Ahead of the Game - Palmon: Survival is, as the title suggests, a combination of Palworld and Pokemon with a mobile-optimised twist

• Experience a mobile-optimised Palworld-esque world
• Capture Pokemon - er, Palmon - and set them to work on your camp
• Strategy meets survival as you progress through the adventure

Hello and welcome to Ahead of the Game, a series where we tell you all about an upcoming game that, despite not being out yet, is available for you to play at the time of publishing. Through this series, you can grab a chance to play games well ahead of their release date, be that through Soft Launch, Open Beta, Demos, or more.

I've been having a bit of a resurgence of my love for Pokemon lately, especially since Pokemon TCG Pocket has been such a refreshing experience so far.

Naturally, with the popularity of Palworld still rising despite all the controversy, I've been itching for something similar to play on mobile, and while there've been a few unsuccessful attempts so far, it seems like Lilith Games has finally gotten it right with Palmon: Survival.

Derivative title aside, the monster collecting-slash-survival aims to recreate the appeal of Palworld's creature-catching loop but with a mobile-optimised twist, and from what I've played so far, it doesn't disappoint.

I mean, you get to capture monsters in the wild and set them to do forced labour to expand your territory, all with simplified controls and portrait orientation to boot. The creatures themselves are also adorably designed - this one even looks suspiciously like Perry the Platypus, which I absolutely don't mind at all.

I have to admit that I wasn't expecting much as I started off on my adventure - I've been burned before, after all - but honestly, the survival elements (which I'm usually not too keen on) are actually not at all tedious, and the monster-catching mechanic is as compelling as it should be.

Essentially, it's a strategy game coated with a Pokemon-esque paint, because as you build your structures and expand your territory, you'll soon be able to venture out into the great big world out there to catch more Pokemon - er, Palmon - in the wild. Tasks are conveniently automated, and upgrading your Camp, Hospital, Storage and other what-have-yous is as easy as a tap.

Combat is an odd first-person affair, where you'll need to send out your Palmon to battle other Palmon charging right at you. Given the…interesting angle, matches can look like a rowdy brawl where you can't really tell who's fighting whom. 

Still, it's a quirky take on how turn-based Pokemon battles are usually portrayed, and I do think it works well for this kind of format.

Of course, there's the dreaded speed-up item to be mindful of, plus premium currencies that can help you catch the really cool Palmon that make battles a breeze. I guess that's to be expected, but really, for all the value and enjoyment Palmon: Survival offers, it's easy to want to shell out an IRL coin or two every now and then.

So, how do you play Palmon: Survival?

Download now!

Palmon: Survival