Temtem (Early Access) – Review

Our Rating: 7/10

Temtem appears to be just another Pokémon clone at first glance. You create a character, train to become a “Temtem Trainer,” and then travel to various islands. Hunt down and capture small monsters, enlisting them in your team, and fighting other trainers along the way. Yes, the game is “inspired” by Pokémon. However, it also manages to introduce new and interesting elements. Some of which the great Nintendo game could benefit from.

Temtem was originally planned as a Kickstarter project, but it quickly gained enough traction to receive a major cross-platform release. Still, it has the feel of an indie game created by Pokémon fans who grew up to become game designers and producers after falling in love with the game in the early 2000s. Then, they decided to put all of their suggestions into action in the franchise. A game that is entirely made up of them That is not a problem; in fact, it is quite the opposite.

Temtem feels like a more enthusiastic and distinct evolution of Pokémon. They heard fans after years of criticisms and suggestions for something new. Something that wasn’t just bigger and more powerful versions of the same little monsters.

Temtem Abilities

Two things immediately come to mind as being extremely positive. Each Temtem has abilities that become stronger when they’re in the presence of another type of small monster. A kind of movement synergy that makes you want to have a diverse team and forces you to test and discover very interesting combinations. Well, at least at the start of the game.

The second is the MMORPG element. This has been present in many games created by Pokémon fans for a long time. However, the main franchise has simply pretended not to be something that many fans have requested as an option for years. Especially after the main campaign is completed.

The game is also not afraid to include non-binary characters and use neutral language. Some may find it strange at first because every possible word contains multiple Xs. But, it’s a very nice thing to see the creators’ concern is not limiting characters to genres. Even when creating your trainer, regardless of the gender selected, all options are available, including physical characteristics and clothing.

Pokemon x Animal Crossing

Still, on the subject of game elements that the Pokémon franchise could bring to the main franchise (rather than a derivative game), in Temtem, you can get a house and decorate it however you want after completing a side quest. It’s a cross between Pokémon and Animal Crossing, in a way.

But, without a doubt, one of the most surprising experiences was that knowing Temtem was a monster collector MMORPG, I was terrified of the type of community the game would have; after all, you only have to play any game online to be terrified.

However, for the first week or so, there were people playing quietly (and even some very polite children) and having fun. The few trolls received no attention or responses, leaving only complaints and forgetting.

It isn’t all roses, though. As a result of being “inspired” by Pokémon, he ends up catching a lot of minor flaws in the franchise. The main issue is the time it takes to get from one place to another. It is exacerbated by the difficulty in obtaining surfboards and using “airplanes.”

The game also includes something that has been hotly debated in the Pokémon community since the franchise’s inception, and it’s now acceptable for everyone to have an opinion on – and especially despise the trainers you must battle in order to progress on a route. This can be aggravating at times, especially if you have to repeat the process multiple times in the same path.

Not tutorial, no problem

The fact that there is no tutorial is perhaps one of the game’s strongest features. You are simply thrust into this world, and if you want to know which type of Temtem is more powerful than another, you must conduct research online or go out and find out for yourself.

If you’ve ever played Pokémon, you’ll be familiar with how to use some of the charts and the basic tip to always look at the dumps, but for those who haven’t, the initial experience can be quite perplexing.

The game’s visuals are also quite lovely, particularly the coaches, who are all very different and have colorful and flashy visuals, but the scenarios are, for the most part, very similar.

Many gameplay elements are perplexing, such as the UI (user interfaces), which are extremely difficult to navigate for no apparent reason. The buttons on the Playstation 5 are also difficult to recognize, and you frequently find yourself wondering which one you need to press to perform a specific action.

Final Thoughts

The game is still in early access, so keep that in mind. What exactly does this imply? You might want to wait a while before buying it because a lot of it is still incomplete. Many locations have been closed, several Temtems are unavailable for capture, and some evolutions have yet to be added.

Temtem is still in its infancy, but it has the potential to grow into a large, entertaining, and adventurous game for players of all ages. The MMORPG aspect adds to the fun by allowing you to play and evolve with your friends. He does, however, need to continue to improve, which I am confident will happen.