The early access version offers five arenas to battle in, with ten minibosses and five main bosses. Each Temtem has unique skill trees, but there are also seven active Techniques, 35 passives, and 35 Synergies to unlock during runs. There are five different events and 342 in-game achievements known as Kudos to unlock (though Steam Achievements are also available). You can play solo or co-op with up to three players.

Temtem: Swarm will remain in early access for “approximately” one year, with plans to offer nine maps, 13 playable Temtem (including unlockable variations like Lumas and Umbra), 140 total Techniques, and Challenge Modes. The end goal is have the entire roster of Tems, either as bosses, playable characters or part of the Swarm. Stay tuned for further updates in the coming months.

Crema has revealed that it’s developing a new game in the Temtem universe codenamed Project Downbelow. It isn’t Temtem 2, and it isn’t Temtem: Swarm, the recently announced bullet hell spinoff that’s being developed in collaboration with GGTech.

This new, unannounced game is being made on a new engine and will feature a new combat system. Crema says it’s using this project as a testbed to build foundations for new ideas that it may want to use in a hypothetical Temtem 2.

“As we look towards the future of the Temtem IP, we have expanded our team to focus some of our development resources on an unannounced, untitled, new game in the Temtem universe,” the developer says. “This project is being developed fully in-house by our dev team, and we’re keeping our aspirations fresh, big and grand. We’re also developing this project on a new engine, so foreign and uncharted territory which is both exciting and scary! This is not Temtem: Swarm, and not Temtem 2. This is Project Downbelow.

“Our intentions for Project Downbelow are to build new foundations and try out new things we would love to see in a hypothetical Temtem 2. By exploring a new combat system, a stronger engine and more things we can’t unveil yet, we hope to learn the proper bases, and have enough preparation and experience to put us closer to the materialization of something as precious to us – and you – as Temtem 2 would be.”

So why exactly is Crema not developing a full-fledged sequel and instead moving to a spinoff? The studio has given a surprisingly frank answer, and said that it simply isn’t as big as it would need to be to develop the kind of ambitious sequel it wants Temtem 2 to be.

“We’re aware of the community’s desire for a Temtem sequel: our communication channels are often filled with questions about a possible Temtem 2, expectations for it, and more,” Crema says. “We hear you! The team has debated on the creation of a sequel for some time, but unfortunately the stakes are high and there aren’t enough resources to achieve what the team would desire the sequel to be, and the sequel you would deserve. After hearing so many opinions on what you’d like a possible Temtem 2 to be; we feel like we shouldn’t rush ourselves and make the same mistakes we’ve made in the past, and even in the present. If we ever were to do this, we’d need to be able to produce a product and flow of content that all of you could enjoy and love to the maximum. Such a product is still out of our grasp and reach: we’re simply not ready. We are, as a studio, too small to embark on the feat we’d like Temtem 2 to be; we don’t currently have the technical knowledge, the time nor the ability to bring those ideas to life.”

Currently, there’s no word on when Crema will be ready to talk more about the new project it is working on.

Crema and GGTech’s aforementioned Temtem: Swarm is in development for PC and consoles, but doesn’t yet have a release date. Meanwhile, Temtem’s final major update will arrive in June, and will also remove all microtransactions.

In a lengthy open letter published on its website, Crema explains why it hasn’t been able to add new content to Temtem at the speed and in the manner than many in the playerbase have wanted it to. In a nutshell, it boils down to the significant balancing work the developer would have to do on large portions of the game anytime sometime new is added in.

“We didn’t create Temtem with the idea of expanding its limits forever: when we created the Kickstarter page we had a clear goal of 141 minimum Tems (we ended with 165), and 6 islands (we ended up making the Pansun another zone),” Crema writes. “As such, the bases of the game are not built in a way they can support endless content, and as more content gets added, the game risks becoming more complicated, with different systems and variables having to be accounted for with each update, and buggier. This is a concept called technical debt, which roughly means we get indebted to the development decisions we made when we were just giving birth to Temtem. Over the course of the years of development, the debt has grown every time we’ve tried to implement unplanned features, or whenever we reworked an existing feature without proper planning. Anything you add to a game that wasn’t included in its bases, and anything you change on the go, adds to the technical debt of said game.”

Looking ahead, then, Temtem’s next update, patch 1.7, will be the game’s final “normal sized” update, bringing a new season, a new Tamer Pass, balance changes, new features, bug fixing, and quality of life updates. Following that, patch 1.8 will be the game’s final “feature-oriented patch” and will be focused on “ensuring the game’s longevity, with a focus on improving the users’ experience”. There will, however, be no more new Tamer Passes or seasons going forward.

