Palia is a life simulator and fantasy adventure game where players build up their own homesteads. As players explore the nearby Kilima Valley and Bahari Bay, they learn recipes, catch rare bugs and fish, and make friends with the villagers. The player adventures out into the world, but they always return home to make new furniture, place down a cute plushie, or cook some delicious meals. As the Elderwood update approaches and developer Singularity 6 prepares to open up a third zone to explore on May 13, Palia players have stepped up their home renovation to build increasingly creative bases that break the cozy mold of the rest of the game.
In Palia, players can build with pre-made rooms and then snap them together to create larger properties. My mansion is pre-built all the way; I just decorated to my liking. However, Singularity 6 added building block items, and some players have been studiously using them to create structures that look straight out of Minecraft.
When these structures are combined with the existing pre-built structures, it can create a very cool effect, as this player demonstrates with his castle.
One exhibit that caught me by surprise was a Plush wedding, complete with a giant Chapaa Plush presiding over the whole ceremony. It begs the question: What if we kissed at the wedding gazebo in front of an audience of plushies?
Bigger isn’t always better; one of the most impressive plots I’ve stumbled on recently was this touching memento. Even though I don’t know the history behind this lovely tribute beyond the title of “For Mamaw,” it’s beautiful to look at, and a reminder of just how flexible a homestead can be — especially since players have multiple maps so they can explore various concepts.
Players can explore each other’s properties by using the Home Tours board, and when this feature first launched, I was impressed with some of the creative builds people were making. Now, with months of practice under their belts, they’ve gotten even more sophisticated. Lanasvista on YouTube is one Palia builder who has created some truly wondrous builds thanks to clipping and glitching items. For instance, she has created a beautiful train station, complete with a locomotive at the center.
Other players have worked to expand on pre-built structures, using items like the Builder’s Stairs to create a proper attic space.
Singularity 6 has continued to add new tools for builders to use, like terrain, lifted bridges, and bounce pads. While we haven’t seen the full potential of these tools yet, creators are starting to experiment with their own obstacle courses.
While the Elderwood announcement has fans hyped to explore the open world, I enjoy watching Palia’s builders expand their own home bases with new tools and tricks. It’s great to get out into the world, but ultimately, my favorite part of the game is putting all of my adventuring gains to good use at home — and then exploring how other players use those same features to create something cool.
