New Survival Game on Steam Takes Palworld’s Formula and Applies it to a “True-to-Scale Earth”

by

I have to admit, even though the initial hype has died down a bit, Palworld was a huge deal! There was a lot of talk about how similar the creature designs were to Pokemon, and how AI was used to make them, which caused some controversy. But honestly, Palworld showed that a Pokemonlike game could really take off if it offered something different. It wasn’t just about “Pokemon with guns,” though that definitely got people talking! What really drew everyone in was the open world, the ability to build and craft, and playing with friends. It was so popular, it’s no surprise we’re already seeing copycats like Layer Land* pop up on Steam.

The upcoming Steam game Layer Land draws clear inspiration from Palworld (and, ultimately, Pokemon), but it’s hoping to stand out with a more detailed world and deeper connections with the creatures you collect. Developers Pudding Co. Ltd. are focusing on making the game world feel truly vast and are even creating a companion app that lets you interact with your creatures through conversation. However, Layer Land is a single-player experience, so Palworld players who enjoy playing with friends might not find it as appealing. If you prefer playing alone, it’s definitely worth checking out to see if it’s a good fit for you.

According to the official Steam Page for Layer Land, the game is set to launch on March 18, 2026.

Layer Land Features at a Glance

  • EXPLORE a one-to-one recreation of Earth inhabited with unique creatures.
  • MEET 100 different pets as you explore the world.
  • DISCOVER unique pet personalities and talents which let them help in different ways, like cooking, foraging, and drawing.
  • BUILD cozy homes using a grid system and fill them with furniture.
  • BREED any pets you wish to create entirely new critters.
  • FIGHT interdimensional invaders who will come through portals and attempt to destroy your base.

Layerland is a creative survival game where you explore a world based on real-world landscapes. You can journey through portals, tame creatures as companions, and work with others to fight, collect resources, create items, and construct buildings.

Layer Land’s World and Critters Are Its Biggest Draws

Layer Land isn’t the first game to use a real-world map – Ubisoft’s The Crew let players drive across a version of the United States, for instance. But while The Crew’s map was smaller, Layer Land is striving for a completely accurate, full-scale replica of Earth, built using satellite images. This ambitious approach has both benefits and drawbacks. It’s exciting to think players could always discover something new, as exploring every corner of the world would be a huge task. However, it also risks feeling empty or repetitive in places, and might not have the same detailed polish as games like Pokemon or Palworld. The game’s official Steam page already shows some areas with lower-resolution textures, which is a trade-off for creating such a massive and realistic world.

The world of Layer Land will include varied landscapes like mountains and oceans, creating a home for many different creatures that players can battle and collect using special balls similar to Pokeballs.

The game Layer Land features a huge world filled with 100 different creatures players can interact with. What’s special is that even though the world layout stays the same, each version feels unique because the creatures have different personalities, behaviors, and live in varying ecosystems. If players get tired of their current world, they can jump through a portal to a new one where all the creatures act differently. A friendly pet in one world might be hostile in another, or a creature skilled at gathering food could become a talented artist – even how they talk can change! Larger creatures can also be ridden for faster travel. Players will need to battle creatures before they can tame them (using a bow, similar to weapons in Palworld), and the game is designed to help players form bonds with their tamed critters.

Unlike many games where Pokémon or Pals are judged by how they look, Layer Land focuses on letting players actually talk to their pets. These pets aren’t just characters – they’re designed as AI chatbots you can interact with both inside the game and through a separate app, almost like having a real friend. This could be especially engaging for younger players, allowing them to build a stronger connection with their digital companions. The pets will also chat with each other, making the game world feel more alive and realistic. If the conversations are well-written and interesting, this unique personality feature could become one of Layer Land‘s biggest strengths.

The Three B’s of Layer Land: Building, Battling, and Breeding

After befriending creatures called Pals, players can fully experience the game. A highlight of Palworld is building impressive, themed bases, and over the past two years, players have shared many creative designs online. While all the building options for Layer Land haven’t been shown yet, it uses a grid system that builders will appreciate. However, simply building a base isn’t enough – players will also have to defend it from invaders who appear through portals. Players and their Pals will have to fight these creatures off, and successful defenses reward them with valuable items like better weapons and building materials.

Okay, so the big thing in Layer Land seems to be breeding your pets. You can mix and match any two, and the babies you get look totally different – seriously, the designs are wild! There are 100 different pets to start with, so there’s gonna be a ton of crazy combinations to find. It’s cool because you’ll actually see the egg and watch it hatch, and then your name will be in the game’s guide for that new pet design – you get credit for discovering it! While Pokemon is all about catching ’em all, Layer Land feels like it’s about breeding them all. Just seeing what weird and wonderful creatures you can create is gonna be a huge part of the fun, I think.

PSA: AI is At The Heart of Layer Land

Image via Pudding Co

Artificial intelligence is a big talking point in gaming, and the developers of Layer Land are openly embracing it. Players who were unhappy with Clair Obscur’s use of AI – which led to its disqualification from an indie game award – will likely want to avoid Layer Land. The game uses AI for pet breeding, combining custom pets in unique ways, and also for allowing pets to have conversations. Plus, the game’s Steam trailer is clearly AI-generated, and it’s probable that even more of the game will be created or improved with AI. Ultimately, it’s up to each player to decide if this is a problem, but if they’re okay with it, Layer Land could be a good alternative to Palworld.

Read More

2026-02-04 18:07