Just taking random assets from the Unreal store and jamming them together to make a quick buck or releasing a game with different-colored models is "ripping".

After playing Palworld for about 15 hours, I can confidently say that it has gameplay elements from a lot of different games, but they are integrated together seamlessly (at least for an Early Access title) and expanded upon. Pals aren't just something you capture and sit in a PC forever. They have different stats that actually help you while exploring (running/mining faster) or help keep your base running (water your garden better). You are also incentivized to keep catching more to level up your character and level up your party.

It also has elements from Zelda with the climbing, exploring, and gliding. It has elements from ARK with leveling to get new crafting recipes and upgrading stats. It has elements from Elden Ring, like you can roll to dodge. Wait, that's a simple mechanic...

Just like every game I've mentioned so far, they have elements from other games or simple mechanics that other genres have. They've used them cohesively and expanded upon to build a better game. Palworld is no different. Is it game of the year? Probably not. But it's a fun game that isn't as derivative as people are trying to make it seem.