TOEM 2 Review: A Charming Photo Adventure That Plays It Safe

Ever wanted to help a troll by photographing three goats on different ledges? That's just one of the many quirky puzzles in TOEM 2, the follow-up to 2021's TOEM: A Photo Adventure from developer Something We Made. This monochrome isometric game has you playing as a young lad traveling through three distinct towns, taking photos to help townsfolk and earn bus tickets to move on. It's a hidden object game, but not like June's Journey—TOEM 2's world is dynamic, surprising, and an absolute delight.

The foundation remains exactly the same as the original. You leave your quaint home to witness a seasonal event called the toem, and along the way, you snap photos of everything from hidden garden gnomes to stinky cheese and cute critters. Each town is a series of connected dioramas rendered in soft 3D black and white, while the townsfolk retain a flatter, hand-drawn aesthetic that makes them pop. The puzzles often chain together: an invisible man needs a potion, the potion maker needs toadstools, and so on. It's all about encouraging exploration, and you'll frequently stumble upon something silly—like a cat hiding in a flower pot—that probably means something later.

What sets TOEM 2 apart is the unique gimmick tied to each town's camera. In Cropten, a farmland town overrun by vines, a little worm attaches scissors to your camera, turning point-and-shoot into point-and-snip. The other towns, Taletorp and Deltburg, have their own tools and ongoing storylines. You'll meet charming townsfolk who tutorialize your new abilities and become friends to wander with. The game lasts about four or five hours, and its simple premise never feels like a chore. In fact, each world is so individually delightful that you won't want to rush through any location.

There are more puzzles than bus tickets required to progress, so once you've collected enough tickets, the only incentive to continue is the sheer joy of discovery. You might help a scarecrow see the world by snapping him into different locations—high up, by a fireplace, or with pesky birds. Or you might hunt for three hidden gnomes, checking every nook and cranny. Joy in TOEM 2 is hopping off objects, navigating curving platforms to reach the farthest peaks just for a new perspective. It's one of those rare games where you're eager to seek out everything there is to discover.

However, TOEM 2's biggest limitation is that the original TOEM is fantastic. Using a camera to engage with the world felt exceptionally novel back in 2021, and TOEM 2's camera upgrades and tools don't necessarily elevate it beyond that level of uniqueness. The art style has also shifted: while characters retain the hand-drawn look, the world and items are now computer-modeled. It's still lovely and well-crafted, but it doesn't feel like an improvement or expansion. Most prominently, TOEM's puzzles were a bit more engaging. TOEM 2 is very gentle, effortlessly guiding you through its photographic treasure hunt. It's breezy to play, and while that's not necessarily bad, the touch of friction in the first game encouraged a deeper engagement.

Still, if you loved the original and want more of its charming world, TOEM 2 delivers. It's a cozy, delightful experience that will make you smile, even if it doesn't break new ground. Will you be picking this up? Let us know in the comments!