Temtem sets itself apart from other monster-capturing games by leaning towards a massively multiplayer experience rather than a single-player one. While games like Pokémon, beyond the expansions for Sword and Shield, typically don’t offer much support beyond the game’s release, Temtem is a live service game and promises more.

Temtem’s story takes place in a region of floating islands known as the Airborne Archipelago, where creatures known as Temtem roam the wilds. As the name implies, Temtem tamers tame Temtems for either friendship or to engage in battles with other tamers. The protagonist has just become one such tamer and as they begin to learn the ropes of being a Temtem tamer, they encounter a small army of mysterious Temtem tamers known as Clan Belsoto. The protagonist, alongside their Temtems, goes out to explore the other islands and investigate this strange new threat to humans and Temtems alike.

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Looking at it gameplay-wise, the pacing of the story can be a bit strange. Just after fighting what feels like a boss, sometimes the player is subjected to two or more boss fights almost immediately afterward, which can be a bit stressful at times. Not only that, but there does not seem to be a grace period between encounters, meaning just taking a single step forward after a fight might force another encounter. Some time between to breathe could’ve better helped the pacing.

From a visual standpoint, Temtem is a colorful game that is pleasant to look at. The colors are vibrant and diverse, yet even when things get a bit dark the developers try to add a splash of color to make it interesting. The designs for the characters and Temtems themselves vary in quality. The characters' faces work but they are a bit weird, as they are just decals on a surface. The Temtems can range from goofy to cool, which is good. Variety in design is essential so that players can find their favorites, and there are sure to be at least a few favorites in Temtem.

Temtems can be acquired by the usual means: capture, trade, breeding, or through story progression. There are different tiers for capturing and these can be influenced by weakening the Temtem or putting status ailments on them. As of this writing, there are 164 Temtems in the game, including their evolutions, and they are categorized into 1 or 2 types, just like the types in Pokémon. The types for Temtems are Neutral, Wind, Earth, Fire, Crystal, Nature, Water, Mental, Electric, Digital, Melee, and Toxic. As with Pokemon, using the right type against an enemy Temtem provides advantages, such as higher damage.

Additionally, each Temtem species can come with its own trait, chosen from one of two unique traits for each species. For instance, a Temtem with the amphibian trait will have its speed and attack raised if they were to be hit by a water attack. This can help create unique advantages in a fight.

Another unique aspect of Temtem is the ability to equip Temtems with gear. These are earned through opening chests,' winning fights, or purchasing them. They can give advantages such as being more resistant to a specific type or having a specific type of attack do more damage. There are others like the Cowards Cloak or the Coward’s Blanket, which enable EXP share to a specific Temtem or the entire squad, since an EXP share system doesn’t exist outside of that.

Encounters are the standard fare for monster-collecting games such as these, but instead of one on one with some dual fights, every fight in Temtem is a dual fight, as long as both sides have two Temtems to spare. Stats like speed offer advantages, allowing some Temtems to use their techniques faster than others. And once a Temtem is defeated, the team that defeated them gets the experience for it at the end of the round, not the fight.

As with Pokémon, each Temtem can have up to four techniques to use in battle, gained by leveling, breeding, evolution, or technique courses. Some techniques, known as Hold Techniques, require a specific amount of turns done before they can be used. Players can even switch out a technique with a newly achieved one if a Temtem levels up during the fight. Thankfully, if the player chooses to overwrite a technique with another, the player can regain all previous techniques in the Temtem’s menu.

Along with the default battle being two versus two, this allows for a lot more versatility in how techniques are used. There is a mechanic known as Synergy, where certain techniques can be enhanced if the other team member is a certain type. For instance, the technique 'High-Pressure Water' can be combined with a fire ally to produce boiling water that inflicts burn on the opponent. This makes planning squads a lot more meaningful, as certain match-ups can provide better results.

However, there is one thing that will keep players from spamming attacks: stamina. Underneath the health bar, each Temtem has a stamina bar, and all their techniques use a specific amount of stamina. If a Temtem uses more stamina than what they have, it will take the difference from the Temtem’s health, so pushing a Temtem without giving them items or letting them rest can make them faint before the fight is over. Luckily, this also applies to the opponent.

As an aside, one of the more prominent issues with Temtem is how tough it can be to plan for fights, as it almost feels like a tamer's squad is one Temtem that fits the area, while the rest is randomized. Knowing what an opposing Temtem tamer has isn’t always cut and dry. Even Dojo masters don’t stick to the specific theme and will oftentimes use Temtem that are weak to that Dojo's main type. This makes planning things out tough, which, combined with the aforementioned strange pacing between battles, can lead to frustration, as having to use turns just to switch out Temtems can lead to defeat.

The world of the Airborne Archipelago is divided into six islands, each with its own unique aspects and quests. The world is a bit tough to traverse, as it can only be done by foot initially, but there are kiosks and checkpoints with shops and a way to replenish your Temtems' health. As the player progresses through the story, they will unlock new ways to travel, like a surfboard for the water or skates for smooth surfaces.

As a live service game, Temtem allows players to interact with one another and their Temtems in the area. They can also trade, battle, or initiate co-op just by interacting with each other. It definitely gives the world a lot more atmosphere and liveliness to see so many people running around it.

Temtem does contain microtransactions and a battle pass. Microtransactions, known as Novas, only seem to be used for cosmetic, non-gameplay purposes. The battle pass, known as the Tamer Pass, has a free tier, earned through just playing the game, and the premium tier, which is bought with Novas. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that Novas are available from the Tamer Pass’ free tier, so one does not necessarily need to purchase anything, but there will be a lot of grinding. Once the campaign is complete, weekly challenges will unlock that help with progression.

Loading between areas in Temtem can sometimes take a bit too long, even on a PS5. Not to mention there are times when the player isn’t taken back to the overworld after a fight is finished, forcing them to restart their game.

Overall, Temtem is a fine alternative to other monster-collecting games with plenty to do. The balance can be a bit troublesome, but that may vary from person to person. However, it offers enough differences to be unique, with its default two-on-two battles and mechanics adding variety to each fight. Plus, playing with friends is easy and a blast.

Temtem is available now for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S. Game Rant was provided a PS5 code for this review.