Temtem Showdown is the new free-to-play, straight to the chase counterpart to Crema’s popular creature-collecting RPG Temtem. This lite version ditches the adventure part and points you in the direction of the arena without hesitation, for a series of friendly or ranked matches with the Temtem that you may eventually know and love from the original. Featuring a deep and engaging combat system and several dozens of creatures, this is a welcome take but one that could potentially divide sentiments.

Gotta Squad Them All

As a fat-free version of Temtem, there’s no such thing as leveling up or taming creatures, as every single one is right in front of you, waiting to be picked for your squad, and you will be fighting in no time… sort of. This is more in a metaphorical sense, as the tutorial is quite extensive and requires full concentration from new players if they want to become successful tamers. Otherwise, getting acquainted with all the creatures and their endless intricacies may be a daunting task, one where players already familiar with the first game are bound to start with a clear advantage.

Your first step in Temtem Showdown is to pick the tamer that is going to represent you in the arena. Somewhat disappointingly, there isn’t much in the way of customization, only a few basic selections and you’re ready to roll into battle. The avatars are enjoyable in the cartoon style that made them appreciated when the original game launched, but having no way of properly mixing and matching outfit parts turns out to be a letdown.

From here, you have a world of Temtem to meet and recruit. The roster is divided into a few sections, with Recommended, Competitive, and For Fun. As you can imagine, this isn’t quite the game to play for fun in the explicit sense, unless you arrange a friendly match with an acquaintance. Otherwise, be prepared for a whole world of multilayered combat where sheer luck plays no part in the outcome of battle. Temtem Showdown has one of the most intricate battle systems in the genre and requires considerable time to learn all the mechanics and synergies that you can execute.

Selecting the Temtem in their default settings is a possibility, but there are several aspects that you may want to configure for optimal performance. You can distribute points to various stats of different worth, from speed to attack before your rival, or the traditional stamina to execute the skills. Furthermore, you have to pick from a vast range of techniques, switch traits and gear, and don’t forget to check the elemental leaning as this always has a lot of weight on how the creatures react in combat.

If there’s one thing that may be classified as frustrating is that the UI doesn’t let you change the order of your Temtem squad at your will, something that could be easily solved with a drag and drop mechanic. This would also be useful to switch Temtem around between squads, which you can’t do as well, and the limit of three squads per player can be worrisome. If you want to move your creatures around, you have no option but to add them again from scratch, possibly confusing yourself in the process.

Prior to battle, you and your opponent must set up a few hopefully balanced squads comprised of eight Temtem. Pick your favorite combination and start matchmaking, with a preliminary stage where each tamer must pick their five creatures, but with some factors affecting their selection. Following a certain order of turns, both tamers will eliminate two rival Temtem while choosing their squad of five among their favorites, or most likely from whoever is left.

We’re now in the arena, where the 2v2 battles unfold in turns. The game looks as beautiful as ever, but that was to be expected. The inspiration behind Temtem is unmistakable, the Pokémon-like art style accomplished and extremely appealing to players of all ages. The battles can be exciting, as you replace creatures or order them to rest according to the opponent strengths, and without diving into the complexity of the rules and possibilities, it is one impressive battle system that rewards persistence and familiarity.

Are You Ready to Temtem?

Naturally, the more familiar you are with the original game, the better prepared you will be to thrive at Temtem Showdown, which begs a few questions: are veteran players willing to dive into this spin-off for the ranked mode alone, forfeiting customization and story? And will new players feel comfortable or overwhelmed knowing that they may be facing players with nearly one year of knowledge on the game’s creatures, synergies, and the other fundamental mechanics? In other words, who is the game aimed at?

Since it’s free-to-play, the dilemma isn’t that worrying, as you won’t be reaching out into your wallet to give it a shot. But with seasons and eSports potential in the horizon, I’m inclined to believe this game is going to be a magnificent practice tool for veteran players, honing their skills and waiting for the tournaments to kick in.

That doesn’t invalidate the fact that Temtem Showdown is one of the best creature battle games that you can try right now, without any worries about spending and the will to persist or to give in without a heavy conscience. Just make sure that you are open to a few beatings here and there if you’re a new player, as veteran tamers aren’t notorious for holding back.

Score: 8/10

Pros:

• A fat-free version of Temtem
• All Temtem accessible from the start
• One of the best battle systems in the genre
• Great graphics and skill animations

Cons:

• Limited squad UI
• Lacks some basic customization
• New players may find it hard to keep up with Temtem enthusiasts

Temtem Showdown review code was provided by the publisher. You can read MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.