Palia is a warm, cozy hug of a game | Kaser Focus

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I’ve had just about all I can stand of financial earnings this week, so let’s talk about an upcoming game I got the chance to play recently: Singularity 6’s Palia. The game, which is currently in beta, is a cozy, delightful life sim title that promises all of the beauty and wonder of living in and exploring a fantasy world with none of those pesky hardships other games throw at you. I played for a short while recently and, while the interface does take a bit of getting used to, thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Palia clearly takes influences from multiple sources — World of Warcraft was the first one that jumped out to me, but Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley and Final Fantasy XIV are clearly there in the mix. It can be played either alone or in small groups, and the whole world is a shared MMO-like space. Even if you’d prefer to play by yourself (as I do), you’re still never more than a moment away from other players to assist you should you need it. Now, if you want to be completely isolated in your fantasy life sim, Palia won’t be for you, but if you don’t mind just a bit of passing interaction, then I implore you to give it a try.

The game’s main charm is its guileless, bright energy, with a cast of colorful characters, its charming art design and a well-told (if not especially compelling) central mystery. It’s got all the cozy life sim staples: You cut down trees for wood, mining for ore, fish and befriend the locals with a possible eye for romance (not necessarily in that order). It’s everything sweet and charming about the life sim genre with little combat or conflict. Some players may find that