TOEM (PC) (2021)

Overview: A puzzle adventure where the player character progresses the story by solving problems using the player character's camera.

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20230417:
First session.

Camera and Gamepad Mappings at the start of the game
(more features come later)

Setup: Steam Deck.

Steam Game Time: 29 minutes

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20230422:
My first impression of the game is that it is simple and fun. The core game mechanic involves taking pictures in order to solve various problems. In a way, it's similar to a point-and-click adventure game, but instead of fulfilling quests by picking up and delivering items, the player takes a picture and delivers the photo. In my life, I've only played a handful of games with a camera system. Off the top of my head, these include Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Beyond Good and Evil, and one of the Fatal Frame games (probably Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly).

I like the feel of the game. It has a casual, lighthearted, kindhearted feel to it. Keep in mind, however, I'm saying this with a fair background in playing video games, and it might be possible that a brand new video game player would think of this game as either easy or casual.

Steam Game Time: 2.1 hours (cumulative game time) / 1.6 hours (session game time)

[20230429][20231108 Edit]

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20230502 Snapshot:
Steam Game Time: 2.6 hours (cumulative game time)
Last Played: 20230502

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20231108:
Today I managed to figure out some quests in Stanhamn that previously stumped me. This left me with just one undisovered quest in Stanhamn.

Steam Game Time: 4.1 hours (cumulative game time) / 1.5 hours (session game time)

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20231220:
Gameplay Log:
Today I'm in the next area: Logcity.
I came down to two stamps I was having trouble with: the mysterious man and a photo with 5 living objects
I did at 6.2 hours cumulative game time find the man. I had run circles around the city many times... Not sure what had made this run different for me to choose to look where he was, but good thing I did.
Soon after I also was about to snap 5 living objects, one of which was me. Not sure, I felt like I took a picture of 5 before, or maybe the other picture I took had too many objects.
Start Kiiruberg.
While looking for the Ancient Paintings I couldn't find the sixth one. After a while searching, I read that it is in the next area (Mountain Top).
Trying to finish compendium. Can't find Tato Bug and Cosmo Deer.
Start Basto.

Completed Basto stamps. Can't find some of the Basto compendium.
Managed to find Tato Bug (required finding an energy box, which I found by hearing a strange humming and then noticing there were little black dots eminating from a location)
It was the last energy box I needed to find and I was able to talk to the man in the tower. He unlocked a portal to where I was able to collect Cosmo Deer to complete the compendium for the base game
Went to Stanhamn to figure out how to unlock treasure chest. Walked around for a while. Finally I figured it out. There was this pirate asleep and it occurred to me I should honk to wake her up. She gave me the key to the chest and that was it. Completing this last quest unlocked "Complete all quests in Stanhamn" "Complete all quests in the base game" and "Equip every base game item once" (upon wearing the paper hat she gave)
At this point I have three achievements remaining: "Self portrait" "And some more" "Cool moon" and a hidden achievement.
Back to Basto. Wasn't recorded: Coco crab (investigated rustling in tree)
Figured out the "Cool moon."
I decided to look up the "Self portrait" because my attempts at it don't seem to work. Not sure what's special about these instructions I'm reading though. Ah. Specifically the character has to sit in the chair in front of the painter! This leaves the "And some more" (Basto compendium) achievement for which I still need to find "Itsy Bitsy" and "Tato King." Then I have a hidden achievement which I saw the goal via Steam Global Achievements
I look up the location for "Itsy Bitsy":

"Inside the Cave, there are Glow Worms crawling on the wall. Aim your camera to find a crack on the wall. Splash at it until an "X" is revealed [...]"
Remark: while I had noticed this crack, I would have never thought to splash it with water...

Got the "Tato King"!
Gave a small try at the hidden achievement by looking in Kiiruberg. But it was a half-assed attempt - which I'm okay with looking up the answer to save time: "In Oaklaville, when you go into the hotel, with your camera, look up at the celiing"

Steam Game Time: 12.8 hours (cumulative game time) / 8.7 hours (session game time)

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Thoughts:
Pros:
+ Cute game
+ Great soundtrack
+ Fun game mechanic
+ Casual, take a picture of anything even if it's not for the game
+ Bonus area was added which extends the game a good portion

Neutral:
~ Generally the contents of pictures are recognized by the game, but there are rare finicky exceptions

Rating: 5.2/5

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Summary:
While most of the puzzles in TOEM are straightforward, I welcomed this, and found that the game overall strikes a good distribution of difficulty. Furthermore, I found the game rather charming and worth playing for this charm, in combination with a well-executed camera mechanic.

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TOEM (PC) (2021)

Relevant Links:
TOEM (Wikipedia.org)
TOEM (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
TOEM (steamdb.info)
TOEM (Steam Store Page)