This review is coming from about 60 hours of playing while the game's still in Early Access. I'll update the review as I progress and throughout future updates. I bought the game on release and I'm still enjoying it a lot.

This game has a lot of positive things going for it, but be mindful that it is in Early Access, so things are subject to change. Also, be aware that the developer also created Craftopia, which is another EA game. I'm not saying that to dissuade people from getting the game -- I just hope the devs don't become too overwhelmed developing for both games.

Controversy:
I typically avoid delving too deep into toxic BS, but I wanted to address some things people have levied towards the game and its developers. Most of the people I've seen complain about the game come from bottom dwellers that exist on the cesspool of unbridled stupidity that is Twitter.

People claim the game uses AI or stolen assets, which doesn't seem to be true. From what I've gathered, Steam has been cracking down on AI-related things, so I'm sure they would have said something by now if this game used AI in any way.

People have also been using the term "plagiarism" in such ludicrous and, to be honest, defamatory ways. These people clearly do not understand what plagiarism actually is and I strongly recommend you not pay any attention to those thst claim the game "plagiarizes" designs. This is the most ridiculous claim I've seen so far. There are numerous pals that are heavily inspired by various Pokémon but to go as far as to say they're "plagiarized" is insane. That's also not the right way to use the word.

I don't see that as a valid or worthwhile complaint.

With all that being said, I enjoy the game. I'm usually not the type who enjoys survival or base building games, but I don't think the survival/base building elements are too difficult or challenging. Sure, it's annoying having to get all your stuff back once you die, but it's not that challenging from my perspective, especially since I'm a Soulsborne player.

The Story:
The story isn't phenomenal - it's kinda just "there." I'm sure the story will be expanded upon in future updates, so I won't comment on it for now. It isn't the selling point of the game anyway.

Gameplay:
I've seen people refer to the game as "Pokémon with guns," which isn't exactly true. The gameplay is very similar to Legends Arceus, which is probably why I personally like the game so much.

You build a base, catch creatures, and shoot people and other creatures.

Pals:
This is the game's most important aspect and probably why so many people enjoy the game.

There are hundreds of pals to catch, so I'm sure people will have their favorites. I personally really like Pyrin Noct and Anubis.

Bugs:
The devs are currently working on patching the game to fix bugs, so that's great. I can't speak for everyone, but the biggest bug I've encountered was getting stuck in terrain, which was recently patched.

Subjective views of the game:

I'm personally loving the game so far. I'm currently in the process of breeding powerful pals.

The only thing I wish was different is probably to lower the cake requirements for breeding since it takes so long to get a pal with the passives you really want.

Feedback/Suggestions for the Devs:

• I recommend getting in touch with or hiring Fakemon artists. The pals you guys have are already awesome, but Fakemon artists could help a lot.
  
• The devs have already stated that they intend to add a feature that'll allow players to change their character's look after they start, so hopefully they add it soon. My character looks goofy as hell. More character customization options would also be great.
  
• I think they need to work on fleshing out the story and possibly add new areas. Then again, I know next to nothing about what's going on. There are cool/cute/badass creatures I wanna collect, so that's pretty much all I care about.
  
• Replayability and longevity are going to be the biggest things the devs are going to need to focus on. I strongly suggest adding new areas over time and possibly raid bosses that'll give rare stuff, like materials and equipment.
  
• I think having layover equipment would be a great idea. Like have legit gear that provides defense, but have "cosmetic" gear that you can wear over it.
  
• I'd love if the cake requirements for breeding were tweaked just a bit. It feels like all I've been doing in-game as of late is work at a bakery.