Meanwhile, microtransactions are also being dropped entirely. Update 1.7 will remove the option to purchase Novas (the game’s premium currency), though any Novas you’ve already purchased will still be usable on the Tamer Pass and cosmetics in the in-game shop. All items that are purchasable with Novas, meanwhile, will also become purchasable using Feathers, which is earned through gameplay.

In addition to that. when patch 1.8 comes along, it will allow players to go back to any and all of the older Tamer Passes at any given time and complete them at your leisure, which will include being able to unlock their previously-paid tiers using Feathers.

So what lies ahead for Crema now that Temtem is approaching the end of its active lifecycle? Well, though the studio says it isn’t ready to develop a full-fledged sequel quite yet, it has confirmed that it’s working on another new, unannounced game in the Temtem universe.

According to the announcement, Temtem: Swarm is built from the ground up to feature support for online co-op, allowing up to three players to play together. The game will also combine classic bullet hell gameplay with strategic elements of Temtem‘s combat, presumably by introducing an elemental damage system to the genre.

When it comes to co-op, Temtem: Swarm will allow players to share resources, or even steal them from each other. Players will also be able to execute coordinated attacks to take on tougher enemies, and can combine their gear and skills to create unique builds with synergies.

The game will also feature the Temtem evolution mechanic, allowing players to get stronger as they defeat enemies and collect experience. Players will eventually be able to unlock their Temtems’ final evolution, getting massive power-ups in the progress.

Temtem: Survivor won’t be leaving behind its monster-collecting roots, however, and will allow players to capture and collect different Temtem, each with their own unique traits and abilities.

Temtem: Swarm is slated for release on PC. There are also plans for a console release down the line.

The headlining addition is a brand new island becoming accessible in Airborne Archipelago. Called Tamer’s Paradise, it’s going to be an endgame area that’ll feature a battle arena called Archtamer Sanctum, where the more you win, the harder the battles will get.

There’s also the Digilair, a co-op Safari where you can catch wild Temtem, and the Ever Shifting Tower, which will see players tackling an evolving maze of rooms and battles, with rewards at the top of the tower. Finally, Temtem will also add a new shopping center where you can purchase decorations for your home. Get all the details in the trailer below.

Temtem launches in full on September 6 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.

Along with six islands and over 161 Temtem to collect, players can look forward to a mini-island for end-game activities, a dedicated Nuzlocke mode, and much more. In the meantime, the title has already received cross-progression support on PS5 and PC, Mounts, Dojo Wars, a Trade House and tons of other features since entering early access in January 2020.

In terms of base content, players can look forward to a dedicated campaign which involves battling the Clan Belsoto and becoming a full-fledged Temtem tamer. Co-op is also supported along with extensive character customization. There’s even Competitive play with pick and ban phases. Stay tuned for more details en route to the game’s 1.0 release.

Pokemon-inspired monster collecting MMORPG Temtem has been in early access for over a year now, and opened the doors for more players to join in on PS5 in December, and soon, the game’s going to expand with a major content update. Developer Crema has confirmed that a new update, which is rolling out tomorrow, will be adding plenty of new content for players to dive into.

The biggest addition is Cipanku Island, a new area where “tradition and technology converge and meld together”. It is an Electric and Digital-themed location, and will, as such, introduce Digital-type Tems to the game. Created by humans in the Nanto labs, Digital Tems have their own unique Traits and Techniques. They are strong against Mental and Melee types, weak to Water and Electric types, resistant to Toxic types, and curiously enough, strong (and weak) to other Digital types as well.

The new update will also add Lairs, which are group activities that will see players banding together as they look for newly introduced Mythical Temtem in a 3-5 player activity. “In Lairs, even though each player receives a different randomly generated path, all resources are shared and resource management is the true key to success in reaching the Mythical,” the developer explains. “To prove your skills as a tamer, instead of traversing the Lair with your usual squad you must form your Temtem team and inventory during the Lair, and think strategically about when and what to bring along with you.”

Meanwhile, a new fast travel system is also being introduced that will allow you to teleport to spots across the Archipelago for a fee (though travel to airports will be free). Finally, the game is also adding support for PS5’s Activity Cards for all of its quests.

Temtem is currently available in early access on PS5 and PC. The game will launch in full for those two platforms as well as Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X/S later this year.

Crema’s Pokemon-inspired MMORPG Temtem launched on PC in early access earlier this year, and was met immediately by widespread praise by the many people who dove into it. A quality Pokemon MMO is something fans have been asking for for years, and Temtem is definitely filling that void. Now, it’ll be doing that on PlayStation as well.

