Released via Early Access in 2020,Temtemsaw its official 1.0 release at the end of September 2022. An anime-esque monster collection game at heart,TemtemtakesPokemon’s premise and transforms it into a cross-platform MMO. While massively multiplayer elements have a clear impact onTemtem’s gameplay, they also have a drastic effect on the way the game’s world is conceptualized and presented.
Game Rant spoke withTemtemgame director Guillermo Andrades and Crema community manager Lucia Prieto about the influences that giveTemtemits unique look, as well as the wide variety of customization options that players have at their disposal.VeteranPokemonplayerslooking for a more social and culturally diverse experience should definitely keepTemtemon their radar.
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Temtem’s World of Many Cultures
Similar toPokemon’s regions, which are based on real-world locales,Temtem’s Airborne Archipelago draws influence from specific cultures. SinceTemtemis an MMO, each different region is connected to others, resulting in a more varied world. Prieto discussed the different inspirations for specific regions, including a number of cultures thatPokemonhas yet to tackle.
“Deniz is based on the Mediterranean and the places it waters, Omninesia on Oceanian island cultures, while Tucma draws inspiration from Aztec mythology. Kisiwa pays homage to East African cultures, with Swahili naming. Cipanku is very evidently a tribute to Japan and its culture, new and old, and Arbury represents both Great Britain and Scotland and its very complicated history.”
Prieto said to ensure the portrayal of each region was properly represented, Crema hired regional consultants on the cultures in question.Respectful representationand accommodating real-world diversity seems to be a major priority for Crema. The result is an atmosphere that feels more real thanPokemon’s in many ways, with a story that tackles the state of the world as much as the monsters that players tame and train.
That said, players will still find many pleasing similarities to Nintendo’s monster-collecting juggernaut. Players adopt different types of trainable monsters with a complex grid of rock-paper-scissors elements, battle each other for sport, and oppose a nefarious criminal organization. InTemtem,said criminals are the Belsoto Tribe, but even they are less monolithic thanPokemon’s region-specific “Teams.” Each tribal leader hails from a different environment and has their own motivations, though the organization is unified by a general lust for power.
Gigantic’s Influence on Temtem
Temtem’s vivid, 3D art-style has many influences, but Andrades noted one title in particular had a strong influence on the game’s aesthetic:Gigantic.
“We wanted to do a stylized game - a bit cartoony but without going all the way. Our artists took many inspirations during the early days of Temtem but one of the biggest ones was Gigantic. We loved that game visual style and it was a huge inspiration to follow on.”
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Gigantic, a MOBA-like shooter by Bellevue, Washington-based developer Motiga, was released for Xbox One and PC in 2017. Despite positive reviews from players, publisherPerfect World closed Motigalater that year, and subsequently pulled the plug onGiganticjust a year after launch. While the game had a number of unique mechanics, one particular point of praise was its aesthetic being reminiscent of illustrations, but rendered in 3D.
When comparing the two titles,Gigantic’s influence is readily apparent.Temtem’s bright, illustrated character models resembleGigantic’s, justwith just a touch ofanime influence.
Temtem’s Customization is Built with Diversity in Mind
DiscussingTemtem’s customization options, Prieto said players would be able to tailor their character’s appearance to taste, andselect their pronouns from the start; a feature becoming increasingly common. The option isn’t empty tokenism. as Prieto mentioned thatTemtem’s story features open LGBTQ+ representation.
Otherpoints of MMO customizationemerge as the player progresses through the game, including outfits, hairstyles, titles, battle intros and outros, and personal customization options for music. Players' Temtem followers are also visible in-game as mounts or companions, giving fans a lot of opportunities to appear the way they want.
Temtemis available now for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
