Toem 2 Review – Happy Smile For The Camera

Toem 2 might retread old ground, but when it is this joyous, what does it matter if it’s not a reimagining of its charming formula?

One of those nights where I had recently finished a long game, the famous gaming slump was starting to set in. Never one to quit, I boot up a quirky black-and-white game that was gifted to me as a hail mary. Breezy and cheery, its simple tasks of photographing people, animals, and things were a welcome change of pace. It was not long until I rolled credits, tearing up at that last scene that reminded me of how beautiful life can be. Never would I have known that years later we would have a just as joyous sequel in Toem 2.

Funnily enough, I played Toem 2 under similar circumstances. There’s just something about chill, rainy evenings spent immersed in carefully crafted worlds. Alas, for the uninitiated, this is a game where the stakes are low and the bliss is high. Primarily a photography adventure, Toem 2 has you exploring through small diorama levels filled with scrungly characters and even more unique requests. Collecting stamps to move on to the next area to eventually witness Toem—a stunning natural phenomenon—it would be irresponsible of me to simply focus on the busywork because it is so much more than that.

Everything works in service of how laid-back it all is. From the subdued black-and-white color palette (until it isn’t) to the whole game being completable in under 5 hours, this is one detour you’ll love to take. Starting from your granny’s house, who tasks you to see said phenomenon with your very eyes and bring proof, she gives you a camera, and away you go. Visiting a city, a medieval town, and more, the first and most endearing quest you are always given is “to make a friend.” If Toem 2 not melt a cynical heart, I do not know what will.

As mentioned, to progress to the next area, you must collect stamps in your handbook by helping people with their very silly conundrums. For instance, a man has lost his donkey, and you must locate and show him where it is. Or a troll on a bridge who wants to see pictures of goats. Among the more relatable ones, a big-city man is yawning before getting to work, hoping someone brings him a piping hot coffee. These are but a few of the many charming adventures you will merrily embark on.

Of course, as sequels do, there are new improvements and mechanics to play around with. Apart from taking pictures, much like the first game, there are now tools that you can use while pointing with the camera. A screwdriver, a hammer (that is used to BONK nails), and garden shears each present a distinct set of problems to solve in your journey. It never gets too complex, as the game’s mantra of being a fun little adventure is kept throughout.

This does not mean that there aren’t any challenges either. Certain achievements that require you to go off the beaten path are not as easy as the main quest suggests. Unlike the first game, Toem 2 allows you to jump and climb, which adds a degree of difficulty. Reaching the top of a tower akin to Rapunzel’s actually took me several tries to successfully achieve. Other less strenuous goals basically asked me to be more observant and maybe even change my perspective. For a game about photography, it is refreshing that its raison d’être is alive and well here.

What truly elevates Toem 2 as the pristine experience that it is, though, is its sounds. First, the soundtrack, composed by Jamal Green and Launchable Socks, will appear when a track plays. And its various blends of playfulness and curiosity that are so thoughtfully imbued into the game’s essence shine here. Then you have the sound effects. Every character speaks in a funny dialect that you expect them to sound like. A sculptor, to illustrate, will sound as pompous as you imagine. The camera itself has a satisfying mechanical ticking sound when zooming in. And the brief drums when completing a quest? Oh, simply perfect.

Verdict

Not every sequel needs to reinvent the wheel. It is just as important when a game maintains its identity while bringing a couple of new things to the table. Small but meaningful changes can go a long way. Clueless that there would ever be a sequel, what a joy it is to live in a world where a game like Toem 2 exists. Taking photographs, making friends, admiring everything life has to offer. It doesn’t get better than that, and developer Something We Made knows it.