The RPG has launched into early access on PS5, and can be purchased now for $40 (or $60 for the deluxe edition). Publishers Humble Bundle have also released a launch trailer to commemorate its release, offering glimpses at its world, the Temtem you’ll be training, catching, and battling, and more. Take a look below.

Temtem is available in early access on PC and PS5. It will be receiving its full launch some time in 2021, at which point it will also launch for the Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more coverage on the game.

Highly anticipated monster collecting RPG Temtem is finally available on Steam Early Access. The Pokemon competitor sees PC players catching monsters called Temtem, training them and taking on all-comers including other players in a massively multiplayer environment. Check out the cute anime-style trailer below.

Temtem features many of the same tenets as Pokemon – players will face off against a villainous group, travel across the region to defeat different Dojo Leaders and eventually challenge to be the best. The main difference is that the game is fully online as different players can be encountered and battled with. There’s even a proper co-op mode to play with a friend and partake in dual Temtem battles.

Other features include Competitive mode with a pick-and-ban system; full character customization; and even the ability to buy a house, decorate it and invite friends to see it. It’s worth noting that the launch was mired with long queues and server issues but seems to be mostly stabilized. Stay tuned for more details on additional content coming to Temtem in the coming months.

GamingBolt spoke to creative director Guillermo Andrades about the game and what defines it in this generation.

"I’ve always loved Egyptian culture and I think there’s so few games set in Egypt. Giza pyramids are the perfect setting for a game and Egyptian culture is vast and there’s a lot to explore there."

How did development of the game start? What challenges did you face both before and after arriving on Steam Greenlight?

The development started with just a prototype and a visual reference of what we wanted to achieve. That way we could focus on the aesthetics, the core mechanics of the game and the feeling of the controls. Before Greenlight we faced the typical challenges of game development most notably the delays on development times and the constant adding of new features to improve the game. We’ve been working very hard on making the best game we can and that’s very time consuming.

After Greenlight we’re facing new challenges, closing the final build of the game, filling the endless paperwork and creating the assets needed for all stores… All that while crazy-testing the game to ensure it’s not filled with bugs and glitches.

Tell us about the premise of Immortal Redneck. What influenced you to come up with such a ridiculous yet comedic storyline?

The idea came very organically. I’ve always loved Egyptian culture and I think there’s so few games set in Egypt. Giza pyramids are the perfect setting for a game and Egyptian culture is vast and there’s a lot to explore there.

Also, Rednecks characters in movies/series are always memorable and again there’s almost no games featuring a Redneck protagonist. I think the mix between the Egyptian epicness and the Redneck humour is just perfect.

Immortal Redneck takes a roguelite approach to its levels. Considering the relatively small number of FPS/roguelite titles (Strafe is the other that comes to mind), how do you feel fans of both genres would react?

Almost every good FPS Roguelite has been successful and I think that makes sense. Both genres fit perfectly and share some core mechanics between them (precise controls, quick gameplay, hard experiences…). We’ve tried to come with the perfect mix between Roguelite and FPS so let’s hope fans will think the same!

What are the different classes that can be played and how do they accommodate different play styles?

Each class will be defined by a variation of stats, an active and passive ability and a unique set of weapons. The first class you’ll play is the Redneck (obviously!). It’s the most balanced one and it’s aimed at new players so you can get the game mechanics without complicating it too much with complex abilities or more advanced weapons.

All the other classes will be defined by a God favour. The God will grant the Redneck their weapons and abilities. Each class is designed with a play style in mind. For example there’s Apis (God of Strength) really slow and can’t double jump but has a huge life bar and some heavy weapons. On the other side you have Thoth (God of Knowledge) which features double jump and a blink ability so you gain a lot of mobility.

"We tried to make everything procedural in order to add more variety in the game, but it’s really not compatible with the aesthetics we wanted for the game."

Can you tell us about the skill tree and some of the abilities that players will be able to acquire?

The Skill Tree is one of the biggest features of the game. It allows you to improve your character in many ways and also unlock the other classes in the game (initially you can only play with Redneck).

You will be able to upgrade every stat (attack, defense, health…) and also some other abilities like extra jumps, better ammo pickables or the chance to find new objects in chests.

In randomly generated dungeons, how do you avoid any one level, layout or asset being repeated too often? How do you manage to keep things fresh?

It’s one of the worst things in Roguelites and there’s very few things you can do in order to avoid it. We have some rules in place to try to keep the layouts fresh but since our rooms are pre-generated in order to make the best decoration possible you’re going to notice repetition from time to time.

We tried to make everything procedural in order to add more variety in the game, but it’s really not compatible with the aesthetics we wanted for the game.

With permadeath being an issue, will Immortal Redneck feature some kind of unlocks that players can use on their next run through?

