Temtem Review – Competitive Evolution

The Pokémon franchise has been more prolific than usual as of late, with multiple releases over the past year and another big entry coming soon. Temtem has emerged through many years of development. While borrowing heavily from the formula of Nintendo’s massive franchise, its world is fun to explore, and collecting and learning all about the titular Temtems is satisfying. Even though the Temtem core adventure can be a bit repetitive, it is still challenging and interesting, even for experienced trainers.

Your Temtem journey begins by selecting a partner monster and setting off to challenge the various dojos (Temtem’s version of gyms) around the Airborne Archipelago. You will meet rivals and challenge dojos while exploring these vibrant, floating islands. Also, be prepared to slap the Clan Balsoto. The pieces of a classic Pokémon experience are here for better or worse, and while that predictability bored me in the early hours, the story eventually arrives in some cool places I didn’t expect, making Temtem feel more like an “us against the world” JRPG than a typical monster collector tends to.

This genre has the greatest appeal to me because I love collecting cute, yet destructive creatures. Although the island’s lack of diversity and innumerable forgettable designs disappointed me initially, I find each area to be more exciting and offers new monster designs as well as elemental combinations. I love the Adoroboros (deceptively adorable) and Scaravolt, the electric scarab Scaravolt. Fun was having to locate the monster that I wanted for my Tempedia, or one that would fit my current team.

The hunt for new Temtems is exciting, but I’m even higher on the battle system. These fights were strategic and hard to win. I was forced to think about my entire team, right down to how they should be arranged. Contrary to the way most trainers compete in Pokémon battles, the default way to throwdown in Temtem is 2v2. It’s a twist I enjoy that deepens the strategy in just about every battle. I often had to solve battle-based puzzles, like whether my active team is the dominant duo on the board or if they’ll be quickly wiped out by well-matched opposition, with the latter case happening quite often. 

Stamina is another aspect I love about fighting. Each move uses a portion of the Temtem’s stamina gauge, with lighter blows consuming far less than haymakers. However, using more stamina than what’s available takes HP, creating a high-risk, high-reward scenario for making a desperate all-out attack at the cost of your team’s health. It’s a clever solution to spamming powerful attacks, and it results in more deliberate fights, especially when going toe-to-toe with other aspiring tamers.

When I am interacting with other people, the online features thrive. The adventure features tamers with their partner, ‘Tem. The tamers can be challenged, traded, or chatted about how to locate a monster. A rolling chat allows you to communicate with other players in real time. Companies like Nintendo should seriously consider this feature as something to be proud of.

There’s plenty to do with tamers online after the main scenario is done. On top of the competitive activities on hand, like joining a club and participating in Dojo Wars, I’ve kept busy with Temtem breeding, skimming auctions for monsters and items, and exploring the player housing neighborhoods that can be decorated with furnishings purchased all across the Archipelago. With all of the above and more to do, there’s plenty of endgame content for those who wish to stick with the game long-term. 

Temtem may look like a copycat on its surface, but its deviations from the Pokémon formula pay off considerably. Temtem is a unique MMO that offers an immersive experience, including unique battle elements, and a challenging MMO structure. Even those who don’t own a Nintendo console will enjoy the vast and varied adventures it provides.