It’s been quiet on the Palworld front of late, with the ambitious ‘Pokemon with guns’ survival game sensation soaring on Steam at launch before settling down amid other launches such as Enshrouded, Soulmask, Manor Lords, and the Valheim Ashlands update. Developer Pocketpair has always maintained that it’s perfectly happy with this, promising players reasons to return in the future – and now a major update introducing a new continent and a fresh crop of Pals to the fray has arrived. It’s time to come back to Palworld.
The Palworld Sakurajima update (patch 0.3.1, if you’re keeping track) launches today, Thursday June 6, and adds a whole heap of content to the open-world creature collecting and survival game. First and foremost is the eponymous island itself. Sakurajima is controlled by a new faction called The Moonflowers, and you’ll be tasked with wresting its stunning landscapes back from their grasp.
The island locale is also packed with a wealth of new Palworld Pals and subspecies to discover, so you won’t be short of friends to make (and don’t worry, the Pal Box capacity has been doubled in size). You’ll also encounter a new raid, Blazamut Ryu, which developer Pocketpair touts as “the strongest Dragon Pal in the game.” Tower bosses have also been given hard mode fights across the board to test your squad’s skills even further. In accordance with this, the Palworld max level cap has been raised to 55.
Alongside Sakurajima comes the appearance of a new Oil Rig stronghold in the ocean. Under the control of the Rayne Syndicate, this stronghold is home to valuable resources including crude oil, used for crafting a range of new high-tier equipment, which can be yours if you’re able to overcome the challenges within. If you’re in the mood to challenge other players, meanwhile, an arena has set up shop in the Desiccated Desert.
There’s a whole heap more to discover. A new accessory box increases your capacity to carry accessories, while a new ring ups your carry weight capacity. There are a heap of new weapons including a laser rifle, flamethrower, gatling gun, and multiple missile launchers, a range of new active and passive skills for your Pals to learn, and a selection of cosmetic hats for both you and your Pals to wear.
Base building has been overhauled and improved, and there are five helpful new buildings available to construct. Pocketpair also introduces the ability to change your Pal’s designs at the Pal Dressing Facility. Crafting now allows you to make items in stacks of 100 at a time, and a lockpicking feature lets you crack your way into locked treasure chests with a new mini-game. Last but not least, there’s a new event that brings meteorites crashing down from outer space – and if you’re fortunate, they might even have a mysterious Pal with them.
The Palworld Sakurajima update and patch 0.3.1 are out now on Steam. It’s certainly sounding like more than enough reason to check back in with the action if you haven’t played in a while.
If you’re jumping back in for the new update and are wondering what else is worth checking out, here are the best Palworld mods, along with instructions to get them set up and running. Or you could check out some more of the best open-world games instead.
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