Yeah, the Skill Tree upgrades will be permanent so every time you die you’ll become better by spending your money there. Also, we have a Merchant in place who will sell you Medallions that affect the gameplay. These Medallions will be unlocked with Blueprints you’ve found inside the pyramids and also will be permanent.

Will there be weekly and daily challenges, perhaps modifiers as well to allow players to up the difficulty?

Sadly, not for the release. We have some ideas on how to implement them (since our game has progression the daily/weekly quest presents some additional challenges) but we wanted to focus on the campaign and the content for the release.

Daily and Weekly quest is one of the first planned updates for the game so you’ll have to wait a bit more for these game modes.

"We’re aiming at around 15 hours to complete the full game. That’s beating the tree pyramids, all the bosses and reaching the final point of the game (aka the credits)."

What can be expected in terms of boss fights?

We have six bosses, two in each pyramid. One will serve as a “checkpoint” (somewhere around the middle of the pyramid) and the other one will be the final boss at the pyramid apex.

The bosses are huge. All of them implement unique mechanics so they’re going to be interesting and hard fights. They’ll also feature custom cinematics, we’re working on every detail and trying to make them memorable.

As a whole, how long do you think it will take players to clear a single run? How long will it take to see everything the game has to offer?

It’s very difficult to come up with the time of a single run in Immortal Redneck. A single run can be something between a minute and an hour. Completing a pyramid from the bottom to top it’s around 40-60 min but since you’re going to die (a lot) you’re going to spend a lot of runs dying really quick and then trying again.

We’re aiming at around 15 hours to complete the full game. That’s beating the tree pyramids, all the bosses and reaching the final point of the game (aka the credits). But seeing everything in the game and getting all of the achievements is going to take you longer. We have 50+ weapons and 100+ ingame perks so you’ll need to keep playing after beating the final boss if you want to see everything.

What are your plans for the PS4 Pro version? Any plans to provide higher frames and resolution with Immortal Redneck on the PS4 Pro?

We’re aiming at 1080p@60fps in the non-pro PS4 so we will have a lot of margin to improve the game on the PS4 Pro. We want to up the resolution (4K native or scaled) while keeping the 60fps and also put some custom posteffects to improve how the game looks.

How do you rate Sony’s relatively more conservative approach with the PS4 Pro versus Microsoft’s more radical overhaul with the Xbox One Scorpio? Which excites you more, from a development perspective?

PS4 Pro is awesome and the development tools are even more awesome. It’s a breeze adapting games for it and testing them in the devkits. We’re really excited to support PS4/PS4 Pro. We haven’t tested Scorpio yet, but I hope the development tools also allows you to easily adapt the game and to squeeze all the power it has.

For us as developers both approaches are fine, we’re just thrilled to make our game available in more platforms and with more customization in each one.

"Most of us are not going to notice the difference between real 4K and “fake” 4k with Checkerboard."

With the PS4 Pro, Sony have increased the memory bandwidth a little bit, but they have kept the overall memory pool the same as it is on standard PS4 systems. Is this a fair trade off? Or do you foresee RAM becoming a bottleneck for game development as we move further on with this generation?

In Immortal Redneck the bottleneck is the CPU on consoles and GPU on PC so we don’t have a lot of problems with the memory pool being the same as the standard PS4. I think it makes sense in order to maintain compatibility between the standard and pro versions and developers are going to adjust to it just fine.

What is your take on Sony’s Checkerboard technique for 4K rendering versus native 4K rendering that Microsoft are espousing with the Scorpio? To the naked guy, what will the difference be? And what are the differences from a development and programming perspective?

Most of us are not going to notice the difference between real 4K and “fake” 4k with Checkerboard. Unless your TV is HUGE or you’re sitting so close to it you’re not going to notice anything but even with the Checkerboard rendering you’ll notice an upgrade from 1080p so it’s good to have it. Let’s wait for reviews on the Scorpio and comparisons of the two systems.

The Xbox One Scorpio is being touted as the most powerful console ever made. And yet, given Microsoft’s diktat that all games have maintain parity with standard Xbox One systems, and that there can be no Scorpio exclusives, do you really think that the Scorpio’s power will be able to be put to any meaningful use?

It all depends on the developers. Right now what we’re seeing with PS4 Pro is that most games are the same and the changes between the versions are really small (resolution, framerate or more effects). If the power difference is really that huge developers are going to need a lot of time and tweaking to take advantage of it.

Are there any plans to bring the game to Nintendo Switch?

I’d love to. We’ve been in talks with Nintendo and we’re waiting for the devkits to become available to all developers. I think Immortal Redneck would look great on Switch and would be a really good addition to the catalog.