Social MMO Palia’s gameplay reveal left me excited to fish

Palia gameplay first look shows off fishing, hunting, gardening, and more

The term “social MMO” is always a scary one for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea. But in practicality, many games have tried but none have quite succeeded in creating a fun social MMO. I’ve been following Palia since it got announced a couple of years ago. The developer, Singularity 6, is made up of industry veterans from companies like Blizzard, Riot, Zynga, and Sony. With that sort of track record, it seems like this team is well-set to pull off their goal.

Earlier today Singularity 6 gave the world an official first look at the gameplay in Palia. And while I certainly still have some questions, I can at least say I’m excited to move into Kilima Village and explore the world of Palia.

Did you say fishing?

There’s an old saying, that an MMO is only as good as its fishing system. Not really, but there’s clearly something really fun about a well-done fishing mechanic in an MMO. Even Destiny 2 recently added fishing with their Season of the Deep. The fishing in Palia looks very chill and relaxing, especially when you add the social component.

You see, fishing with friends isn’t just for the camaraderie in Palia. Fishing near friends causes you both to receive a buff to angling over time. Furthermore, if you spot someone struggling to reel in a tough catch, you can literally cheer them on, helping them successfully bag the fish. Apparently, more than one person can offer encouragement. I can’t wait to have a crowd around me cheering me on as I wipe the sweat from my brow and hoist a small sunfish over my head.

It’s not all about the fish

As excited as I am to get the friends together and go fishing, that’s not all Palia showed off in its first gameplay reveal. Palia isn’t your traditional MMO where you slay monsters for experience while leveling up and acquiring loot. Instead, you will enhance a variety of life skills like fishing, hunting, gardening, cooking, crafting, and more. All of this, while in a social setting where you can play in a world of up to 25 total players.

The gameplay reminds me a lot of games like Animal Crossing and even Stardew Valley, with the player tackling mini-games to successfully complete tasks like cooking up a new recipe or crafting a new piece of furniture. As you continue to practice your craft you will level up and unlock new things to do as well as more efficient methods of completing such tasks.

Look, I know Palia isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. It’s certainly not the next World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV. But is that really such a bad thing? If World of Warcraft Classic or FF14 has taught me anything, it’s that the social aspects of an MMO are often what makes the experience so great. And in a game focused on that exact thing? All I can say is sign me up. I’ll meet you on the pier with a rod in hand.

If you’re interested in checking out Palia, PC players can sign up to join their closed beta test on August 2. An open beta takes place on August 10.