The MMO genre has long been home to games that offer massive worlds, complex economies, and deep combat systems. However, every so often, a new title emerges that offers something fresh and exciting, drawing inspiration from some of the best elements in gaming. Mistwilds, one of the new MMOs of 2026, offers a Pokemon-like creature-collecting experience in a massive open world with real-time combat and multiplayer features. Yet, one could argue that it has features of Palworld and RuneScape to create a unique and captivating experience for those of you seeking adventure and discovery.
Mistwilds stands out in a crowded MMO market by combining the monster-collecting, creature-driven gameplay of Palworld with the questing, crafting, and expansive world of RuneScape. There is a lot that makes Mistwilds an exciting new entry in the MMO world, and it's a title worth checking out.
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Upcoming survival game Runescape: Dragonwilds takes the skill system of classic RuneScape and transports it into an expansive survival sandbox.
How Mistwilds Combines Palworld's Creature-Collection with RuneScape's Deep Crafting and Questing
At its core, Mistwilds is a vast, immersive MMO that encourages you to explore a world filled with mystery, danger, and countless opportunities. With possible inspirations drawn from both Palworld and RuneScape, the game marries the best aspects of creature collection, open-world exploration, and deep crafting systems. Players who enjoy monster companions and RPG mechanics will find themselves right at home in Mistwilds.
One of the standout features of Mistwilds is its creature-collection mechanic, a core element that can easily draw in a lot of fans of Palworld. In Mistwilds, you capture and train wild creatures that can be used as companions in combat, crafting, and exploration. These creatures come in all shapes and sizes, each with its own unique abilities and stats. The best part is that you can evolve and improve these creatures over time, creating a dynamic relationship that grows as the journey progresses.
Creature Collection (Palworld) Meets Customizable Playstyles
This mechanic allows you to create your own customized team of wild companions, each with distinct abilities. You will need to strategically manage your creatures in combat, using them to assist in battles against wild monsters or other players' critters. It's this connection between creature collection and loot-based solo or multiplayer gameplay that sets Mistwilds apart from other MMOs, particularly when factoring in elements like crafting, dungeons, legendary beasts, and type-based strategies.
Though Mistwilds has creature types, it's unclear if it will have Pokemon's type combinations or similar mechanics.
Key Mistwilds Features Inspired by Palworld:
- Capture and train a wide variety of creatures, each with unique skills.
- Enhance your creatures' abilities and stats as they grow alongside you.
- Use your creatures wisely to create synergies and dominate battles.
- Utilize your creatures to help with resource collection and exploration.
Deep Crafting and Questing (RuneScape Influence)
Another key feature that Mistwilds borrows from MMOs like RuneScape is its extensive crafting and questing systems. Much like RuneScape, Mistwilds offers you a wide range of activities, from gathering materials to creating equipment and completing quests that lead you through an ever-evolving storyline. Crafting is not only useful for upgrading your gear but also for creating new tools and potions that can help in combat or creature management.
Whether you're following the main storyline or tackling side quests, the game offers a great deal of narrative depth, ensuring you always have something to do. Like in most MMOs, you can:
- Gather resources and craft weapons, armor, and tools.
- Tackle main and side quests that keep the gameplay fresh and exciting.
- Unlock new abilities and craft recipes.
- Interact with other players through trading and creating items to sell for profit.
- Complete co-op activities like dungeons and boss battles (legendary beasts).
- Obtain loot that improves your gameplay experience.
- Have PvP battles with Pokemon-like critters.
Why Mistwilds Stands Out: The Perfect Mix of Combat, Crafting, and Creature Collection
There are several reasons that make Mistwilds a must-play MMO for fans of the genre. These are:
- Creature-Based Combat System: Collect and battle alongside over 150 unique wild creatures that can be leveled up and evolved. The game features 8 elemental creature types (Fire, Ground, Grass, Magic, Wind, Fighting, Holy, Ice) and 3 evolution stages, combined with real-time combat. Palworld's Pals don't evolve, but the similarities are there.
- Open World Exploration: Roam an expansive world filled with mystery and danger, but also exciting opportunities to meet new characters, critters that you can catch and evolve, and battle your way through quests. You can also delve into dungeons both solo and with other players, and you can explore the open world with flying mounts (which you can raise yourself).
- Robust Crafting and Economy: Craft weapons, tools, and potions, while building a player-driven economy that allows trading and selling. This will allow for interactions with fellow tamers, but it shouldn't be a problem for solo players.
- Character Customization: As with popular MMOs like World of Warcraft, character customization is key in Mistwilds, with gear affecting both your character's stats and visual appearance. New loot can be a meaningful progression for both gameplay and looks.
- A True MMO Experience: Like RuneScape, Mistwilds mixes role-playing elements with endless progression. Engage in meaningful quests, unlock new crafting recipes, and train all 150 monsters. Whether you enjoy playing games solo or engaging with others, Mistwilds offers options for both, allowing you to enjoy the world at your own pace. PvE and PvP are both affected by multiplayer, though, and the game's legendary beasts may not be obtainable without the help of others.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Mistwilds is available on Steam, where you can wishlist it ahead of its Q4 2026 release window.
While Mistwilds clearly taps into the best features from games like Palworld and RuneScape, it also tries to combine the best of both worlds to create something that feels familiar to MMO and monster-collecting fans, but also fresh. This is rarely done with MMOs, but this new game could be what monster-collecting fans have wanted for years — a live-service, Pokemon-like game with a large open world and deeper systems, while retaining the familiar loop of capturing monsters you can train and evolve.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 71 /100 Critics Rec: 58%
- Released
- January 19, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Violence
- Developer(s)
- Pocket Pair, Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Pocket Pair, Inc.
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Shooter, Survival
