Getting Started

Getting Started

New to LumenTale: Memories of Trey? This guide covers the first things to know as you begin your journey as Trey across the world of Talea. For a deeper walkthrough, see the Beginners Guide.

The Basics

This is a monster collector RPG. You explore the world, catch creatures called Animon with a device called the Holoken, and battle in turn-based fights. Your goal is to build a team, progress the story, and uncover Trey's lost memories.

Try the Demo First

A free demo is available on Steam, released on February 12, 2026, roughly four months before the full game. Save files from the demo carry over into the full release, so any progress you make on the opening hours stays with you when you start the full game on day one. The demo includes a slice of the main story, online matches with its available Animon, the trading card minigame, and the chance to meet rare Animon Lost Forms.

Your First Animon

Early on you are temporarily given a Lampecko, then you choose a Starter Animon (you receive it during the catching tutorial after the Searching for Ales quest). The five starters each cover a different elemental type and emotional attribute, so pick whichever appeals to you. The choice mainly shapes which matchups feel easy at the start; you will round out your team quickly. The five options are:

First Steps

1. Follow the opening story to learn the controls and basics.

2. Choose your starter Animon when prompted.

3. Start catching wild Animon with the Holoken as you explore.

4. Battle to level your team and unlock new areas.

5. Visit a Fountain to craft items and cook food before long trips.

6. Set up your Anispace early so your roster has a home base from the start.

Catching Animon

There are two ways to catch an Animon: throw a Bilia in the field with the Holoken, or weaken it first in battle (below 50% health) and catch it there. You can aim before throwing to land a cleaner hit. After a Bilia connects, a QTE decides whether the catch succeeds; failing it enrages the Animon, so switch to Animon Mode and strike again to stun it, since catching a stunned target is easier. Against stronger or higher-level Animon, opening with Animon Mode starts the battle with an advantage. See How to Catch Animon.

Allocate Stats Yourself

Every level-up gives an Animon Stat Points that the game does not assign for you. Open the Animon tab in the menu, pick a creature, and use the Stat Management screen to distribute points across its six core stats. Distributing points is essential, or your Animon will feel weak even at a high level. Points can be redistributed later, so experiment freely. See How to Increase Stats.

Scan to Research Enemies

In battle you can scan an enemy to learn about it. One scan reveals part of its weakness chart, two reveal the full chart, and three reveal everything, including its Hidden Type, stats, moveset, and evolution line. Scanning uses a turn, so time it well. Enemy info you uncover is saved to the in-game Animon index index, which unlocks once you leave Iris Hamlet and tracks your captures, stats, items, and collectibles.

Fast Travel

Once you have visited your first city and its Lumen Club, you can fast travel to any Lumen Club you have already been to. Open the world map, find the blue marker on a city (cities are shown with a diamond icon), and confirm. See How to Fast Travel.

Useful Controls

A few key actions to learn early (PC keyboard / Switch):

On PC, only a few functions can be rebound. See List of All Controls for the complete list.

Pick a Difficulty

The game has Easy, Normal, and Ace difficulties, changed any time in System settings under Preferences. Normal is the default and still challenging; Ace makes enemies smarter and hit harder and restricts Anispace access in the field, which helps if you become overleveled from heavy catching. See Difficulty Differences and How to Change.

Learn the Systems Early

What to Do Next

Once you have the basics down, read Tips and Tricks for advice that saves time, and Leveling and Progression for how your Animon grow.