REVIEW – There are always games that can grab our attention for one reason or another – eye-catching key art, an immersive atmosphere, or sophisticated, distinctive gameplay – yet in this case, it is hard to shake the feeling that we have seen it all before. And indeed, it closely resembles what Game Freak has built around the Pokémon franchise over the past three decades.

It is a monster-collecting game, and its creatures are called Animons. The immediate hook lies in their design, which can leave a positive impression.

Beyond the Golden Age

Once upon a time, everything was peaceful and harmonious in Talea, where humans and Animons lived side by side. That came to an abrupt end when the emperor died and his sons, along with their respective factions, were dragged into a civil war. Part of the imperial army took on the task of defending civilians and Animons, but Talea was torn in two in the process. Mythos, in the south, recalls the old era, while Logos, in the north, is centered on progress and innovation.

However, we are not controlling a human, as Trey is an android. There is a familiar cliché here too: he has lost his memories, so he does not know what his original mission was or what role he plays in the war. LumenTale: Memories of Trey uses this to keep players guessing, because the mystery remains intact for a long time as the story gradually unfolds. Trey is found by Ales, a boy who lost his parents and is therefore afraid of Animons. His uncle wants him to go to the city and become part of Lumen, the faction protecting it, which was formed during the civil war.

Trey receives his first Animon from Ales’s uncle, together with Holokens, the local equivalent of Poké Balls, which can be used to capture Animons. Trey’s secondary mission is to bring Ales home safely. One of the game’s strongest atmospheric elements is the bond that develops between Ales and Trey. At first, Ales is wary of the android, but after Trey saves him, something slowly begins to form between them. Ales sets out on an adventure, and Trey becomes his companion for the journey.

This time, the goal is not to collect medals, defeat the Elite Four, and then take on the Champion. You do not just need a Holoken to acquire Animons, because you also have to throw Bilias. You can throw them immediately, which triggers a rhythm-based minigame where success depends on pressing the button at the right moment, or you can fight first in traditional Pokémon fashion. If an Animon decides that we are worthy and we have weakened it enough, it can be caught, though success is not guaranteed every time. The battles are essentially the same as those we have seen many times before, but there is one major difference: we can fight with four Animons at once. If we land enough effective attacks, the team can use TP Action to unleash a special joint attack for additional damage. The question, of course, is whether that is unique enough.

When the Momentum Runs Out

That is exactly the problem: even with this variation, the battles do not feel unique. More combat styles would have helped, or perhaps special versions of TP Actions based on each Animon’s type. If one of them is not in the active team, it can be sent to Anispace, a Digimon-inspired digital space that can be furnished and customized to provide the Animons with appropriate surroundings and activities. However, this remains largely secondary, because it is easy to forget about when the focus shifts to combat and the story.

The game opens up more seriously after the first village, Iris Hamlet. That is when you can begin fighting the Lumens, and it is also worth noting that LumenTale: Memories of Trey is not particularly long. The story can be completed in roughly 12-13 hours. Its greatest strength lies in its art style, because collecting Animons makes you curious about what the next one will look like. The problem is that this comes at the expense of playability.

At several points, the game does not explain certain things, and its tutorials are somewhat hidden away, something the developers should have handled more seriously. The game certainly does not lack charm. It is not bad, but it feels underdeveloped, which is why its score cannot be as strong as it might have deserved. That remains true even when we take into account that the concept is far from original, and that is putting it very mildly.

Gotta Love Them All!

At times like this, it is worth thinking carefully about how to evaluate a game. The world and the Animons’ designs are good, while the mystery surrounding Trey and Talea is what can keep us playing for another hour, then another, and another. The art style and the four-Animon battles also work well, but the gameplay is clunky, and that is exactly why LumenTale: Memories of Trey cannot receive an outstanding score.

Make no mistake, this is a good game, but it needed a little more work and could have become excellent. Ultimately, we cannot see it as much more than a Pokémon clone.

-V-

Publisher: Team17
Developer: Beehive Studios
Genre: 2.5D monster-collecting JRPG
Release Date: May 26, 2026