Steam latest free game is essentially Pokémon on PC

We all love free video games, don’t we? Well, if so and if you’re a fan of Pokémon, then you’re in luck.

As we all know, the likelihood of Pokémon being released in any other format other than on Nintendo consoles is incredibly unlikely. However, unlike some Xbox and PlayStation console exclusives eventually coming to PC such as Halo and God of War, Nintendo will forever keep the likes of Pokémon on its own platforms, and we’d expect nothing less.

The mere prospect of playing Pokémon on a rival console just doesn't sit right. But what if we could have a Pokémon alternative on other platforms? Thankfully, Pokémon clones haven't been in short supply over the years, though the quality of each may vary.

Take a look at Temtem Showdown in action below.

Take for example Cassette Beasts. Despite suffering post-launch performance issues, this indie game is described as having “unique ideas, a charming aesthetic and an engrossing battle system", and it "might just be one of the best indies you’ll play all year.”

Then we have Temtem, developed by Crema and published by Humble Bundle. Temtem is an MMORPG that began life as a Kickstarter campaign in 2018, before arriving as an early-access title in 2020 for PC and PS5. Temtem would later release in its final form in 2022, also landing on Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.

As reported by PCGamesN, if you’ve ever fancied playing a decent Pokémon clone, a free-to-play spin-off for the aforementioned Temtem is out now. What’s more, it features no in-game purchases, making it 100% free which is a rarity in modern video games, especially those that are free to play.

In Temtem: Showdown, players will “jump right into competitive action in this free multiplayer battle simulator! Build your team in seconds and dash into ranked matches with players from all over the world for pure, no-frills Temtem battling action—no levelling or taming required.”

Sadly, according to the Crema FAQ page, Temtem: Showdown is only available for PC users and there are no mentions of plans to bring the spin-off to consoles. Hopefully, that might change in the near future. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.

In related news, we got a chance to chat with the voice of Ash Ketchum from the Pokémon series, none other than Veronica Taylor.