CremaGames·Released Sep 6, 2022·Single player
Temtem is a massively multiplayer creature collection adventure inspired by Pokémon. Seek adventure at the lovely Airborne Archipelago along your Temtem squad. Catch every Temtem, battle other trainers, customize your house, join a friend's adventure or explore the online living-world.
What it lacks in charm, Temtem makes up for with mechanical depth and involved multiplayer.
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.
Temtem may look like a copycat on its surface, but its deviations from the Pokémon formula pay off considerably.
Even without the endgame content, Temtem is worth a look for anyone who has enjoyed a Pokémon game in the last two-and-a-half decades, especially those who have wanted a steeper challenge to go along with their critter collecting. It's a familiar, imitative experience in so many ways, yet we came away satisfied with just about every tweak made to the well-established formula. Sure, the main quest becomes a bit of a slog, and yes, the Nintendo Switch does struggle to keep up at times. Despite these qualms, Temtem's engaging battles enshrine it as one of the most innovative additions to the genre in recent memory.
Temtem is a creature-catcher that takes inspiration from Pokemon's successes and failures, iterating in many ways that help it surpass Nintendo's behemoth.
