Temtem is the grown-up version of Pokémon we always wanted

Temtem Source: Rebecca Spear / Windows Fundamental

If you're a Pokémon fan, you lot've likely seen the news about Temtem, a creature collection MMO that was heavily inspired past Game Freak'south popular franchise. Temtem is currently available on PC in early on access and, at the time of writing this, has been Steam's top-selling game since its release.

I've put over xx hours into the game and have been able to encounter just how similar it is to the cadre Pokémon RPGs. All the same, what's almost striking is how unlike it actually is. The biggest deviation is that while Pokémon takes place in an arcadian kiddie world, Temtem gives the states a world that has grown and evolved forth with long-fourth dimension Pokémon fans, and it does this without losing that Pokémon charm. Here are all the things that make Temtem a more mature, more challenging, and more realistic animate being collection game than Pokémon.

You're a big kid now

Adult Temtem Source: Rebecca Spear / Windows Cardinal

Instead of playing as a naive 10-twelvemonth-former kid who'south gone galavanting around the region, Temtem has y'all play every bit a young adult probably in their 20s. This in and of itself allows for more mature topics of conversation within the game. It also reflects on many of us who are no longer children but still love the Pokémon franchise. This does something Game Freak hasn't done; information technology allows adult gamers to feel more than included, similar this creature collection game was meant for them and not just for kids.

Options for personal expression, including gender expression

Temtem pronouns Source: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central

I thing I've disliked about Pokémon games is that they limit the character customization options based on whether you cull to play as a male or female character. I've e'er been a tomboy and hate it when games pidgeon-pigsty me into a super girly character. However, I didn't experience limited in Temtem.

You can choose from a broad variety hair styles, face shapes, body type, or clothing options, even if some people might assume some of them are more masculine or feminine. When creating my character, I opted for an athletic run, chose outdoorsy apparel, selected not-feminine eyes, put my pilus upwards in a ponytail, and selected a heavy duty camping ground haversack, which feels similar what I'd be similar in this world.

What's more than, Temtem allows you to cull the pronoun y'all desire applied to you whether that exist she/her, he/him, or they/them. All these options make the game more inclusive and allow players to create a character that really expresses who they are.

This liberty of gender identity is as well seen with the NPCs. You lot'll meet a lot of characters with a range of wear and pilus styles that aren't always limited to "traditional" genders. Heck, one of the female person NPCs even came on to my female character before we battled.

References to nerd culture

LOTR reference Temtem Source: Rebecca Spear / Windows Cardinal

It'southward obvious that Temtem was created by Pokémon fans who love nerd civilization and don't take themselves likewise seriously. I constitute myself chuckling several times while interacting with Temtem's NPCs. There are several references to popular culture, nerdy franchises, and classic video games.

Something to note is that many of these references just appear once and merely become available if you answer the NPCs a certain way. So far, the references I've seen have alluded to things like Portal with "the block is a prevarication," The Lord of the Rings with "you shall not pass," Frozen with "permit it go," Marie Kondo with "does this Temcard spark joy?," and many others.

These easter eggs further solidify that Temtem was created by gaming nerds who love their nerdy civilisation. If nothing else, it makes me more than interested to talk to every NPC in case I discover a new allusion.

Temtem aren't arcadian

Temtem Source: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central

Aside from the Detective Pikachu film, the official earth of Pokémon takes place in an idealized, black and white setting. The people have pretty monochromatic emotions, the Pokémon are happy to be there, and all trainers — except for obvious villains — are good people. Temtem adds more than realism to the animate being collection genre by giving NPCs more character depth and making owning Temtem more akin to having an bodily pet.

For instance, in the image above, this NPC is complaining almost the fact that his bird Temtem went to the bathroom in his bed. I dearest my true cat and my dog, but occaisionally, they do things I don't like: scratch my couches, throw upward on the carpet, swallow my remote control, or a whole bunch of other things. It's prissy to see that Temtem addresses this reality and makes Temtem ownership more relatable.

