We recently broadcast an in-depth first look at Palia and all the features you can expect to enjoy from a cozy community sim MMO come Open Beta!
You can view the full VOD of the stream:
But in case you missed it and need a quick recap of what was covered, here’s some top moments we wanted to call out that were showcased during the Gameplay First Look!
Meet the Hosts
Our stream featured a fabulous five panel to help add commentary to the showcase. From left to right in order of introduction, we have:
- Trisha Hershberger - Show Host
- Aidan Karabaich - Game Director
- Olivia Frias - Lead Narrative Designer
- Maxwell Zierath - Lead Producer
- Ambrielle Army - Senior Director, Production
A Look at Character Creation
One of the very first things you do as you dive into Palia is get to create and customize your character!
Notice the purple void-looking background? That’s actually tied to the lore, and you’ll find out more as the main storyline unravels.
There’s a whole plethora of options ranging from face shapes, skin tones, voices, as well as hairstyles and clothing options for you to choose from. The initial set of outfits seen here are always available as default options that you can go back and swap to at your convenience. You can mix and match to your heart’s content!
We plan to add more customization options over time, including body types. Please stay tuned!
The final step in creating a character is deciding on a name. In Palia, there’s two: There’s your character’s Full Name, which can be seen as the display name that everyone else sees as you run around. But we also included a Nickname, which is what the villagers and dialogue will refer to you as. We included this for a bit of roleplaying and immersion, separate from what your Full Name ends up being.
The First Few Minutes of Palia
When we say Gameplay First Look, we mean it! Immediately following character creation, you traverse through Kilima Village for the first time.
The tutorial experience guides you through a series of quests as you get to speak to the various locals ready to greet you, earn your starting tools, and finally set up your housing plot.
Starting out, you’ll have your workbench and tent, but it won’t be long before you’re harvesting materials from crafters, building up furniture, and setting up a solid house!
So Many Skills! Heaps of Housing Options!
While we’ve covered the eight skills available in Palia with a prior blog, the stream goes in-depth, covering each one with never-before-seen footage and commentary.
Here’s a full list of the skills you can immerse yourself in:
- Foraging
- Mining
- Hunting
- Fishing
- Insect Catching
- Gardening
- Cooking
- Furniture Making
As you progress in the game with all these skills, you’ll also be able to build, decorate, and expand the home of your dreams. We offer a variety of housing options, such as different room types, furniture sets, and even some quest exclusive rewards!
Serious decorators can choose from the snap-to-grid option or even toggle to freeform placement to perfectly bring together a room’s showcase centerpiece.
Whether you create a cozy one-room cabin or a spacious abode, the possibilities are endless. And if you need a bit of inspiration, feel free to look at the homes of other players or villagers!
Get Up Close with the Kilima Villagers
Speaking of villagers, a major feature of Palia is in the ability to speak, become friends, and even romance our loveable cast of Majiri, Grimalkin, and Galdur.
There are twenty-three villagers (and Tau!) for you to get to know, and they all have their own backgrounds, likes, dislikes, and developing stories that you can uncover.
If you want to know even more, read our blog covering the Villagers, Friendship, and Romance in more detail here.
Party Up and Play Together with Friends
What exactly makes Palia a multiplayer game? Here are a number of activities you can do with others:
- Harvest resources together! Loot is shared as long as everyone has participated.
- Cook recipes together! Invite folks to your home and set up a bustling kitchen with dishes ready to be served.
- Decorate your housing plot together! While everyone has their own plot, you can grant editing permissions to your most trusted pals, and get to decorating together.-…and more!
This is just the beginning. We plan to keep Palia fresh with updates long after launch, and adding in more multiplayer options is sure to come.
Dazzle Everyone with Wide Variety of Outfit Options
While we’ve covered the starter outfits that are free and available for everyone, it’s important to showcase the Premium Store’s incredible offerings. Zeki would be proud! Palia is free-to-play, but you can show your support with a premium outfit (or two, or more!).
There will be a variety of styles available at launch, including the cozy Chapaa Onesie, and the glamorous Bard Star outfit.
An extensive blog post detailing our monetization philosophies and practices can be found in this blog here.
Excited for Palia? Register Now and Get Ready for Beta
That wraps up the top highlights from our Gameplay First Look!
It’s over an hour of extensive coverage, so if you don’t want to miss every showcase, detail, and commentary covered, make sure to check out the VODs on Twitch and YouTube!
And if you’re super stoked and can’t wait to play Palia, register for an account and refer all your friends if you haven’t already! You can also check out our official Discord Server and other socials for the latest updates and news—or just to hang out with us.And while you're at it, be sure to follow our incredible host, Trisha!
The Beta starts soon, and we can’t wait to see everyone be able to jump in and experience Palia firsthand. Whether as a returning tester or for the first time, welcome home. 🏡
