It's the manner Temtem approaches its storytelling and world that Temtem Pansun really helps the game set its own individuality. You are going to be exploring islands full of vibrant crystals and lush greens that make the three islands you can explore every feel like paradises that are alien. It was a little off-putting, though, to see the characters in those environments sometimes sporting times and tribal JRPG-ish equipment wearing cardigans and simple t-shirts.
That awkward dash of culture plays into the story also, with budding Temtem coaches such as yourself having to attend introductory classes at Accademia before they could go off and explore the world or conquer the Dojos of every island. I was excited from the sense of structure excitement was immediately dashed when I arrived in the Accademia building and was immediately told to go to the next city, although that tamers seemed to possess in this world. No classes, no NPCs, not a single combat encounter to speak of.
You will spend weeks wading seas along and walking trails which are littered with trainer battles that constantly slow your progress, but after you eventually arrive at a town, there is rarely much for you to see or do. Some story beats and minutes of dialogue choice provided appeal, but in the grand scheme of things, Temtem is much more concentrated on directing you than they are with giving you a good reason.
Battles in Temtem offered. Every encounter in the game is really a 2-on-2 battle, along with your Temtem will not be able to spam their most powerful move until the enemies are all down. Every Temtem includes a Stamina bar, and this drains. If you use an attack when you don't have enough stamina, your Temtem will overexert themselves and deliver the blow at the cost of taking damage and being not able to act the next turn. While it put me off at the stamina system ended up introducing a unique challenge that forced me to consider my conclusions in combat more than I have in any Pokémon game.
The challenge is amplified thanks to this game's economy. Potions cost about as much as you get from 1 battle on the island, and revives are a hell of a luxury. There is only one repeatable activity in the sport so far that allows you earn money, releasing captured or bred Temtems into the wild, however the amount you earn from this, combined with the shockingly high fees for breeding objects and personality customisation items adds an intense grind to the game that is not rewarding in any way.
Temtem has some ideas in its core, using a battle system and a gorgeous world cheap Temtem Pansun to explore. Unfortunately, so many elements of this game collapse flat with this release. A lack of multiplayer content, A harsh economy, underwhelming character and monster designs and jolt the title, while problems like upkeep and server caps add another layer of frustration to this experience. Using a projected release date of Q3 2021, there is lots of time for Crema to evolve and expand their game, and I hope Temtem manages to become the multiplayer monster-catching experience it desperately wants to be.