Drugs and booze

Smazee Temtem Source: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central

Temtem dives into a place Pokémon dares not become by referencing GASP marijuana-like substances and alcoholic drinks. At one point, I came across an NPC who was angry at his father for naming him later a butterfly Temtem. The NPC even stated that his father was a drug-using hippy and referenced some kind of regional weed.

Additionally, your mentor, Professor Konstatinos, and many of the Dojo leaders talk about going to the pub or grabbing drinks at some point. It helps make the earth of Temtem experience a little more mature without taking away from the fun and playful air you find in the Pokémon games.

Swearing

Swearing Temtem Source: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central

Yes, there is indeed plenty of swearing in Temtem. You won't discover the F-bomb or other really "bad words", but your rivals and the villains you defeat volition use more colorful linguistic communication to bear witness their displeasure. This is something you'd never find in a Pokémon game. While I love the kid-like innocence the Pokémon games capture, information technology's also liberating seeing a Pokémon-like game use more adult linguistic communication. It makes me feel like the game was intended for me and not just for fiddling kids.

A challenging rival

Rival Temtem Source: Rebecca Spear / Windows Cardinal

One of the things I've hated about recent Pokémon games is that your rivals are absolute idiots when it comes to battling. Case in indicate, Hop from Sword and Shield somehow manages to defeat all gyms and make it all the way to the Championship, but still doesn't understand the type system by the cease of the game. His neverending tutorials and mansplaining makes it feel like you're beingness patronized and treated with kid gloves throughout your journey.

In comparison, Max, your master rival in Temtem, hates your guts and relishes in the fact that he has stronger Temtem than you and knows the boxing system meliorate than you practice. Fighting him feels a lot like playing Red and Blue where defeating your rival is a challenge throughout the game. Y'all accept to work hard to level up your Temtem and figure out which creatures to add to your team if you want to succeed.

Dojo leaders and more complex combat strategies

Temtem battle Source: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central

I breezed by the gyms in Pokémon Sword and Shield and never even got close to losing. That's not likewise surprising given that I've had years of practice playing Pokémon and know the blazon organisation thoroughly plenty to battle finer. Even so, Temtem fabricated me realize how simple and unchallenging the Pokémon games are. You see, Temtem battles are a lot harder. In fact, I've died several times because I've come at battles thinking they'd be the same as they are in Pokémon.

For one thing, you always fight with 2 Temtem on your team, which means you demand to consider how well they work together. And when yous fight against Dojo leaders (the equivalent of Gym leaders) you'll find that not only do they have six Temtem at their disposal, which is much more than than most of Pokémon'south Gym leaders, just they will have a multifariousness of Temtem types instead of just having 1.

And so while yous could smash through a Water-type gym using only your Pikachu in a Pokémon game, yous'll have to be more than strategic and accept a multifariousness of Temtem types on your squad in club to defeat a Dojo leader or whatsoever other tamer in Temtem.

Play like an adult

If you lot're like me — an adult who'south been playing Pokémon for years — y'all'll detect the more adult themes within Temtem to be very inviting. The more complex battle mechanics and the hidden nerd references throughout the games make it feel like it was meant for grown ups. Plus the freedom given to customize your grapheme and choose your gender pronouns makes information technology so everyone can express themselves the mode they want. If nothing else, y'all'll have but equally much fun discovering new creatures and figuring out exactly what they tin can plough into similar yous do with Pokémon.

Temtem is currently available to purchase on Steam. Don't worry, if you're aren't a PC gamer, Temtem is also scheduled to come to Nintendo Switch subsequently this year.

Gotta grab Tem all!

Temtem promo art

Temtem

Capture Temtem as an adult

This Pokémon-inspired game has a more developed spin on the creature drove genre while even so maintaining the charm of Game Freak's popular franchise. Customize your character the way you want and capture equally many Temtem equally you can.

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