6 Differences between Temtem and Pokemon

For the first time, we finally have a Pokemon-like game that is fully online and captures the RPG experience. Temtem released on 21 January 2020 as an Early Access game. Temtem is currently only available on PC and we don't know if it will be available on other consoles, but we can remain hopeful.

When Temtem was announced, the reactions were mixed. Some were skeptical of the new "Pokemon ripoff" and some were tired of the monopoly that Pokemon has on the genre. Besides, people have been begging for a Pokemon MMORPG for years and some have tried and failed too.

But Temtem is quite a pleasant surprise and it has turned to be a lot more fun and different than Pokemon (with some similarities). Here are 6 differences between Temtem and the Pokemon series.

#6 Temtem is a lot more difficult

We all know how Pokemon is a "kids game" hence the ease of those games. Temtem is not like that though. You always have dual battles in Temtem. Even at the beginning of the game, Temtem shows you no mercy and you can get whooped by the first tamer you encounter too.

The game has a lot more complexity and depth than Pokemon does. Although it follows the same formula of four moves, capturing wild creatures, stats and some other Temtem's depth make it a lot more difficult than Pokemon.

#5 The Evolution concept is not the same as Pokemon

In Pokemon, there are fixed levels where Pokemon evolve into their next form. A Charmander evolves at Level 16 and then again at 36. But in Temtem, evolution is determined by when you caught it.

Take Ganki for example. It takes 27 levels to evolve. What this means is, if you catch a Ganki at Level 4 then it will evolve at Level 31. If you catch it at Level 10, it will evolve at Level 37. This makes it much harder to attain evolutions and catching higher level Temtems proves to be a disadvantage.

#4 Synergies

Synergies are the main reason why all battles in Temtem are dual battles. Synergy is a unique concept in Temtem which was never before seen in Pokemon games. What it means is simply that an item or a move can pair with another Type of Temtem in order to gain a bonus effect.

In the image above, the Urushioi move will Poison the enemy for 4 turns if the partner Temtem is a Toxic Type. If the partner is some other type, the effect is not gained. Synergies also apply to items or "gear" that your Temtem can hold during battle.

#3 Temtem uses "Stamina" instead of "PP" for moves

Stamina (STA) can be found in your Temtem's stats indicated by the blue bar below HP

In Pokemon, each move has a specific amount of Power Points (PP) that is assigned. Using it up means the Pokemon can longer use that move. That concept does not exist in Temtem.

In Temtem, moves or "techniques" as it is called use a resource called Stamina. Every move/technique has a defined amount of Stamina. Stamina refreshes to full after every battle and recovers slowly by 1 or 2 points during battle.

If you use a move more than your available Stamina, the Temtem will "overexert" and replace the missing points of Stamina with Health Points. Thus, you have to manage your moves a lot better and you can't spam your most powerful move all the time. This is one of the elements that makes Temtem more difficult.

#2 Quests, side quests and interactions

Unlike Pokemon, Temtem has quests and side quests that you can do while playing through the game. Pokemon does not have the concept of quests since it is a single-player game. You can only stick with the fixed narrative that is given to you and follow directions as the game allows you to.

Quests also offer different rewards as you finish them and there are a plethora of side quests available during the game. Some of these side quests are not so obvious and require you to go deep into the game before you have the minimum requirements to do it.

Temtem also offers interactions you can have with different NPCs throughout the game though it does not have an effect on your gameplay other than hearing their reactions.

#1 A fully immersive MMORPG Experience

Even though this is the most obvious difference, this is what makes Temtem different from Pokemon. Temtem is the fully immersive MMORPG experience that Pokemon has failed to deliver for years. As you might have seen in the previous points, Temtem has an added difficulty which also makes it very engaging and fun to play.

Temtem is also set to have a huge focus on competitive play though not much has been released yet. This is one of the main selling points for people who play this game. Temtem's immersive experience, difficulty and learning curve makes the game far beyond just a "Pokemon ripoff". Temtem is a breath of fresh air that nobody really knew they needed.