Republished on Wednesday, August 31, 2022: Following the announcement of the PlayStation Plus lineup in September, I’m reviving this review from the archives. The original is below.
Toem is a very exhilarating experience. The game’s scope is fairly small, but developer Something We Made managed to double down on its novel premise. It’s a fun adventure.
You set off on a pilgrimage to find the famous phenomenon on top of the mountain. To get there, explore a series of adorable locations, complete small puzzles and objectives to earn stamps, and take the bus to the next stop. Presented in black and white, it’s an interesting choice for a game about photography, but despite its lack of color, it’s packed with engaging and memorable moments. You’ll have to help dozens of characters with different tasks using the camera (which you’ll receive several useful upgrades as you progress). Find scouts hiding in the woods, help repair generators, or take ghosts on dates. These goals are wonderfully creative and non-repeating. The whole journey gives you new things to see and do.
When taking pictures, you can transition from an isometric view to a first-person view, allowing you to see the world from a different perspective and see things you otherwise wouldn’t be able to see. You can snap anything you like. The only limitation is the photo album capacity. Each environment is full of cute and fun things to photograph and lots of secrets to discover while you’re there. In fact, with the game’s soothing music and backtracking features, you’ll find yourself taking a sweet moment just to soak it all in.
It’s a very simple game that can easily be finished in a weekend, but as long as it lasts, it’s a satisfying, imaginative, and endlessly fun adventure.
