Summary
- Palworld falls short in terms of narrative and worldbuilding, lacking a compelling story and connection with the game's creatures.
- Enshrouded surpasses Palworld in the survival genre, with a rich lore and immersive narrative that unfolds as players progress.
- Pocketpair may need to implement a greater purpose and narrative in Palworld to ensure its longevity and compete with games like Enshrouded.
Pocketpair's Palworld has undoubtedly been highly successful since it entered early access in January. Within a week of its early access launch, Palworld sold over eight million units on Steam alone, and that number continues to rise across both Steam and Xbox. However, despite being such a huge success, it has its shortcomings — shortcomings which are only highlighted by games of a similar genre that succeed in those areas where Palworld falls short. Keen Games' Enshrouded is one of those.
Enshrouded is another survival game that entered early access just after Palworld, so the two have been justifiably compared to one another ever since. For the most part, the two are very similar; both feature base building and both have demanding survival mechanics. Nevertheless, Enshrouded currently rises far above Palworld in one rather significant area, and it’s not likely one that Palworld can improve upon very easily, at least not anytime soon.
Enshrouded Passes Incredible Player Count Milestone
Enshrouded manages to break through in the incredibly competitive survival genre, passing a major player count milestone in just four days.
Enshrouded’s Worldbuilding and Lore Far Exceeds Palworld’s
Palworld Exchanges Story for Nostalgia-Fueled Creature Collecting
Anyone who has played Palworld knows that the hugely popular creature collector is severely lacking in its narrative, and any "story" that it does have is quickly disregarded as soon as players capture their first Pal. From there, players are driven to progress by nothing more than the prospect of catching more Pals and building an extravagant base. These are noble goals and enough to keep players entertained for hours upon end, so they shouldn't be dismissed. Still, Palworld could do with more of a story to flesh out its world, perhaps even giving players a reason to connect with their Pals beyond the boss/employee relationship they're encouraged to have with them currently.
It's impossible to say just how difficult it would be to implement some form of narrative and worldbuilding for Palworld during early access, but it may be necessary if Pocketpair expects the game to have any sort of longevity past its honeymoon phase. At the moment, Palworld continues to gain momentum, and it may just persist in doing so. However, it will more than likely be revealed at some point that its players need a greater purpose than capturing more Pals. Palworld's current competitor Enshrouded, on the other hand, begins as a deceptively shallow survival game and then progressively reveals itself to be an incredibly immersive experience fueled by a deep and compelling narrative.
Enshrouded's World Is Founded on Its Immersive Lore
Unlike Palworld, Enshrouded has a narrative that rivals that of traditional role-playing games. Most of its lore is uncovered via journal pages and Ancient Obelisks scattered around the game's world of Embervale, but it is nonetheless present and working behind the scenes, revealing itself on an even greater level once players reach Enshrouded's endgame.
In the world of Enshrouded, players bravely step into the land of Embervale as a Flameborn, the last hope for humanity and one who can temporarily withstand the dense layers of fog and corruption known as the "Shroud." In their greedy pursuit of power, the player's ancestors relentlessly mined the earth for a magical elixir — their selfish endeavors unleashing the ruinous Shroud and bringing corrupted creatures out from the ground. In the darkness, their once-prosperous kingdom fell to ruin, leaving everyone left standing in a desperate struggle to survive. Now, the player must brave the dangers of the Shroud to uncover its mysteries and hopefully pave a new path of hope for the land of Embervale.
Everything beyond Enshrouded's foundational lore ventures into major spoiler territory, but it only grows more expansive from there. It's a true indication of what Palworld very well could be if Pocketpair chooses to give it a narrative and build its world on something more enduring than its current goals. However, even despite its lack of narrative and worldbuilding, Palworld remains a unique, engaging, and worthwhile experience for Pokemon fans and newcomers alike.
Enshrouded
- Released
- January 24, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
The realm of Embervale is lost. In their greed for magical power, your ancestors unleashed a pestilence that consumed the world.
Enshrouded is a game of survival, crafting, and Action RPG combat, set within a sprawling voxel-based continent. As you journey across the mountains and deserts of an open world, you are free to choose your path and shape your destiny. Ignite the Ancient power of the Flame, and piece together the fragments of a story that unfolds below the surface.
The Shroud consumes the land it corrupts, mutating and guiding all life it encounters. Cleave your way through ravaging factions and formidable bosses, battling Scavenger in the forests, Vukah in the caves, and Fell creatures in the mist.
Duck, parry, and surprise your foes with unexpected fighting skills and powerful spells. Exploit the weaknesses of your enemies as you develop your own unique playstyle with an in-depth skill tree system.
Bring life back to the land! Voxel-based building unleashes your creative vision, allowing you to create grand architecture on an epic scale, customized with a vast assortment of materials and furniture. Build not only for yourself, because NPCs will take refuge within your walls, unlocking advanced workshops and the ability to craft epic weapons and armor.
- Developer(s)
- Keen Games
- Publisher(s)
- Keen Games
- Engine
- Holistic
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- Survival, Open-World, Action RPG
- Steam User Rating
- 85%
