In recent years, the cozy genre of video games has expanded immensely, offering players a variety of gaming experiences where they can let their hair down for a bit rather than putting it up to charge headlong into battle. Even with how increasingly crowded it is becoming, though, Palia stands out as a worthwhile addition, and that is likely to be even more true with the release of its upcoming Elderwood expansion. Elderwood is the biggest update Palia has received since its launch, with a brand-new, albeit darker, adventure zone filled with new quests, creatures, and more.
The Best War Games recently attended a virtual preview event of Palia's upcoming Elderwood expansion, where Singularity 6 did a deep dive into its story and gameplay. Following the preview, we asked senior game designer Richie Berry some questions about Elderwood — particularly, how it aims to balance its darker aesthetic with the cozy vibes Palia is known for.
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Palia Embraces the 'Beautiful Spooky' With Elderwood
Elderwood Introduces Friction Without Fear
One of the most defining characteristics of Palia's Elderwood map is its darker aesthetic and undertones compared to what the game has explored previously. Despite those darker elements, however, Palia never strays too far from the safety and softness it and other cozy games are known for. As things have always been, players aren't going to find themselves amid danger and demanding survival mechanics. Instead, any "creepiness" found in Elderwood is primarily in the lore, the ambiance, and the emotional stakes of Palia's continued story.
In that way, Palia's Elderwood map is less about introducing fear as a storytelling or worldbuilding component and more about enhancing the game's immersion by making things just a bit more mysterious and tense without them ever being threatening. When asked about how Elderwood introduces those darker themes while still maintaining Palia's cozy nature, Berry replied,
"It's a line that we have to walk pretty carefully. It's something I've thought about really carefully with things like the Ogopuu. The Ogopuu is the first hunting creature in Palia that fights back a little bit, and that's a little bit scarier, in a certain way. But we've made sure there's no health in Palia; you can't die; you can't get a game over; you can't even respawn. When the world fights back, it slows you down a little. It's like, maybe you've got this goop that makes it so that you can't run as fast, and as a result, the Ogopuu escapes."
An encounter with Palia's new Ogopuu creature is a perfect example of how Elderwood introduces friction without it being full-fledged fear. In a way, it just makes the world of Palia a bit more unpredictable and adds a more engaging dynamic that isn't punishing. Even when a creature "fights back" in Elderwood, players don't die or lose their inventory as they might in other similar cozy games; rather, they move more slowly or there's some other catch.
Elderwood's Dark Themes Are About Tone, Not Mechanics
That gentle approach to increasing Palia's stakes ensures that any tension introduced in Elderwood is tonal rather than mechanical, as it doesn't make things more dangerous as much as it implies a world that is much deeper than it lets on and has consequences that reflect its history. As a result, Palia feels more alive without ever compromising the emotional safety net its players have become accustomed to. Berry continued,
There are some bright lines there that we try never to cross. Even in something like Stardew Valley's mines, you can get mauled by a slime, and then you're dragged out by a guy. We don't even want to go that far. We've got the purple aesthetic, and we're in these spooky caves, but we made sure that they've got the mood lighting, where it's not just dark and spooky. Instead, it's kind of like this cool mood, but you can always see, and it's always still bright.
While other cozy games might flirt with danger to heighten their immersion, like Stardew Valley's mines, Palia's Elderwood map finds a way to increase its suspense without the mechanical consequences that would typically go with it. Elderwood's caves may be coated in shades of purple and filled with glowing fungi, but the atmosphere is never oppressive or foreboding. Instead, it's a more subtle eeriness that is just enough to stir curiosity without pushing players away. Berry concluded,
"It's more beautiful spooky than it is "I'm actually in danger" spooky. We never want the player to feel like they're in any kind of danger. They might be like, "This is a little bit scary. I'm worried about this kid, or I'm worried about this or that. I'm not sure what's going to happen here." But there will always be that warmth. We try to suffuse everything with an element of that warmth."
Ultimately, Palia's upcoming Elderwood map shows that "cozy" doesn’t have to mean conflict-free or shallow. Through lore-driven design, immersive atmosphere, and abundantly clear boundaries, Palia's Elderwood expansion aims to prove that it's possible to build a world that is as emotionally rich as it is safe. In short, Elderwood looks to deepen the lore and enrich the tone of Palia without ever losing the heart of what makes the game feel like home to so many.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 78 /100 Critics Rec: 67%
- Released
- August 10, 2023
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco
- Developer(s)
- Singularity 6, Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Singularity 6, Inc.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Number of Players
- 1-25
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Simulation, MMO
Palia is currently available on PC and Nintendo Switch, with its PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions launching on May 13, alongside the Elderwood expansion.