With LumenTale: Memories of Trey, a new creature collector is launched on Steam and Nintendo Switch. MeinMMO editor and “First-Genner” Lydia took a look at it and felt transported to an alternate timeline.
Yes, I admit it: I am one of those unbearable Pokémon fans who nostalgically look back at the generations of their childhood and can hardly relate to the newer games. That’s why I’m particularly interested whenever a new game with the tag “creature collector” appears on my Steam radar.
Now I had the opportunity to play the upcoming LumenTale: Memories of Trey, which will be released on May 26 for Steam and Nintendo Switch. For me, the main question was: Can it evoke some of the magic I felt during my first Pokémon adventures back in elementary school?
The answer is a clear yes. But as much as I enjoyed my time with the game, it also left me a bit sad. Because LumenTale painfully reminds me of how the franchise of my childhood could have developed if a more interesting art direction had been chosen instead of soulless 3D.
A Dream in 2.5D
LumenTale enchanted me from the very first moment with its beautiful appearance. Graphically, the development studio opts for a charming mix: We move our 2D pixel character through a lovingly designed 3D world while the dialogues are accompanied by stylish, hand-drawn character portraits.
Sure, the graphics might not be able to compete with upcoming graphic monsters like Aniimo or Beast of Reincarnation, but LumenTale shows how beautiful pixels can look in 2026.
When entering a new area, it is introduced atmospherically with a short camera movement. Whether picturesque landscapes, abandoned ruins, polluted wastelands, or bustling cities – the world of Talea feels alive at every corner.
That’s also due to the objects of our collecting passion, the Animon, who roam freely outside the settlements. Some ignore us completely, some flee, many immediately engage in battle.
Especially cool: We can interact directly with the monsters in the game world. Those who throw skillfully can catch Animon directly or start a battle through a quick time event. If we succeed in this surprise attack, opponents start weakened in the fight, or the battle is completely skipped. This makes the grind for the last levels before challenging the boss significantly more pleasant.
To Attack
In battles and the level system, LumenTale shows that it is not just a simple copy, but brings its own ideas and systems. We actually compete with four Animon at the same time. This creates real tactical depth: Mons can be wonderfully developed into specialized attackers, tanks, or healers thanks to freely distributable skill points, while elemental strengths and weaknesses predominantly follow the known rules.
If you are unsure which move to use, you can expose the opposing Animon with Trey’s “Scan” ability. However, for me, this was rarely worth a turn slot, which is why I mostly guessed based on the appearance of the Mons.
Between battles, the generously distributed fountains provide recovery, which comes with another game-changer: You don’t have to click them to heal. Yes, you heard right, no more starting a new loop because you accidentally pressed A out of impatience. In addition, you can take a long rest at the fountains or create items or meals that help our Animon in battle.
“Please, please don’t become ugly”
With that, we come to the heart of a creature collector, because what would the genre be without the adorable superweapons? Here LumenTale actually had only one job: My ocelot-like starter should keep all four paws on the ground – mission accomplished, 10/10.
The designs of the Animon are diverse and mostly based on real animals. Possessed household items or sexy angels are nowhere to be found here.
With every upcoming evolution, I still felt a mix of anticipation and nervousness. Who doesn’t know the crushing feeling when the beloved companion suddenly becomes ugly after numerous victories and gets shamefully stored away in the box? At least you can decorate these in LumenTale and slightly alleviate the guilty conscience.
A small downside: An Animon that has just been caught often evolves into its next form in the wild just one or two areas later. This unfortunately takes away some of the motivation to grind your own Mons to level them up when you can admire the result shortly thereafter in the tall grass.
My Name is Trey and I Know Nothing
For me personally, the story in creature collectors is rather secondary and primarily serves to guide me to the next battle. Accordingly, I would describe the plot of LumenTale as “functional”.
We take on the role of Trey, a mysterious man with a high-tech robotic arm who has lost his memory. However, he has a natural talent as a Lumen, basically the “trainers” in LumenTale. Together with the young Ales, he embarks on a journey to solve the mystery of his origin and become the very best to win the big Animon tournament.
In between, Trey repeatedly experiences short flashbacks initiated by a kind of “glitch” effect that suggest that Trey’s past was not always filled with sunshine and rainbows.
LumenTale Does Not Shy Away from Serious Moments
Yes, I know. Pokémon is a franchise for kids – it doesn’t have to grow with us aging fans, and quite frankly I wish every new generation could experience a Pokémon adventure that is made for them. It’s just not for me, and that’s okay.
At the same time, I also don’t think that a “mature” monster-collecting game has to be characterized by everything being constantly pseudo-dark and edgy. For me, LumenTale perfectly balances this tightrope. The game starts with a classic, idyllic adventure feeling in a quaint village, but the peace is abruptly shattered by the attack of powerful Animon. The game shows us unvarnished: Huge creatures with superpowers are not always peaceful and cuddly.
Shortly thereafter, the game presents us with a first, significant decision. Without spoiling it: It’s exactly the kind of moral dilemma where I saved panic-stricken beforehand and out of curiosity tried the “evil” path because I thought: “They wouldn’t dare…” Oh yes, they do.
This one choice influences the entire rest of the game until the various endings. Since I instantly feel guilty about nasty choices in games, I ultimately reloaded. However, curiosity has been piqued to push it to the limit in a second playthrough.
LumenTale manages to convey the classic feeling of wonder and discovery alongside these darker moments. For example, when you enter the Mediterranean coastal city and participate in the regional celebrations, or see the first real metropolis through the eyes of young Ales.
The fact that societal conflicts such as the exploitation of the poor by the rich or the clash between the traditional south and the technologized north are addressed behind the beautiful facade of the Talea region (which is clearly inspired by Italy) makes this world all the more tangible and lively.
LumenTale is the latest entry in the growing genre of creature collectors from indie developers and could especially set new standards for the genre with its visual presentation. It manages to strike a balance between not simply being a Pokémon clone while providing enough familiarity for every fan to quickly find their footing.
MeinMMO editor Niko also has a heart for Pokémon alternatives. Those who are ready to look beyond the franchise’s scope can discover some gems, such as: The biggest Pokémon alternative 2025 on Steam has over 450 monsters; the producer explains why development took so long
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