In January 2020, Temtem was launched to the world on PC through Steam Early Entry. It was an apparent competitor or an homage (relying on whom you’re asking) to the monster accumulating video games of the previous, however now on-line with crossplay and cross development. This implies you’ll be able to actually carry your pocket monsters (or Temtems) wherever you go, however how does it stand as much as the wealthy historical past of digital mons which have come earlier than? Merely put, Temtem is fulfilling however considerably misunderstands what makes these video games particular even whereas additionally pushing the bounds of what was beforehand attainable.
Temtem at its core is an MMORPG (Huge Multiplayer On-line Position Enjoying Sport.) It’s a web based monster catching sport that tells a really acquainted story of a kid receiving an interactive index of monsters, a starter monster, and gadgets that assist them seize new creatures within the wild. You could have your traditional rival to struggle all through your journey, dojos to finish, and villains in Clan Belsoto to thwart alongside the best way. It’s all very cookie cutter in a approach that may really feel soulless and generic. It’s a replica and paste job that does the naked minimal to distinguish itself so far as the story is anxious. What does work to Temtem’s profit is that it actually rushes you thru that introduction to get to the core gameplay. From the beginning of the sport to the primary battles takes solely a matter of minutes, which is refreshing in a time of long-winded RPGs. The capturing system is just like different video games. Discovering monsters within the wild through random encounters, then attacking them till they’re low on well being so you’ll be able to observe up by throwing a capturing card at them.
The 164 Temtems are largely distinctive whereas nonetheless feeling at residence on the planet of digital monsters. The designs begin out fundamental however actually start to face out the additional you go into the sport. As your creatures evolve, so does their design and that was one thing I used to be initially hesitant on however in the long run walked away impressed. The identical goes for the islands of the Airborne Archipelago. Our journey begins on the beachside property of Zadar however ultimately escalates to lava-spewing volcanoes, mines, mountain tops, and shrines. The locales are various and comparatively complicated, however they rapidly get outdated as quests can have you revisiting these places usually with out a technique of quick journey.
Whereas lots of these presentational points might come off as egregious, there are some huge differentiators to Temtem. The primary distinction is the battle system. Temtems battles play out in 2v2 matches. Having two Tem groups opens up a complete different stage of technique with their talents and elemental sort. Pairing the best Tems collectively will result in boosts in stats and assaults. Skills like Chain Lightning may even hit a number of targets. There’s additionally an added wrinkle of a stamina system rather than MP. Used stamina absolutely regenerates at first of each struggle, however in case you are low on stamina mid struggle, talents can nonetheless be used at the price of well being. In any other case, you’ll be able to have your Temtems relaxation a flip to regenerate some stamina. There’s an actual risk-reward system in play that at all times made me agonize over rolling the cube for that last killer blow and hurting myself or taking part in conservatively. It’s also possible to equip gadgets to your creatures for passive boosts and extra technique.
The construction of the bottom sport is about within the traditional fashion of roaming the lands of the Airborne Archipelago, finishing quests, capturing new monsters, and preventing in Dojos to show your self the highest Temtem tamer. It’s a tried and true template that hardly ever differentiates from the classics. Whereas it wears its influences on its sleeve, the net nature of the world makes it really feel bustling. There are dozens of different Tem trainers roaming the lands for pleasant battles, workforce ups, trades, and even only a chat. There are basic and commerce chats for these on the lookout for ideas or a dialog and even an public sale home for uncommon Temtems, although it may be tough to entry.
The actual enchantment for Temtem doesn’t essentially come from the primary 60-hour story. The partaking half lies within the endgame content material. Repeating Dojo battles comes with elevated issue for uncommon gadgets, a deep aggressive on-line scene (keep in mind, cross platform), breeding Temtems, and even a rogue-like tower that rewards further loot to construct out your personal private residence area. There’s additionally a battle go (naturally), although finishing it’s a little bit of a heavy grind at launch. For the longest time, Pokemon followers have pleaded upon deaf ears for updates, a supported aggressive scene, and wealthy endgame content material. Now there are alternatives for these clamoring for extra, in a cross-platform cross-progression format.
Temtem proves that there’s nonetheless room for competitors within the monster catching and battling area. There’s additionally proof right here that video games like Digimon or Pokemon, whereas doing lots nicely, go away lots of issues on the desk and that’s the place Temtem shines. It’s straightforward to put in writing it off as a copy-pasted clone, however the extra options of co-op battles, deep synergy fight mechanics, and wealthy endgame content material culminate in an actual diamond within the tough for these discovering the opponents missing. The primary story content material may be rote however for these hardcore followers wanting one thing deeper, Temtem could also be what you’re on the lookout for. Temtem is each higher and worse than the opposition, and I feel that’s okay.
