Temtem

Temtem may look like a copycat on its surface, but its deviations from the Pokémon formula pay off considerably. With unique battling elements and an engaging MMO structure, Temtem evolves as its own experience and offers a vast, challenging adventure that even those without a Nintendo console can enjoy.

Temtem is a very well designed game full of charisma, although its multiplayer feels very underwhelming and we don’t see the need for battle passes and microtransactions.

Temtem is a unique yet familiar take on the monster-collecting genre. Its blend of MMO mechanics gives it the potential for a long-running, sustainable community with more to enjoy than a single-player narrative. The new combat mechanics are a fantastic upgrade. However, the Tems themselves and the overall lack of guidance aren’t quite up to standards. Tems aren’t that memorable themselves and many of their names just don’t click. Having no guidance on typing, advantages, or explanations on a number of smaller features drops the enjoyment of gameplay. It’s a great experience, but it expects you to already have a certain amount of knowledge of both genres before picking up the controller.

With its online implementation and improved strategic combat, there are certainly appealing qualities to Temtem, but its entrenched ties to old-school Pokemon prevent it from blossoming into something greater. It isn’t redefining what we already know, so for those simply looking for another Pokemon-like experience who just wanna catch ‘em all, this one might be a good fit.

Temtem is fun and enjoyable, but it doesn't even try to reinvent the wheel, settling for just being a poke-clone.

By and large, Temtem is a well-made, generous monster-taming RPG that differentiates itself enough from the obvious competition. The battle system is perhaps its main strength, offering quite challenging 2-on-2 fights even against wild encounters. It's jam-packed with stuff to do, and its online integration means connecting with other players is easy. The creature designs could be better, and the writing and human characters aren't particularly memorable, but if the game clicks for you, those weaknesses will fade into the background.

Overall, Temtem is a fine alternative to other monster-collecting games with plenty to do. The balance can be a bit troublesome, but that may vary from person to person. However, it offers enough differences to be unique, with its default two-on-two battles and mechanics adding variety to each fight. Plus, playing with friends is easy and a blast.

Temtem shakes up the Pokémon formula in several ways, yet is held back by poor pacing and a world that needs more things to discover and do.

Temtem’s disappointing, because it promised to be so much. In a genre that has been so utterly dominated by one particular property, and then lightyears back to the nearest rival, here was a game that seemed like it had the ambition and scope to actually rival Game Freak’s giant on its home turf. Unfortunately the result is more akin to the more egregious MMOs – a waste of time that exists to be a waste of time.