pals to be introduced looks oddly close toPokemon’s Dusknoir.
The Summer Game Fest introduced players toPalworld’s Sakurajima update, showing them the new content to look forward to upon its June 27 release. While there is promise of a new island, structures, equipment, and a PvP arena, those who are into collecting creatures will have focused more on the new Pals. Some of the latest monsters may have interesting and unique looks, but one has a similar design toPokemon’s Dusknoir. While there are a few differences, it is clear thatPalworldstill took heavy references from its creature-capturing competition, making it harder for the game to get rid of the moniker of “Pokemonclone”.
How the New Pal Closely Resembles Pokemon’s Dusknoir
Based on what the Sakurajima trailer showed during the Summer Game Fest, the unnamed Pal has qualities similar to Dusknoir and one of its pre-evolution stages, Duskull. Although one of the key differences from its Pokemon counterparts is its lantern-like hands, the rest of its image resembles them very closely.Pokemonhas many good ghost-type designs, and Pocket Pair may have taken a page from its competitor’s book. The new Pal’s skull-like face is close to the appearance of Duskull’s, while the majority of its body proportions and physical characteristics are taken straight from Dusknoir. AlthoughPalworldhas no ghost-type element, the Sakurajima Pal would most likely have had it, since it and Dusknoir have apparition-like features and qualities.
What the Dusknoir Clone Could Mean for Palworld’s Future
It is no surprise to the players ofPalworldthat the game has manyPals that are Pokemon lookalikes. While several have distinguishable traits, their overall design clearly shows who they’re borrowing from. Other than the Dusknoir clone, there are some examples:
Jetragon
Latios and Latias
The list shows that Pocket Pair has borrowed many designs from its competition, and judging from the upcoming Sakurajima update, the developer has no intention of stopping. The reason may be thatPalworldintends to followPokemon’s success, meaning the game will take what it can while staying behind the borders of plagiarism. The new Dusknoir clone emphasizes the point as it shows that even with a major update, the developers intend the game to have some ties with its more famous counterpart. Pocket Pair has displayed its capability of creating uniquePals with amazing designs, but using Pokemon creatures as references could affect the fan base’s perception of the developer’s creativity.
That being said, the new Dusknoir-like Pal could also lead to more possibilities for the game.Palworldmay have a short list of elements, but that may just be expanded upon in the future. The game already has Pals that can be considered ghost types, but they are all categorized in the dark element category instead. Since the Sakurajima Pal is already similar to a particular Pokemon’s looks, Pocket Pair might as well consider borrowing its typing and adding it to the game. The “Dusknoir clone” could be the stepping stone that will introduce the ghost and other elements in a future update.
June 27th’s massivePalworldupdatehas enough unique additions, but it still shows that the game is still taking notes from its competition with the Dusknoir-looking Pal. While there are some differences, the creature proves that, for now, the allegations of copyingPokemonwill not go away entirely.
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!
