TOEM: A Photo Adventure

Vacation vibes without the friction

Why

• Exactly as wholesome/cozy as it looks
• Great for short bursts of playtime
• A bunch of cool little quirky interactions

Why Not

• You're looking for action/a challenge

Impressions

TOEM is exactly what it seems; a chill, wholesome and whimsical journey which is more than the (admittedly fairly cool) destination. The gameplay loop boils down to enter biome -> help x people by taking photos of various things -> get enough stickers to move onto the next biome, which sounds simple but is carried by the sheer amount of care and charm put into the world. You'll see plenty of cute critters, strange happenings and odd flora which compel you to take a snap just for the memory, some of which end up being useful for a task you're given later anyway. TOEM's strength comes from the whole game encouraging you to take your time and appreciate it, further enhanced by it being a fantastic game to play in short bursts (like your limited evening gaming time while The Wife is in the shower). I got more than the required stickers from each biome, including the additional postgame island, and still clocked in at 4.5 hours played. You'd be doing yourself a disservice if you powered through all that in one sitting though, like trying to visit Paris & Berlin in one day. Instead take your time, relax, and enjoy the journey.