[PREVIEW] LumenTale: Memories of Trey – Monster-collector ready to change the genre

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LumenTale: Memories of Trey sets itself apart in the monster-collecting genre by focusing on emotional depth and a strong narrative. While it’s hard to compete with giants like Pokémon and Palworld, LumenTale feels like the evolution the genre needed. It breaks away from repetitive gameplay by blending different types of interactions, offering more engaging experience.

Really fun and engaging combat

You play as Trey, who wakes up with no memory and embarks on a journey to recover his past. This quest leads him to uncover a greater enigma about the world of Talea, which is deeply affected by historical conflict and a division between factions (North and South) holding opposing ideals (progress vs. tradition). The demo does a great way showing how big the story is, although some early-game pacing can be slow due to not so important dialogues.

Instead of immediate combat, you can attempt to catch Animons directly in the overworld using a device called the Holoken. This involves a mini-game that requires precise button presses or quick reflexes to increase your success rate. However, the catch rate can be frustratingly low, even with “perfect” presses, something the developers will hopefully fix. If successful, you bypass combat and recruit the Animon directly to your party. The Holoken is also used to solve puzzles in the game world by channeling elemental power.

For those who prefer direct confrontation or when overworld attempts fail, Animons can be engaged in turn-based battles. These battles are designed to be strategic, featuring 1v1 duels up to complex 4v4 showdowns, a significant step up from the common 3v3 or 2v2 limits in similar titles. Each Animon possesses unique abilities, skills, strengths, and weaknesses tied to one of 13 elemental types.

The narrative is intertwined with exploration

The battle system emphasizes choosing the right order of actions and synergizing your team’s abilities. An “Action Speed Points” system determines turn order, where faster Animons move quicker, but actions consume these points. The game also encourages exploration across the vast land of Talea, a world with a distinct 2D-3D blended art style that is rich in color and detail.

You’ll discover secret treasures and dungeons to challenge. The narrative is intertwined with this exploration, as the protagonist Trey slowly regains his lost memories by uncovering fragments of his past throughout the world. A very surpising feature is that LumenTale incorporates crafting and cooking mechanics, allowing you to create useful items and delicious food. However, the demo’s crafting system really lacks clarity, forcing you to guess combinations.

Captured Animons are sent to the “Anispace”, a mysterious detached realm where they reside when not in your active battle party. This space serves as a training ground for your Animons and can be customized, fostering stronger bonds between Trey and his creatures. Additionally, LumenTale features multiple ways to trade Animons, including a dedicated “Animon Trade Station” and direct trading with friends or the community.

Interesting ideas that need more polish

Your Animons progress by leveling up through battles, which increases their power and offers more strategic options for your team. The demo allowed for very fast leveling, which made it easy to quickly rotate your team. Personally, I think LumenTale offers many interesting and well-thought-out ideas. While the concepts have a solid foundation, they just need a bit more refinement to become truly enjoyable.

Beyond just catching monsters, the game offers a lot of other interesting mini-games. I really like the direction it’s taking, and since it’s being published by Team17, we can likely expect something unique at launch.