Temtem is out! After more than 2.5 years in Early Access on Steam, the Pokémon competitor releases its version 1.0 and is also available on PS5, Xbox Series, and the Switch. For MeinMMO author Maik Schneider, Temtem has brought the classic monster hunting to a glorious conclusion.
Many of us grew up with the Pokémon games, most will likely remember their first starter. For me, it was the original versions, so I naturally chose Charmander.
By the end of the lifecycle of the first Pokémon games, I had them all – blue, red, yellow. Oh yes, and of course the 151 monsters that could be collected back then.
How much I battled with Tauros in the Safari Zone to complete my collection. How furious I was when Ash casually caught nearly 500 of them in the anime.
But then the series quickly lost its appeal for me. The sequels Gold and Silver only brought more monsters, a new map, but few innovations that could keep me engaged. And this continued for years.
My last classic Pokémon game was the sun edition, a trip to the Alola Islands. I enjoyed the story quite a bit, but the whole surrounding experience was a real turn-off. Pokémon-Alien-Ultra-Beasts? Z-Move whatever? After finishing the story, the DS cartridge ended up in the cabinet.
I thought the old, exhilarating feeling of refined monster hunting was lost forever. But then Temtem came and took me along.
We embed the trailer for the 1.0 release here:
Temtem is grown-up, nostalgic, and has the better combat system
Temtem is very similar to Pokémon in many respects. You start as a freshly baked trainer in a remote village, gradually exploring new areas, all filled with new Temtems that you can catch with crazy cards. So far, so familiar.
However, it is the small, subtle differences that ultimately create a refreshing gaming experience. The new features are mixed with a return to the gameplay of the original Pokémon versions and regular references that provide a nostalgia kick.
The Combat: In combat, Temtem focuses on 2-person teams and less randomness. This results in more dynamics between the monsters and creates better conditions for competitive experiences.
The Multiplayer: It’s a little cumbersome but possible. If you want, you can experience the entire story, the whole game in co-op. How my Link cable from the Game Boy would have glowed if that had been possible back then.
The Story: The story in Temtem is much more mature. While Pokémon can get dark at times, Temtem addresses themes like war, betrayal, and human failure. The characters rarely seem to be perfectly suited for their roles. Everything is much more human and thus more relatable and enjoyable.
The Nostalgia: Temtem constantly plays with its connection to Pokémon. For instance, there is a truck hidden on a shore that you can interact with. It’s just a few lines and a catchphrase at the end. Yet the scene produced a broad grin because it is a clear reference to the truck that millions of fans once believed was the hiding place of Mew, the mysterious 151st Pokémon.
The Endgame: In contrast to Pokémon, Temtem relies on live service. The game is continuously developed, brings seasons with new content, and has large areas meant to keep players engaged after the story – aside from PvP battles and the breeding grind. You can find both in Temtem as well.
If you want to see more about the endgame of Temtem, check out the corresponding trailer:
Conclusion: The crowning of classic monster hunting
Pokémon has taken an important step with Legends: Arceus. Moving away from static battles in tall grass towards a character that throws balls around. An important evolution.
Because with the old system, Pokémon could hardly surprise anymore. More importantly: After many years of revisions, changes, and experiments with the monster mechanics, it had become nothing more than a shadow of itself.
A successful shadow, yes. But Temtem has shown how classic monster hunting should really work – with co-op, good stories, a large endgame, housing, and live service. All without the certainty that a new “Ultra” version of my monster game will be released soon.
Temtem is not perfect, the grind for money can be annoying, and luck in breeding can be as well. But if you have always been a fan of monster games, then take a look at the title.
A really good implementation of the ideas behind Pokémon, without the years of pressure to make something so “new” and “exciting” that it feels like a foreign body in the game.
However, Pokémon is jumping on the co-op bandwagon and is also attempting multiplayer with the new versions Scarlet and Violet: New Pokémon Scarlet and Violet showcases co-op mode – reminiscent of Monster Hunter World.
I think we’ll talk again once the new Pokémon games are out. Until then, you can find me on the breeder routes of Temtem.
Leave me your thoughts on Temtem and discuss with me in the comments about nostalgia and why not everything used to be better.
