Games like Palworld: 8 creature and survival games

If you want games like Palworld, pick by what hooked you: Pokémon Scarlet for creature catching, ARK: Survival Evolved for taming beasts in a survival world, Craftopia if you want PocketPair's earlier game. Palworld mixes monster taming, crafting, base building and firearms, with a healthy dose of dark humour. Here are 8 games that each take one piece of that recipe.

Why Palworld took off

Palworld runs with an idea everyone had at some point: what if a creature-catching game were also a real open-world survival game? On the Palpagos Islands, you catch Pals that become your mounts, combat partners or workers at your base. You put them on mining, cooking or forging duty while you head out to explore.

It leans into satire and guns, which sets it apart from everything else in the genre. According to players on IGDB, the main adventure takes about 85 hours and doing everything around 88. It is a game you play over the long haul, especially with friends.

How to pick what to play next

If the creatures are what you love, go for Pokémon Scarlet, Temtem or Cassette Beasts. If it is survival and base building, Valheim, ARK or Once Human will take over. If it is automation and chaos, Craftopia is your game. For more survival ideas, read games like Valheim, and for creature catching, games like Pokémon.

1. 

   1. Pokémon Scarlet

   2022

   The reference in creature catching, and the first open world in the main series. You roam the Paldea region freely, build your team and take on the gyms in any order. Less survival than Palworld, but far more creatures and much more tactical battles.

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2. 

   2. Ark: Survival Evolved

   2017

   Before Palworld, this was the game for taming beasts in a survival setting. You wake up on an island full of dinosaurs, craft your first tools and end up riding a T-Rex. Bases, tribes and online co-op: if Palworld's survival side clicked with you, ARK goes much deeper.

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3. 

   3. Craftopia

   2020

   PocketPair's earlier game, and you can already feel Palworld's DNA. Crafting, farming, automation, combat and animal catching all live in the same slightly unhinged sandbox. Perfect if you want to see where Palworld came from and you enjoy building production chains.

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4. 

   4. Valheim

   2021

   No creatures to catch, but one of the best co-op survival loops around. You explore a Norse world biome by biome, build longhouses and boats, and beat big bosses to move forward. If your favourite part of Palworld is building a base with friends, go for it.

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5. 

   5. Once Human

   2024

   A free open-world survival game set in a post-apocalyptic world full of strange creatures. It focuses on shooting, base building and a world shared with other players. The logical pick if Palworld's guns were your favourite part and you want a darker tone.

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6. 

   6. Temtem

   2022

   An online creature-catching game heavily inspired by Pokémon, where you meet other players in the world and can play the whole adventure in co-op. Battles are always two on two, which makes them more tactical. A strong option if you want to catch creatures together.

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7. 

   7. Cassette Beasts

   2023 · Main story 20 h

   An indie creature game with a brilliant twist: you record monsters onto cassette tapes to transform into them, and you can fuse two forms mid-battle. The open world is small but dense, with a very retro vibe. Great if you want creature collecting with fresh ideas and no survival.

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8. 

   8. Dragon Quest Builders 2

   2018 · Main story 30 h

   A gentler alternative: block building, a proper RPG story and Dragon Quest monsters who come to live and work in your village. You can play in co-op. If what you love most is organising your base and watching it run on its own, this one fits.

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FAQ

What game is most like Palworld?

Craftopia, the studio's previous game, is the closest in spirit: crafting, automation, catching and survival in an open world. For the survival side with beasts to tame, ARK: Survival Evolved is still the big reference in the genre.

How long does it take to beat Palworld?

According to players on IGDB, the main adventure takes about 85 hours and completing everything around 88. It is a game made for the long run, and plenty of players come back to it with each major update.

Palworld or Pokémon: which should I play?

Pick Pokémon if you mostly want tactical battles and a huge collection of creatures. Pick Palworld if you want survival, base building and creatures that work for you. They actually sit very well side by side in a backlog.