Whenever the topic of video game franchises that would make good MMOs gets brought up, one common answer is Nintendo's Pokemon series. The idea behind Pokemon seems to lend itself well to an MMORPG, though for one reason or another, Nintendo has never pulled the trigger on that idea. With Nintendo reluctant to pursue a proper Pokemon MMO, developer CremaGames has announced a new IP called Temtem that looks to be the Pokemon MMO fans have wanted for years, and it is coming to Steam early access on January 21, 2020.
The first Temtem gameplay trailer shows that the game is taking a ton of inspiration from Pokemon, from the general aesthetic to the turn-based battles. Like the Pokemon series, Temtem is a creature-collecting game, with players able to catch and breed all kinds of unique monsters on their journey.
Battles in Temtem are very Pokemon-like as well, though there is one key difference. Temtem battles are always 2v2, with players able to strategically pair Temtems together to buff each other or use double team attacks. Temtem being an MMORPG means that players can participate in these 2v2 battles with a friend, with the developers confirming that players can play through the entire story with their friends if they so wish.
Temtem players will be able to chat with others around the world using the in-game chat system. They'll also be able to customize their characters to a greater extent than what we've seen in the Pokemon games, which should help players tell each other apart when exploring the game world. Customization will also extend to players' houses it seems, with the gameplay trailer showing a player adding new decorations to their home.
Based on the first gameplay trailer, Temtem looks like it could very well scratch that Pokemon MMO itch, and it appears to be quite similar to the gameplay of the core Pokemon series. It remains to be seen if the developers are able to deliver an experience that's quite as engaging as Pokemon, but this early look is promising. Fans will get the chance to try Temtem out for themselves when the game hits Steam early access next month.
Temtem will hit Steam early access on January 21, 2020.