Temtem, the online MMO monster-catching game, released for early access back in January of 2020. Much like everyone else the excitement for an online had me excited. Now here we are, down the line and a pandemic can not stop their train. Temtem has just launched on PS5 and I’m going to tell you what you are in store for. Here is our Temtem Early Access Review part 2.
Want to read Part 1 can check that out here.
What is Temtem?
Temtem a pokemon inspired MMO creature collection adventure game developed by Crema. If you have been a Pokemon fan for as long as some have then you have probably dreamed of a Pokemon MMO game. Over the years there were rumors of one and have even been unofficial ones put together by fans. Well, Crema decided to make that dream for players a reality but in their own way.
Temtem does a lot of things different from its predecessor. In Temtem the type of your creature seems to hold so much more weight in battle. Having a Temtem that is a great match against an opponent can change the tide of battle so fast. I should know because Dojo Leaders are tough. Strategy plays an important part in Temtem. Crema has some features in Temsem that I enjoy a lot.
The Goodies
If you have ever read an article of mine you know I love customization. Temtem has it and it is not bad. The character creator is great, especially for being able to change my outfit or clothing and hair whenever I want. Of course, I had to buy the items in the shops in different towns but it is important that we can change when we want. Temtem has a good number of hairstyles to acquire in-game so you can truly be the trainer you want. Turns out characters are not the only place you can customize.
With the most recent updates has come the option for player housing. I have been waiting on this since the start of early access. Good on Crema to allow players to customize their own living space once they obtain one in-game. Now I’m not sure if it will have any other functionalities to give players a reason to return back. Other games give players rest XP or garden options, things for players to use in the home. There are many ways they can expand on this feature.
Competitive players have their options in Temtem as well. If the thought of “There can only be one” comes over you, you can hop into Ranked Matchmaking and get your PVP on. Competitive is taken in seasons like most competitive games and real-life sports. There is casual PVP too where I did not have to worry about my rank. Pvp is just as difficult as the NPC’s in the game. I don’t usually participate in a lot of PVP because I don’t have a PVP team.
Changes
With the latest patch, some of my much-wanted changes have happened. In the earlier days catching and releasing Temtem was the end game and hunting for Luma. Catching and releasing was the only way to earn the in-game currency “Pansuns.” Now we have more ways to earn and things to do when reaching the end of the latest update. I’m very happy they did because now it is not a complete grind fest.
What has changed, you ask? Why let me tell you! I’m so happy we can fight Dojo leaders again. Dojo leaders gave a good amount of pansuns the first time around. Fighting them a second time will give more pansuns. Their team will be different from week to week and it’s way tougher. The battles use competitive rules so it’s best to bring your competitive team.
Crema has also added a daily activity where players deliver packages to npcs around the Archipelago. It is a daily but it is an extra activity with rewards to keep players earning rewards at endgame. Another thing that I really wanted to be added was a better method of obtaining a Luma Temtem (their version of a shiny). The Temtem Radar helps speed up the chances of encountering one. The radar is not permanent but a consumable which is to be expected. I could acquire them from defeating Dojo Leaders, but only able to obtain three each week.
Getting There
The changes that were made to improve the economy have been heavily welcomed by me. A reason I stopped playing for the longest was the time investment expected of the players in order to earn cosmetic, consumable items such as Tem cards, healing items or revives, or just to earn pansuns was ridiculous. The casual players that could not go hardcore just could not earn enough in the early days.
I would say in a lot of ways still the economy could use some work. Whereas I feel the changes make the end game better, but what about during. I still think items are priced too high especially being items that players actually need. It is easy to as they say “break the bank” when just buying consumables only to then maybe use them all during a battle. Now stuck not being able to buy any.
Final Thoughts
Temtem is Pokemon on hard mode with a little realism, and I love it. It is challenging, fun, and the design is beautiful not to mention funny. I feel the economy could still use some work, but they have made improvements. The team over at Crema has made many improvements since the early access launch from attack graphics to gameplay and the work shows.
If you want to check out Temtem on Early Access it just released on PS5 and is available on Steam for currently $39.99 USD.
