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New open-world survival game called 'shameless' amid comparisons to Horizon Zero Dawn, although it'll play more like Palworld with robot creatures

Light of Motiram, a new open-world survival game, faces criticism for its striking resemblance to Horizon Zero Dawn, sparking accusations of shameless imitation despite unique gameplay elements similar to Palworld, featuring mechanimal taming and co-op for up to 10 players on PC.

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Upcoming open-world survival game Light of Motiram is already turning heads, but perhaps not for the right reasons as it's been called "shameless" amid comparisons to Guerrilla Games' Horizon series. 

As Gematsu reports, developer Polaris Quest is a subsidiary of Tencent Games, and to its credit, its survival and crafting game looks very pretty, with lush and vibrant environments. But something about it feels rather… familiar. It's set in a "world overrun by colossal machines," and, well, anyone who's played Horizon Zero Dawn or Forbidden West will know that concept well. 

The machines populating Light of Motiram's world are called 'Mechanimals,' and they look like they could be direct relatives of Aloy's mechanic foes. You'd be forgiven for mistaking one bull-like Mechanimal for one of Horizon's Broadheads, for example. Their placement in the aforementioned lush world makes everything seem even more similar, too – the Horizon vibes are undeniable, and onlookers have been quick to point that out.

"I am colossally amused there is no shame left," says Dr. Serkan Toto, the CEO of Japan game industry consultancy Kantan Games. 

I am colossally amused there is no shame left. https://t.co/bKbcb6CBLx[November 28, 2024](https://twitter.com/serkantoto/status/1862013988038681065)

Game news account @Genki_JPN similarly calls it "shameless," while another says it's like a combination of "Zero Dawn, Forbidden West, and Frozen Wilds all together."

Despite this, it sounds like it'll play differently than Guerrilla's Horizon games. In fact, if we're making comparisons, its gameplay actually seems quite akin to Palworld. Players will be tasked with building a base and can tame and train over 100 Mechanimals – customizable to be given "exclusive battle modes and production traits," making them helpful companions regardless of whether you need "combat support or a boost to production."

Additionally, players can explore the world with friends in "seamless" co-op, which will support up to 10 players. It also mentions cross-play, although at the time of writing, the game has only been announced for Steam and the Epic Games Store. 

Anyway, it appears that the Palworld developers over at Pocketpair are aware of the comparisons between Light of Motiram and their own survival game, but they're certainly not complaining. Responding to one person calling Polaris Quest's upcoming title a "Horizon x Palworld style game," Pocketpair community manager Bucky simply says: "Palworld mentioned – POG." 

We'll just have to wait and see if Light of Motiram can set itself apart a bit more when it's actually launched – for the time being, no release window has been given.

In the meantime, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best survival games and best PC games you can play now.