I’ve put almost 100 hours into this new wholesome MMO on Xbox, and I’m still in the prologue — Here’s why I love it

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Recently, Palia debuted on Xbox alongside its fresh Elderwood expansion, and I find myself utterly captivated by it – to such an extent that I’ve invested over 100 hours in just two weeks. In fact, I can hardly wait until I have more time to immerse myself entirely in Palia, as my current gaming schedule doesn’t allow me to put down other games just yet. However, I still haven’t reached the game’s main storyline, only the prologue so far.

As an analyst, I’d say it’s in part because of Palia’s MMO design that its appeal has grown. The game offers a vast, interconnected world across multiple maps, and the recent update, which made the wholesome life sim free-to-play on Xbox, introduced another layer to this world – a new, unexpected region that deepens the existing narrative.

After finishing the Elderwood expansion, gamers can look forward to experiencing the climax of Palia’s introductory storyline. However, keep in mind that it will require a substantial investment of your time to reach this point.

As a tech aficionado, when I embarked on the journey to dive into Palia, I had no preconceived notions. Being a free-to-play MMO isn’t typically my cup of tea, as I often find myself disenchanted by aspects like other players snatching loot or jumping into conflicts to snatch the limelight after a grueling battle.

As a tech aficionado, I find myself gravitating towards intimate circles when it comes to shared gaming or collaborative experiences. The idea of engaging in such activities with a multitude of strangers can often feel like a ticking time bomb for apprehension.

However, unlike other games, Palia stands out as it allows friends who are near each other to exchange rewards and enhance each other’s odds of obtaining the scarce, hard-to-find items.

Other players interacting with their surroundings haven’t spoiled our gameplay experience for us, because we enjoy the fruits of our labor, whether someone else delivers the final blow or not.

Surprisingly, even though we agreed to be virtuous before customizing our characters, I was taken aback by how warm and inviting the actual player community turned out to be.

Initially, things weren’t like this, and a swift look at the old posts on the Palia Reddit reveals many criticisms about the game’s debut, focusing particularly on the issue of player harassment.

Initially released in an unfinished form, Palia began with a beta phase, and since then, it has been progressively expanding based on player feedback from the developers. Although there’s still potential for refinement, the stage that Palia is currently approaching as it moves towards version 1.0 is quite enjoyable.

As a researcher immersed in this digital world, I find myself in a charming hamlet teeming with villagers eager for assistance.

The town is unique because it’s post-human. There are remnants of human culture scattered about, such as these enormous temples (including where you arrived). By investigating the three distinct regions – Kilima, Bahari Bay, and Elderwood – you can uncover details about the Majiri who live here and the humans who once did.

Your property comes equipped with a small, run-down house that has potential for expansion, renovation, or even complete reconstruction to create something larger and more impressive if you desire. You have the freedom to extend your land to accommodate all of your cherished pastimes. Since Palia excels at nurturing hobbies, this is an ideal place for pursuing them.

In this game, players are required to gather resources, cultivate fields, fish, craft furniture, and catch bugs to complete quests. However, not every player finds pleasure in each aspect of the process. Fortunately, the game allows you to concentrate on the activities that you find enjoyable, and by mastering those skills, you can unlock additional rewards.

If a certain gameplay aspect such as hunting or collecting bugs doesn’t appeal to you, you may submit a request to the server, allowing another player to provide you with the necessary item. Keep in mind that there is a daily limit on the number of such requests you can make.

Currently, it’s a splendid moment to immerse yourself in the world of Palia, especially if you’re seeking a warm, heartfelt farming and home-building adventure with your companions, all while avoiding the overwhelming abundance of things to explore.

6 Singularity, creators and distributors of Palia, have unveiled details about their upcoming major update, known as Patch 0.192 or Radiance Rising. This update will bring free courier pets into play, new Elderwood events with a dynamic twist, and improved storage options that players have been eagerly awaiting. Additionally, the roadmap for Palia hints at the addition of a highly demanded community feature: animal husbandry.

It’s quite a challenge to dedicate numerous hours of playtime in a free-to-play MMO when there are other captivating games such as Expedition 33 and South of Midnight waiting in my queue. However, the chance to jump in, stroll around aimlessly, and leisurely collect insects or fish with friends in Palia offers the stress-relieving distraction I’ve been yearning for recently.

On Palia, you can play from various platforms as it’s multi-platform friendly. Players use a single account, which enables them to save their advancements across PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.

Sadly, Palia doesn’t support Xbox Play Anywhere, but playing across different platforms using shared accounts lets you seamlessly switch between Xbox, Steam, or other console versions. The game is accessible for free on all platforms, and there are exclusive rewards available on each platform for a certain period.

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2025-06-02 16:09