DualSHOCKERS: Temtem is the “Evolution” That Pokemon Sword and Shield Wasn’t

[Nat]

Temtem might be heavily inspired by Pokemon, but it builds on the concept so strongly that it deserves merit in its own right.

Temtem is a lot like Pokemon. Let’s get that out in the open right away. Developer Crema has described Temtem as “a massively multiplayer creature-collection adventure inspired by Pokemon” on their Steam page. Their inspirations are open and unabashed. Many will look at this and simply dismiss it as a Pokemon clone, or an ascended fangame. But I feel that writing Temtem off so quickly is disingenuous; this is clearly a passion project that they have worked very hard on to differentiate it. The inspirations are worn openly on their sleeve, but Crema has done the legwork. It’s immensely rare that I’ve seen a game of such polished quality this early in the development phase.

Not only did Temtem exceed my expectations in pretty much every regard, but it also helped me realize what I failed to feel in Pokemon for some time now: respect for the series veteran.

Temtem is the "Evolution" That Pokemon Sword and Shield Wasn't

Temtem might be heavily inspired by Pokemon, but it builds on the concept so strongly that it deserves merit in its own right.

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