What Is Never Grave, the Hollow Knight-Like Game From Palworld Publisher?

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The success of Hollow Knight has led to a surge in similar metroidvania action-adventure games, particularly on Steam. It feels like every side-scroller now takes inspiration from Team Cherry’s influential game. The latest addition to this growing list is Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse, a roguelike metroidvania created by Pocketpair, the developers of Palworld.

Pocketpair created and released Palworld, but with Never Grave, they’re only handling publishing. The game was actually developed by Frontside 180, which is owned by Pocketpair.

In Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse, you don’t play as the witch directly – you control her magical hat! The game features levels created on the fly and focuses on collecting items, building a base, and a special possession mechanic that lets you play with others. Never Grave looks like a deep and engaging roguelike game with plenty to do, potentially attracting players who enjoy a different style of gameplay when it releases on Steam and consoles later this year. Fans of games like Hollow Knight and Palworld will likely find a lot to enjoy.

Is Never Grave a Hollow Knight Rip-Off?

It’s hard to ignore the obvious: Never Grave initially appears very similar to Hollow Knight. Given Pocketpair’s recent controversy with Palworld and its resemblance to Pokémon, people are understandably concerned about whether Never Grave will face similar accusations of plagiarism or legal issues. However, while Palworld‘s similarities to Pokémon were widely discussed, comparing Never Grave to Hollow Knight is more complex than it seems.

Ultimately, Never Grave leans more heavily into the roguelike genre than the metroidvania style. While it does feature some exploration based on gaining new abilities – a common element in metroidvanias – the game is fundamentally built around procedurally generated levels and the ‘run, die, repeat’ gameplay loop typical of roguelikes. This approach clashes with the carefully designed, persistent worlds that define classic metroidvanias like Hollow Knight. These two genres simply work differently; metroidvanias thrive on consistent world design, while roguelikes are built on unpredictable runs.

While playing, you’ll notice some similarities to Hollow Knight, much like you would in games like Dead Cells or Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus. It’s a 2D action game with side-scrolling levels, focusing on close-up fighting and jumping through obstacles, but that’s where most of the comparisons stop. A few enemies or areas might feel a little like Hollow Knight, but these similarities are minor and likely unintentional. Basically, Never Grave isn’t simply copying Hollow Knight. However, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to stand on its own merits.

Never Grave’s Core Mechanics Are Interesting, but Have Been Done Before

Similar to Palworld, what makes Never Grave really stand out is how it blends ideas from different game types. It features the basic action-platformer moves you’d expect – like jumping, attacking, and dodging – but also incorporates elements from party games and survival games to create a more complex and engaging experience. This is where Never Grave sets itself apart from games like Hollow Knight, while also feeling familiar to other titles in certain ways.

The way players can take control of enemies and objects in this game is similar to Super Mario Odyssey, which really perfected that mechanic. The four-player co-op feels like classic 2D Mario games, letting friends join in for open-ended exploration and fights. Combining elements of metroidvania, roguelike, and action combat isn’t entirely new either; Dead Cells is a good example of a game that does this well. Plus, Never Grave will let you build a base between each run, a feature seen in many roguelike games like Hades and Cult of the Lamb.

I’m not saying Never Grave is doing anything wrong or isn’t good – it’s totally fine to be inspired by games like Palworld. But it’s worth pointing out the similarities, because Palworld really shook things up by blending a lot of different game ideas together in a smart way. I think Never Grave could really benefit from taking that same approach!

Never Grave Is a Nice Change of Pace for Pocketpair

While Pocketpair is best known for Palworld, publishing Never Grave is a smart move for them. Palworld has brought legal challenges, and releasing different kinds of games like Never Grave could be good for the company in the long run.

Okay, so I’ve been checking out Never Grave, and it’s definitely different from Palworld. While it does have multiplayer, the game feels way more focused and has clear goals, unlike the open-endedness of Palworld. It’s a mix of roguelike and metroidvania, which is a big change from Palworld‘s survival style. It’s still inspired by other games, sure, but Never Grave feels like it’s trying to do its own thing, which is cool. Honestly, Pocketpair needs another big hit – they need to show everyone they’re not just the Palworld people, and that they can make games for all kinds of players. If you’re into that tighter, more focused gameplay, definitely keep an eye on Never Grave when it comes out in March!

  • Never Grave release date: March 5, 2026

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2026-01-07 20:39