TOEM 2 Review
There’s magic in the minutiae of everyday life, if only we would stop and see it.
If the essence of a game can be boiled down to a single phrase, then TOEM 2 is the digital embodiment of the folk wisdom “stop and smell the roses.” This cozy journey, a mix of photography, exploration, and puzzle-solving, is developer Something We Made’s follow-up to their much-beloved 2021 title, TOEM: A Photo Adventure. Our plucky protagonist has returned alongside some familiar faces and a parade of new quirky characters in a vibrantly monochrome world. Once again we are reminded that we will miss the big picture if we don’t stop to notice the little things.
TOEM 2 follows the new journey of our chipper young adventurer who sets off from home with their camera and the dream of attending the Whirlhill Festival, several towns away. But of course the bus line only reaches so far per stop, so the journey includes visits to the quaint, picturesque and jovial towns along the way. Boarding the bus to each subsequent town requires that you collect a minimum number of stamps, which you earn by performing fetch quests for townsfolk at your current stop. Because of course it does. The whole game, in fact, operates on the same kind of rules that you might expect from an episode of The Smurfs. Nothing anyone tells you quite makes sense, but they’re all so charming and a little bit befuddled, that it doesn’t really matter.
TOEM 2 in Action
If you’re coming in having played the original TOEM: A Photo Adventure, you’ll find the format hasn’t changed dramatically. You’ll spend most of the time exploring the 3D environments in a third person view, stopping occasionally to enter the first person camera mode. Most of the townspeople have requests that you can solve by taking photos of the people, places and things they’re looking for. But occasionally you’ll also need to use those classic camera attachments that you’ll pick up along the way: the scissors, hammer and screwdriver. See what I told you? Smurf logic!
Our plucky protagonist has returned alongside some familiar faces and a parade of new quirky characters in a vibrantly monochrome world. Once again we are reminded that we will miss the big picture if we don’t stop to notice the little things.
Dubious hardware store attachments and all, the photo mode is a delight to use. The zoom and focus have well-polished controls, so you don’t have to fiddle very much to get the exact shot you want. In fact, I often found myself taking a minute or two after getting the photo I needed for a quest, just trying to get the perfect shot for my own collection. For players who don’t enjoy backtracking, subtle frames will appear around key objects and places that you’ll need for a quest, even if you haven’t unlocked the quest itself yet. Taking photos preemptively also helped me with the “I’ve seen that already, but where was it?” phenomenon.
A second helping of a tasty little treat
For anyone who may be wondering if they will enjoy TOEM 2 without having played the original game, I think this is actually a perfect entry point to the TOEM universe. Something We Made carried all of the humor and charm of the original into the sequel, sprinkled some quality of life touches onto the experience, but largely left the formula that made TOEM so delightful the same.
Superfans of TOEM will be very happy with this sequel. You’re getting something you already love, in much the same package, with some welcome improvements. Did I mention you can jump and climb in TOEM 2? The new look and feel of the 3D environments brings so much new texture and life to the game, and gives the 2D illustrated characters an excellent backdrop from which to pop.
TOEM 2 Trailer
For players who enjoyed TOEM and are hoping for a brand new twist or expansion on the core elements of the original, however, you might need to recalibrate your expectations. TOEM 2 is more of a good thing, and further proof that great things can come in small packages, but it doesn’t reinvent the wheel of what made the original enjoyable.
Most importantly of all, the central message of the series remains the same. Even with its bite-sized 2-4 hour playtime, the wisdom of TOEM 2 leaves a lasting impression, because it rings true. The world is filled with magic, and the only way for us to miss it is if we don’t stop to look around.
Get to the point, girl
Emily’s Score: 8/10
Emily was provided with a review key of TOEM 2 by popagenda
About No Small Games
No Small Games is an indie game recap and review podcast brought to you by hosts Kate and Emily! They became friends while streaming on Twitch and bonded over their love of indie video games. In each episode of No Small Games, the two will discuss an indie game they both played independently. They’ll compare their experiences: the good, the bad, their most memorable moments of their playthroughs.
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