Image: Singularity 6
Cass Marshall is a news writer focusing on gaming and culture coverage, taking a particular interest in the human stories of the wild world of online games.
Palia is a cozy crafting game set in a beautiful fantasy world where humans have recently re-emerged into a world claimed by friendly elves and helpful robots. Over the game’s time in beta, game developer Singularity 6 has been adding new activities in the underground market of Kilima village and the open zone of Bahari Bay, making it more inviting to venture out into the world. But there’s no place like home, and Wednesday’s Holiday Homestead patch adds some fun new activities for players to enjoy at their homestead.
Players in Palia have a home plot where they can build whatever they like — usually a lovely house and base of operations. But looking through community lots, you can also find things like giant dinosaurs, movie theaters, or forest glades. During the first Winterlights celebration in 2023 — it’s the Kilima equivalent of Christmas — players unlocked seasonal decorations like a tree and strings of lights.
This year, Singularity 6 decided to capture the experience of gathering at a friend’s house to play board games. Town cook Reth, while on duty in the underground black market, will sell sets of dice and two boards: one with a checkered pattern, and one inspired by Snakes and Ladders. Players can make up their own rules, and I’m curious to see fans come up with their own complicated games.
There are also other cosmetic treats: There are now hundreds of new items that players can repaint, including the very handsome Investigator set. Decorating is one of the most time-consuming tasks in Palia, since there are so many types of furniture belonging to different sets. More tints adds even more variety. Singularity 6 also added 16 new curtains and drapes, which can make a good finishing touch on a room.
The game-board content, curtains, and furniture tints are all permanent additions to the game, but there’s also new temporary content and cosmetics for the Winterlight season — including the ability to have a snowball fight in the town square. In the future, players can expect another Maji Market, and the eventual addition of a new zone: the ominous Elderwood.