Game: Lumentale: Memories of Trey
Genre: Action, RPG, Adventure.
System: Steam (Windows) (also on Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PlayStation)
Developer|Publisher: Beehive Studios | Team 17
Controller Support: Yes
Steam Deck: Playable
Price: US $24.99 | UK £21.99 | EU € 24,99
Release Date: May 26th, 2026
Review code provided with many thanks to Press Engine.
Lumentale: Memories of Trey, Taking On a Giant
I always think it’s exceptionally brave when developers decide to step into the monster-catching RPG genre. Let’s be honest here, when you make a creature-collecting game, comparisons to The Pokémon Company are basically unavoidable. It’s the giant sitting in the room staring at everybody else. Plenty of developers have attempted to challenge that formula over the years, and while there have certainly been some good if not great efforts, it’s a very difficult thing to pull off successfully.
LumenTale: Memories of Trey doesn’t feel like it’s trying to fell the monster (or cause it to faint). This is very clearly a passion project. You can feel it throughout the entire experience, from the world-building to the battle systems to the sheer amount of detail poured into its lore. Now, is this game going to dethrone Pokémon? Probably not. But honestly, I don’t think that’s what it’s trying to do.
Instead, LumenTale feels more focused on carving out its own identity while still embracing the cozy appeal of catching monsters, building teams, and exploring a colourful fantasy world. And for the most part, I think it succeeds.
An Amnesiac Hero and Rich Lore
You play as Trey, a somewhat cybernetic protagonist who wakes up suffering from one of gaming’s favourite conditions: amnesia. Yes, we’ve all seen the “who am I?” storyline before, and admittedly, Trey himself took a little while to fully click with me. However, what kept me invested wasn’t necessarily Trey alone; it was the world around him.
The game’s setting, Talea, is genuinely fascinating. There’s a huge amount of lore woven into the world, particularly surrounding the divide between the technologically advanced northern regions and the more traditional southern lands. You’ve got political tensions, regional history, stories about the mysterious Animon creatures, and the organisation known as the Lumen, which essentially acts as protectors throughout the world. It feels like a setting that’s had genuine thought put into it.
As Trey journeys across the regions, recovering memories and learning more about himself, you gradually uncover more about the world’s history and the emotional energy known as Anivis that connects both people and monsters alike. I especially liked the supporting cast, too. Trey’s travelling companion, Ales and the various NPCs you encounter throughout the adventure have a nice chemistry to them, which helps the story feel warm and approachable even when it starts exploring more emotional themes.
Catching Monsters Never Gets Old
Of course, the big appeal here is the monster collecting itself. The creatures, known as Animon, are found wandering around the world, and capturing them involves using your Holoken device. Rather than purely random encounters, you can actively engage with creatures out in the environment, which already makes exploration feel more interactive.
The catching system itself uses a quick-time event mechanic after throwing your Holoken, this was probably one of the few areas I wasn’t entirely sold on. You need to react fairly quickly with timed button presses to secure a successful capture, and while it works fine, I did occasionally wish it were toned down just a little. Still, if you fail, you can either try again or jump straight into battle instead. Battles themselves are where LumenTale really starts showing off some clever ideas.
Smart Combat With Plenty of Flexibility
At first glance, battles will feel familiar to anybody who enjoys turn-based monster RPGs. Different elemental abilities exploit enemy weaknesses, and building a balanced team matters a lot. However, the game adds some genuinely interesting twists through its SP and TP systems. SP acts as your resource pool for special abilities, while TP gradually builds during combat when exploiting weaknesses and using certain moves. Once TP is filled, you can unleash abilities without SP cost for a period of time.
What makes this more interesting is how your party size affects these systems. You can bring up to four Animon into battle simultaneously, but doing so means your SP and TP requirements become spread across the whole team. Meanwhile, running with fewer monsters can actually make certain strategies much more efficient. Rather than simply encouraging players to always stack the largest possible team, the game gives you reasons to experiment with different approaches depending on your playstyle.
Convenience Is the Secret Strength Here
One thing LumenTale absolutely nails is convenience. Honestly, I think this might be one of the game’s biggest strengths. The game does a fantastic job of reducing the usual frustrations that can sometimes come with monster-catching RPGs. You can scan enemies to instantly reveal weaknesses, and once you’ve discovered those weaknesses, the information permanently carries over into future battles. That means less menu digging and less memorisation.
Grinding is also handled surprisingly well. Stronger monsters can instantly auto-defeat weaker enemies, which massively speeds up levelling and prevents backtracking from becoming tedious. Newly caught Animon can also catch up quickly thanks to experience balancing systems and useful upgrade items. It all feels designed to respect the player’s time. That may sound like a small thing, but honestly, it makes the overall experience significantly smoother and more enjoyable.
Exploration, Crafting, and Gorgeous Presentation
Outside of battles, the game also includes crafting mechanics through special fountains scattered across the world. You can combine ingredients to create useful items and food buffs for your Animon, and while it starts out feeling a little experimental, it becomes much easier to manage once recipes are discovered properly.
Exploration itself is enjoyable too because objectives are clearly marked on your map. Side quests and story progression are easy to follow, which keeps the pacing moving nicely without becoming overwhelming.
Visually, the game looks fantastic. The combination of 3D environments with 2D sprite characters works extremely well, and the camera often shifts dynamically during exploration to create more cinematic angles and showcase the environments. The regions themselves are varied and colourful, helping the adventure constantly feel fresh as you move between different areas. And while not every Animon is instantly iconic, there’s still a really strong variety across the game’s roughly 140 creatures. You’ll definitely end up finding favourites among them.
The soundtrack deserves special praise, too. The music hit me harder than I expected. There are some genuinely emotional melodies throughout the game, mixed alongside more adventurous and energetic themes during exploration and combat. It’s one of those soundtracks that quietly elevates almost every moment.
Conclusion: Gotta Holoken Them All
LumenTale: Memories of Trey may not reinvent the monster-catching RPG genre, but it absolutely succeeds at creating a charming, thoughtful, and genuinely enjoyable adventure of its own. What impressed me most wasn’t necessarily Trey’s amnesia storyline, although it does improve as the game progresses, but rather the incredible amount of care poured into the world itself. Talea feels alive, rich with history, and full of personality.
The combat systems are fun, the convenience features remove a lot of genre frustration, exploration feels rewarding, and the game constantly encourages experimentation with team building and monster collection.
Most importantly, though, it’s just enjoyable to play. It captures that comforting feeling of slowly building your collection, exploring new regions, and discovering new favourite creatures without making progression feel like a chore.
If you enjoy monster-collecting RPGs, there’s a very good chance LumenTale: Memories of Trey will charm you too. It may not knock the giants off their throne, but it absolutely earns its place alongside them as a genuinely heartfelt and enjoyable adventure.
Final Verdict: I Like it a Lot
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