Disclaimer: I'm a Kickstarter backer of Temtem, and have been playing the alpha for a long time. I like to think that it means I'm more critical of the game, as I want to make sure I got my money's worth.

There's one thing everyone wants to know: How does Temtem compare to Pokemon? Well, let's take a quick look.


Recognizable characters and character design. You can argue that more recent generations of Pokemon have been a little iffy with design (ice cream mons, keyring mons...), but they have public awareness on their side. It's tough to go against the likes of pikachu, though Temtem has a few that could be the cute attention grabber (like Platypet[temtem.gg]).

Polish. Game Freak have been doing this for a very long time now, and have the financial support of a powerhouse (uncle Nintendo) which gives them the time and experience to get the "feel" right. Even if you're not a fan of SW/SH, you can't deny that things like the gym fights aren't super hype.

Modernization. Sword and Shield did away with a lot of clunky old mechanics, notably random encounters, instead letting you see mons in the wild and letting you choose whether to go for them. This was a fantastic idea. Temtem, however, uses the old-school route of grass RNG, which may be frustrating when you're seeking out a particular temtem or just want to get from A to B quickly.


Tactics and competitive play. Temtem fights are 2v2, and choosing a pair that synergizes well against your opponent is key. Certain moves are enhanced or adjusted based on their teammate; for instance, having a fire ally can set some of your earth attacks on fire or boil water attacks, making them massively more damaging and debuffing the enemy. Temtem uses a typical STAB system, and has half, double, as well as quad damage type match-ups, so it's vital to pay attention. Certain items can also switch the type of particular moves.

Multiplayer. Right from the start, you'll notice other players running around the world. Duelling, chatting, and making friends is much better in Temtem, which is designed around social play. A nice touch is letting players run around with a temtem buddy beside them, so you can show off your fave temtem to other players — very nice if you're lucky enough to catch a luma (shiny)!

Longevity. By not being locked into a cycle of pushing out a new game every few years like Pokemon, Temtem can instead continue to evolve, adding new content such as cosmetics, new temtem and new areas to explore over time.

In the end, I'd definitely recommend jumping in and giving it a shot. If you're still on the fence about Temtem, just look into it more — check out some streams[www.twitch.tv], look through the online tempedia[temtem.gg], and see what people on Reddit are saying. If you end up playing, give me (Boss) a wave if you see me!