For the past couple of years, information about Palia, the cozy free-to-play MMO, has been circulating the web and stirring interest from all the casual gamers out there. Trust me, I love these relaxing games, and I completely understand the appeal. After watching videos like the official beta release trailer, one thought instantly came to mind: is this going to be another chill game like Stardew Valley, My Time at Portia and Disney Dreamlight Valley that I end up spending hundreds of hours playing?
Is Palia the next Animal Crossing? With its charming appearance, simplistic yet in-depth mechanics, and multiplayer features, there’s a lot to unpack here.
Palia’s Cozy Vibes Could Make it The Next Animal Crossing
We can dissect a lot from Palia so far, even before its beta playtests release. It is a free-to-play multiplayer game with features like farming, mining, cooking, and crafting. There’s even a bit of hunting for anyone who craves combat, and paragliding for easy traveling.
Oh, and we can’t forget the romance. I don’t know about you, but I look forward to befriending each character and seeing where things go. It brings me back to my Stardew days.
What’s drawing me in, though, is its similarities yet uniqueness from other games. It reminds me of several games I’ve played in the past; at the same time, it feels different enough that I can envision playing this with my friends without anyone getting bored.
Considering Palia’s huge success during its initial alpha stress tests and how many people participated, it seems like many others already agree.
Related: How to Sign Up For Palia Closed Beta
What, exactly, does this mean, then? Right away, it’s clear that many of us who play these cozy farming games are jumping right into this with little hesitation. With its closed and open betas available to play in early August, we’ll also experience the game firsthand and see if it truly holds up against some of the most popular games in the genre.
So far, it has decent odds. While it’ll be a monumental task to trump Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ massive sales numbers, I won’t be ignoring Palia’s potential to shine among the relaxing game crowd.
Plus, well, it is an MMO. While some of my favorite games are single-player, there’s definitely appeal to playing a game with friends in one big world. I often join Discord servers just to see what a game’s community is like, and you better believe that I did the same for Palia.
As of now, it’s difficult to make concrete judgments without deep-diving into its gameplay. However, I’m optimistic for now, and I, and many others, have been itching for another chill game to play. Time will tell whether the game holds up to everyone’s hopes and expectations.
