Pals vs. Peculiarities: Once Human's Shot at the Survival Throne (Or Just a Bit of Friendly Rivalry?)
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
img src="https://sm.ign.com/t/ign_za/video/o/once-human/once-human-x-palworld-official-trailer_g45v.640.jpg" width="120" hspace="5" alt="" vspace="5" align="left" / Watch the Once Human × Palworld trailer for a peek at what to expect with this collaboration event.
Right, so remember when Palworld burst onto the scene, grabbed us all by the scruff of our necks, and dragged us screaming (mostly with delight) into a world of creature-collecting, base-building, and AK-47-wielding chaos? Yeah, good times. It was like someone accidentally dropped a Pokémon game into a blender with ARK: Survival Evolved and Borderlands, and somehow, it just *worked*.
Well, it seems the gaming universe, in its infinite, slightly chaotic wisdom, is keen to keep that particular genre blend bubbling. Because now we’re seeing a spotlight on *Once Human*, a name that’s been doing the rounds in the open-world survival crafting space for a bit, and it looks like it’s gearing up for a bit of a rumble with the Palworld phenomenon.
Now, before you start yelling 'clone!' like a particularly agitated digital wizard whose spell went sideways, let's take a closer look, shall we? The original 'trailer' title popping up, specifically mentioning 'Once Human x Palworld', isn't necessarily a direct crossover in the 'Pikachu meets an anomaly' sense. My gut feeling, after years of sifting through digital tea leaves and slightly singed patch notes, is that this is more about a comparison, a challenge, or perhaps even a nod to an emerging sub-genre that Palworld undeniably helped solidify.
Palworld, bless its irreverent heart, proved that players were absolutely ravenous for a game that wasn't afraid to get weird. Collecting adorable (and sometimes terrifying) 'Pals,' putting them to work in your base (or, y'know, strapping guns to them), and then venturing out into a vast, dangerous world... it was a recipe for viral success. It tapped into that primal gamer urge to collect, to build, and to survive, but with a unique, somewhat dark humour twist. It didn't take itself too seriously, and neither did we. Which, frankly, was a breath of fresh air after years of games trying to be 'the next big thing' with all the gravitas of a collapsing star.
Enter *Once Human*. This isn't exactly a fresh face to the scene, having been in various states of beta and anticipation for a while. But seeing it explicitly linked with Palworld? That's when things get interesting. *Once Human* leans heavily into a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi horror vibe, where you're not taming fluffy creatures, but rather 'anomalies' – often grotesque, always peculiar mutants that can be used to your advantage, much like Pals. You've got your resource gathering, your crafting, your base building, and a whole lot of shooting in a world that looks like it's been through a particularly nasty bad trip.
The aesthetic differences are immediate: Palworld is bright, colourful, and cartoony even when things get grim. *Once Human* is darker, grittier, and carries a palpable sense of dread. It feels more like a blend of Fallout and State of Decay, but with the added twist of 'collectible' creatures that are less 'cute' and more 'creepy-crawly-but-useful.' Instead of a 'Paldeck,' you're dealing with 'Memetic Entities' – which, fair dinkum, sounds like something that could give you nightmares before it even helps you out.
So, what's the big takeaway from this juxtaposition? Is *Once Human* simply trying to ride the coattails of Palworld's success? Or is it a testament to the burgeoning appeal of open-world survival games that dare to mix creature-collecting with traditional crafting and combat loops? I reckon it's a bit of both, mate.
Palworld proved the demand, and *Once Human* (which was already in development, mind you) presents a darker, perhaps more 'mature' take on the core concept. Instead of Palworld's often playful exploitation of its creatures, *Once Human*'s 'anomalies' feel more like dangerous tools or terrifying companions in a desperate struggle. The world itself looks far more hostile, with threats that seem to genuinely want you dead, rather than just inconvenienced.
From a player perspective, this is a win-win. If you loved the core loop of Palworld but wished it had a bit more 'grimdark' or a stronger narrative push, *Once Human* might just scratch that itch. It offers a different flavour of the same intoxicating cocktail: explore, collect, build, survive. And with its persistent online world, there's always the promise of ongoing content and community interaction.
Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. The 'Palworld effect' is real, and any game treading similar ground will face intense scrutiny. Will *Once Human*'s 'anomalies' resonate as strongly as Palworld's Pals? Will its darker tone appeal to the same broad audience? The challenge for *Once Human* will be to carve out its own identity beyond being 'the gritty Palworld.' It needs to show us what makes its world, its creatures, and its anomalies uniquely compelling, not just a different shade of survival.
But here's the kicker: healthy competition is always a good thing for us gamers. It pushes developers to innovate, to refine, and to give us more bang for our buck. So, while I'm always gently skeptical of anything that sounds like it's trying to ride a trend wave, I'm also genuinely curious. What will *Once Human* bring to the table that makes it stand out? Will it blow a hole through reality and show us something truly new, or just offer a solid, different flavour of what we've already tasted?
Only time, and perhaps a few more trailers, will tell. But for now, the monster-taming survival genre just got a bit more interesting.
Original article: IGN South Africa