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The recent Nintendo Direct unveiled Pokemon Pokopia, a simulator spin-off that heavily borrows elements from games like Animal Crossing and others of its kind. While this was a huge announcement that caught the eyes of many, not long after, Pocketpair also revealed its own upcoming title, Palworld: Palfarm, taking away a good chunk of that attention.
The news essentially screamed that the battle between Nintendo and Pocketpair just got much bigger, as both games are spin-offs and tackle the same genre. With the two developers clashing on another front, you have to wonder which one has the edge.
As someone who is a huge fan of both Pokemon and Palworld, between Pokopia and Palfarm, the latter will likely be better, and people should choose it over the former. If you're wondering why that is, well, it's because of a few good reasons.
1. Pokopia Is Just Going to Be Another Animal Crossing
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There's no denying that Pokopia looks like an Animal Crossing clone, but the similarities won't end with just appearances. Based on what was presented during the announcement, the spin-off is going to borrow many elements from Nintendo's popular social simulation franchise. While that's great, that just means it's going to be a rehash of what people have come to love, but with a Pokemon skin draped all over it.
Pokopia has a few unique mechanics and certainly has a strange yet interesting concept, but the fact remains that it leans heavily towards feeling like another Animal Crossing game. Meanwhile, Palfarm is heading in directions that the farming and social simulation genres have yet to explore, which is likely a lot more fun.
Based on what I've seen, it's clear that Pocketpair actually put in the effort when trying to make something totally different from what people are used to, while Pokemon didn't. It gives Palfarm the bigger edge over its competition, and unless Pokopia has a few surprises, people shouldn't bother with it.
2. Palfarm Is Going to Have Combat
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This is probably one of Palfarm's greatest strengths, and makes it more worthwhile compared to Pokopia. Similar to the Rune Factory line of games, which are also social and farming simulators, Pocketpair's project will involve fighting creatures both friendly and hostile.
Now, the reason this can be seen as an advantage over its competition is that it provides players with more things to do. Pokopia, as fun as it seems, looks to be limited to just building a town and making it look as beautiful as possible in accordance with the player's taste. However, once that's done, what else is there to do?
Palfarm doesn't have to answer that question, as having combat opens up possibilities of where the game can go once players have had their fill of decorating environments. Essentially, it provides players with a break from the coziness, which is something Pokopia will not be able to offer unless Nintendo makes a few changes to it within the months before its release.
3. The Social Aspect Seems Stronger in Palfarm
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When it comes to the social simulation genre, there must be NPCs that are charming and interesting enough that players will want to converse with them. They are what give life to the game, and those of Palfarm look like they're going to do a much better job at that when compared to those of Pokopia.
The reason for this is that, based on Palfarm's trailer, each of the important Pal NPCs seems to have its own unique role and personality. This means they'll have unique dialogue and likely a charming air surrounding them that makes them interesting, and they'll become a huge reason why people will want to keep playing.
Unfortunately for Pokopia, it seems that it won't have characters like that, as the ones we've seen so far feel like generic helpers designed to provide aid and barely anything else. It's entirely possible that they could be more than just that, but the trailer didn't do a good job of showing it. If that wasn't bad enough for Pokopia, it seems that Palfarm won't be limited to just Pal NPC interactions, as there are hints that it will also involve a few human ones as well, giving the game an even bigger edge.
For those of you torn between which of the two upcoming titles to get or at least look forward to, I hope the information provided helps you in making an informed decision. Of course, we won't truly know the answer until both games launch, but based on initial evidence, I strongly believe that Palworld: Palfarm will be a lot more enjoyable than Pokemon Pokopia.
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