Palworld, the game that allows players to engage in the unusual combination of shooting cartoon animals and making them mine ore, has made a significant impact on the gaming community. This review focuses on the Xbox and Microsoft Store versions of Palworld, which are available through Game Pass and offer a different experience from the more polished Steam version.

Xbox and PC: A Tale of Two Experiences

After dedicating over 50 hours to the Xbox version, it’s clear that it suffers from additional bugs, performance issues, and a lack of certain features compared to its Steam counterpart. The Xbox version, while still providing the core Palworld experience, has notable limitations such as a cap on multiplayer sessions to four players without dedicated server support.

Performance and Bugs: A Closer Look

The most striking difference is the performance. The Xbox version struggles with graphical bugs, pop-in issues, and framerate dips, making the exploration of Palworld’s vast environment less smooth. Sound quality on Xbox also varies significantly, with some effects sounding low quality or missing entirely.

The Steam Advantage

Steam players have the luxury of naming their characters and Pals, a feature absent on Xbox. This might seem minor, but it adds a layer of personalization and ease of communication in multiplayer sessions.

The Verdict on Xbox

Despite its flaws, the Xbox version of Palworld still offers an engaging experience with dozens of Pals to collect and an open world filled with survival mechanics to explore. However, those sensitive to technical issues might prefer to wait for further updates or consider the Steam version for a more refined experience.

Transferring Saves from Xbox to Steam

For those looking to switch from Xbox to Steam, there’s a workaround to transfer save files. This involves downloading a free software from Github, extracting Xbox game data, and replacing the Steam version’s save files with those from Xbox. This process, while a bit technical, allows players to continue their adventure on Steam without starting over.

Recovering Lost Save Data

Both PC and Xbox players may face the challenge of recovering lost save data. For PC players, this involves navigating to the AppData folder and replacing current saves with backups. Xbox players can recover data by restarting their console and router, then choosing server data upon launching the game.

Conclusion

Palworld presents a unique gaming experience, albeit with some rough edges in its Xbox and Microsoft Store versions. While these issues don’t detract significantly from the overall enjoyment, they are noticeable. For those undeterred by technical imperfections, Palworld remains an engaging and fun title to explore.