TOEM: A Photo Adventure – A Wholesome and Whimsical Expedition

TOEM: A Photo Adventure - Key Art

“You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” – Ansel Adams

Overview

TOEM: A Photo Adventure is a charming hand-drawn adventure game in which players embark on a photo-filled expedition through an array of charming landscapes filled with quirky characters and cute critters.

Developer: Something We Made
Released: 17th September 2021
Price: £15.49- £16.75
Engine: Unity

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox One/Series X|S, Switch, PS5
Available on: Steam, GOG, Epic, Humble, Microsoft, eShop, PlayStation

TOEM A Photo Adventure Screenshot - Forest

Narrative

TOEM: A Photo Adventure has a fairly minimal overarching narrative that follows the protagonist as they embark on an adventure to witness, and photograph, a magical natural phenomenon – TOEM. Sent on their way by their grandmother, they meet a host of wonderfully loveable and friendly characters along the way, help them with their problems and learn a little about each one. The narrative, much like the rest of the experience, is incredibly wholesome and light-hearted and adds to the calming and uplifting feel of the experience.

TOEM A Photo Adventure Screenshot - Camera

Gameplay

Snapping photos makes up the majority of the gameplay in TOEM: A Photo Adventure, along with exploration, and light puzzle-solving. There is a selection of areas, such as the city or the mountains, that must be travelled through in order to reach the magical TOEM. In each one, a minimum number of stamps must be obtained in order to earn a bus ticket to the next location. Stamps are earned by completing tasks for the various characters encountered along the way. Most tasks involve taking a photo of something, which could mean finding a specific item or character or capturing a specific event amongst other things. Quests include things such as finding a sock, photographing monsters, and getting the perfect shot of a hotel all of which can be tracked in a quest log.

The player has a photo album that can hold 256 photos, these can be taken for fun, or to complete quests and tasks. There is also a compendium of critters to find, these photos are stored separately, however. As the game progresses, the camera gains additional functions such as filters and frames, a tripod and a horn which adds an extra aspect to some of the tasks and adds layers of fun to casual photography. There is also a selection of cosmetic items to be found, a handful of which will have added effects, such as a speed increase or decrease.

A free DLC is also available, added as a thank you from the developers. This gives the players the opportunity to explore a new area, Bastro Island, meet lots of new characters and take a bunch of new photos.

TOEM A Photo Adventure Screenshot - Quest Log

Styling

TOEM: A Photo Adventure uses a hand-drawn black-and-white, cartoon art style with blocky shading and bold outlines. The game plays in third-person but switches to first-person when the player is taking photographs. The overall look is incredibly cute and whimsical, emphasised by the delightful settings and characters.

Silly mumbling noises replace any voice-acting, and this, along with the adorable sound effects and jovial, upbeat music help bring the cartoon world to life whilst adding to the charming and relaxing aesthetic. The soundtrack is mostly diegetic as the music is listened to on an in-game ‘hike-lady’. Individual tracks can be collected during gameplay and the player may decide what to listen to at any given time.

TOEM A Photo Adventure Screenshot - Party

Summary

TOEM: A Photo Adventure is an obvious labour of love that offers a charming, stylised aesthetic, an upbeat and relaxing interactive soundtrack, fun and engaging gameplay, and a whimsical and uplifting narrative full of quirky characters. Including the free DLC, the game will take around 6-8 hours to complete and the overall experience is wholesome, light-hearted and a lot of fun. The challenges are light to moderate, maintaining a chilled-out feel whilst still being incredibly satisfying. I thoroughly enjoyed this game and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for something laid-back to play.

If you’re looking for more photography games, take a look at these reviews:
Flutter Away – A Short but Delightful Photography GameBeasts of Maravilla Island: A Magical New Photography GamePupperazzi – Relax with this Cute Dog Photography Game!

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