Main Differences Between Pokémon and Temtem

If you're a fan of Pokémon and have been looking for a new game to scratch that itch, you might've come across Temtem, the recently released creature collector MMO. Well, after wracking over 40 hours on the latter and having a mild obsession with the former, I am here to try and answer some of your questions and help you figure out if Temtem is right for you! Without further ado, here are some of the main differences between the two titles. 

Combat

Although Temtem plays an eerie lot like Pokémon with the grass patches and the animation similarities, there are quite a few differences regarding the combat. For starters, the PP system has been replaced by Stamina, and whilst that might sound a bit scary, I promise you it's a good change! This new addition deters players and NPCs from spamming the most potent abilities, as the risk of having to rest for a turn or two won't be worth it. The other benefit is that wild encounters aren't nearly as tedious because you never run out of PP.

Aside from that, some abilities in Temtem have a synergy bonus, meaning you can build a team to maximise your damage by mixing the right creature types. Additionally, you can also equip the Temtem with Gear, which can offer different benefits. Aside from the usual defence and damage boosts, some have more complex advantages, like forcing an untamed Temtem to attack the wearer or immunity to specific status effects. 

Co-op

Whenever creature collectors add co-op, it's usually like in Pokémon, where you're limited to just battles and trading. In Temtem, you can play the entire campaign with a friend and will even need other players for endgame content! Although it's a great feature, I feel it could still use some polishing. Some of the features I found clunky about it are having to be nearly on top of your friend to invite them, being unable to leave the area without your partner, and having only one player control the dialogue, among others. 

Customisation

Despite how much better Pokémon has become at allowing us to customise our characters, Temtem still offers much more freedom. Aside from the usual customisation of the avatar itself — such as hair, face, clothes, etc. — you'll be able to customise your banner, title, and even the appearing animation for your Temtem in battle!

Additionally, I'd like to mention that there is also player housing. Aside from getting your own address and being able to visit other players' houses, you'll be able to buy furniture for it and customise it through an intuitive grid system! 

However, I'd like to mention that there are some items you can only get with real money or through the battle pass, such as some of the clothing items and animations.

Graphics

If you're a fan of graphics and animations, I think Temtem will both satisfy and disappoint you. Whilst I undoubtedly love the battle animations — especially the ones that are comical and particularly well-polished like the Oshi-Dashi one — the NPC models are sometimes downright difficult to look at, and most areas weren't particularly pretty. Thankfully, the creatures have great models and an excellent range from cute to cool! 

Story

Narration is another aspect where both games are parallel, as neither has a profound story. That being said, when it comes to writing, Temtem's approach is a bit wacky and silly; in my opinion, it's sometimes a bit too much. Despite the lack of depth in the plot, I do like some semblance of seriousness, as so much absurdity made it hard for me to care to read.

Gameplay Mechanics

Our last point of comparison is the overall mechanics. One of my favourite things about Temtem is the quality of life changes, which make the sometimes-tedious aspects of the genre much easier to bear. One of the greatest examples is the Phial of Temessence, a potion that revives and fully heals the entire team outside of battle! This works as a perfect pick-me-up when you've gone through wild encounters or even right before a crucial battle, such as Dojo Masters. Whilst you can only carry one at a time, it refills when you heal your Temtem, meaning there's no reason you should hold back from using it. 

Another excellent example of the improvements is being able to rearrange and reassign abilities. At any point, you can just go into the Temtem details menu and drag and drop them. It's a fantastic addition that facilitates experimenting with different combinations! 

Overall, Temtem has improved greatly upon the original Pokémon formula, both in small things like graphics and big ones like battle systems. I hope this article has shed some light on the main differences!