Temtem was released in 2020 in Early Access and has often been referred to as the “Pokémon MMO.” Now, it is celebrating its one-year anniversary – what has happened in the flying archipelago?
What kind of game is it? Temtem is an MMO from the studio “Crema” that was released on January 21, 2020 for PC and can be downloaded via Steam. As of December 8, 2020, it is also playable on console – at least on one. It was also released for the PlayStation 5. There has not been a release yet for other consoles like the PS4, the Xbox consoles, and the Nintendo Switch, but it is planned.
Important: As of now, Temtem is still an Early Access game. It is not yet completed and is continuously being improved and expanded. However, you will need to spend some money if you want to get into Temtem: Currently, it costs €33.99 on Steam, while on the PS5 it costs €39.99 (or €59.99 if you are interested in the Deluxe Edition with a few additional cosmetics).
This is how the game works: If you have chosen Temtem as your next game in the sense of “Find Your Next Game,” you can look forward to a game whose basic mechanics you probably already know or have at least heard of. Because: The fact that Temtem is often referred to as “the Pokémon MMO” is anything but a coincidence.
The parallels are unmistakable, as this gameplay video for the PS5 version release shows:
The developers explained before the release that they were inspired by Pokémon, and you can definitely see that. Once you have created your character, you start – how could it be otherwise – in your bedroom. There, your mother greets you, hands you a Tempedia (the equivalent of the Pokédex) and tells you it is time to travel to the “Accademie.” So far, so good!
Once you leave the house, you meet a group of NPCs, which is quickly joined by a professor. His name is not Oak like in the classics or Willow like in Pokémon GO, but Konstantinos. However, his approach is the same. You are not supposed to go on your journey alone, but take a starter Pokémon, uh, -Temtem with you. So you head to the professor’s lab, receive your starter and even get to battle your rival. Then you set off to catch Temtems, train them, and battle to become the very best, like no one ever was.
Now one might think “well, I can just play Pokémon,” and those who prefer to play solo and catch the classic monsters have a point. However, there are several things that set Temtem apart from Pokémon.
This is what awaits you in the MMO world
This is what makes Temtem special: Once you step out of the lab, you will notice that the village is bustling. The reason: NPCs are suddenly joined by other players who are running around with their Temtems. After all, this is an MMO!
You can also interact with other players right from the start. With the press of a button, you can trade, battle, chat, travel together – whatever you want. You can also easily search for your friends and complete the entire game in co-op. Then XP is shared and battles are fought together.
By the way, the battles also differ a bit from the original: You typically fight with two Temtems against your enemies, and these team compositions can sway the battle in your favor or against you depending on types. Temtem is quite tactical, and the right teamwork can be crucial. Features such as “synergies” between monsters make the fights more exciting.
Moreover, your Temtem have a stamina meter that determines which attacks you can use. If you use attacks with an energy level above your available stamina, your Temtem can take damage themselves. To prevent this, you can have your monster take a turn off and recharge – but then it won’t be able to attack, which can be fatal. Tactical play is required here.
However, Temtem is also very entertaining solo. The colorful style of the game is convincing. The options to catch monsters, improve them, and expand their abilities are fun – just as it has always been with Pokémon. You start with weak monsters, train them, test them in battle, and find increasingly powerful monsters.
A welcome change are side quests that NPCs assign to you, and you can help them for rewards. Currently, you can travel to four islands (out of a total of six, once the game is finished) that provide you with a story of about 30 hours. MeinMMO author Maik Schneider has already put in over 70 hours with side activities such as breeding and training the monsters – so there is already a lot to do in Early Access.
However,Temtem is still in development. Therefore, let’s take a look at what it currently offers – and what is yet to come.
What has changed in Temtem?
This is how Temtem was received: Temtem had a pretty successful launch on Steam in January 2020, which was accompanied by various technical problems – the servers collapsed under the pressure. This has somewhat lessened: Looking at the player numbers, Temtem peaked at about 22,000 players on average (January 2020) to settle down at around 1,000 active players on average on Steam after a year (January 2021). The peak recently was 1,671 players.
The game’s ratings were not significantly affected by the decline in players, and as of now (January 21, 2021) on Steam, the majority of reviews are “very positive” – both in terms of all reviews (87% positive out of over 23,000 reviews) and recent reviews (88% positive from over 400 reviews made in the last 30 days).
The cooperative aspect of the game is particularly praised. The art style of the game itself is also generally well-received. The comparison to Pokémon runs through many of the reviews – not surprisingly.
However, there is criticism regarding the price of the game, which some players feel is still too high considering the content. However, Temtem is delivering in this regard.
What’s next for Temtem: After the launch, Temtem first delivered features like chat. In summer, the new island Kisiwa was added. Additionally, there is a housing system where you can set up personally.
In 2021, more innovations are expected to be introduced. In an interview with ShackNews, Game Director Guillermo Andrades explained that this is the first time for the studio to provide a game with regular patches on PC and consoles – that managing just one additional platform in the form of the PS5 is a good test phase.
The developers wanted to ensure cross-play from day one. This is to be the case in the future as well when additional platforms are added. In the future, the new island Cipanku is expected to be added, including the first mythical Temtem. These are special monsters that players will likely be able to encounter during a new activity. More Temtem are also planned, with new features and enhancements to older elements taking priority.
While still in Early Access, Temtem is expected to receive the following features:
- In total, 61+ additional Temtem, bringing the total to 161+
- Auction/trading houses
- A “Nuzlocke” hardcore mode
- Tournaments
The upcoming updates are set to be released simultaneously across all platforms. A complete release of the final version is planned for this year – including for Xbox consoles and the Nintendo Switch. By the way, cross-progression across multiple platforms is also on the agenda, although this has not yet been implemented.
Who is Temtem interesting for?
Conclusion: Yes, Temtem is an online Pokémon – but it’s a bit different
You have long wanted to play Pokémon again, but have no Nintendo console, only a PC or a PS5? You’ve completed all Pokémon games and want something similar? Or you are Pokémon fans looking for an online version? Then you are in the right place, because Temtem is something for every Pokémon fan who loves the game mechanics and doesn’t necessarily cling to the “classic” monsters.
Temtem caught a lot of attention right at its release, primarily due to the Pokémon comparison. And I must say: The game resembles the big reference in many aspects quite strongly. However, this does not have to be a disadvantage, because I personally still find the game mechanics exciting after all these years – and Temtem manages to give the whole monster-catching-and-training a unique twist. Particularly when playing with other players, the game is a lot of fun and provides a value that the classic Pokémon games have not had in this form so far.
While the price of the game may seem a bit high for its current state, more content is coming that I am already looking forward to. It should be noted that Temtem is still an Early Access game. Therefore, if you are looking for a game without any faults or flaws, you are in the wrong place – better wait for the complete release. And, oh yes: If you only play serious games or are more into shooters or similar genres, you might not feel at home here – as Temtem is rather colorful and cute. But you might have already noticed this from the title image!
Max Handwerk
Freelance author Mein-MMO
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