Toem: Taking Pictures to Help the Community
Pop art from Toem Press Kit
I didn’t know what to expect from Toem. I haven’t played a lot of photography games, but I was really drawn in by the art style and the music of the game. I was also looking for a game that wasn’t based around combat or violence. So I loaded up Toem offline and I’m so glad that I did. I first played it in early 2023, spending time in the world created by Something We Made.
The premise of Toem is pretty straightforward. You’re a kid who takes a camera out into the world to start discover the beauty of Toem Mountain, but along the way you also use your camera to help the people around you. Each bus stop in the game has a full cast of characters and community members who are seeking one kind of help or another as they go about their lives. Over the course of the game you’ll help everyone from ghosts to hot dog shop owners to sand castle constructors.
That’s part of the peaceful beauty of Toem. As your character traverses the world, there’s nothing more important than stopping to notice everything around you. You’re rewarded for finding small creatures around the world and noticing how they exist in their space. There are special portraits for different characters that help you see their unique beauty in the world. In one section of the game, you’re tasked with watching a snail make it to a finish line in a race. Toem is all about taking a moment to just experience the world happening around you. And, right now, I think that’s such an important thing to do.
If you’re looking for a quick game that helps you look more deeply at the small parts of life, Toem takes about 6-8 hours if you’re going for 100% (which I encourage). It’ll remind you of the importance of helping folk around you in the ways that you can. In a time when it’s essential that we all figure out what our piece is in making the world a future where we can all thrive, Toem offers us a look at how even just the ability to take pictures can help build a new future. If nothing else, I encourage you to check out the game’s soundtrack on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to music. Jamal Green did some excellent work on it and I frequently listen to it during work or when I need some background music.
Image from Toem Press Kit
After the game’s initial release, the devs launched free DLC and added an entire area to the game called Basto. The lil island adventure added more opportunities to take some dope pictures and explore a new part of the Toem world. I don’t always go back to play the DLC of the games that I’ve finished, but I went back to visit Basto and had no regrets. It’s a great addition to an already fun game and it let me spend a lil more time with my camera.
Image from Toem Press Kit
Overall, Toem is an excellent adventure focused on helping the community and taking cute pictures. It stands up as a great game that offers the opportunity to slow down and appreciate the world around you. I’d highly recommend it for anyone who might be interested, no matter what kind of game you typically play.
