They pop in and out of visibility seemingly at random. A friendly right in front of you might have the name missing while you can see that of another across the street, or vice versa. However, these are displayed with irritating inconsistency. Teammates are, as you would expect, identified by usernames visible above their heads. More often than I care to admit, I'll be killed because I'm not being careful enough, or my reactions are too slow-but there is one significant issue that results in many unfair, frustrating deaths. Weapon handling is harsh but fair, and makes each kill immensely satisfying. Heck, anti-tank rockets will even fail to detonate if you're too close to the target. Ballistics lean heavily toward realism, and if you're being attacked from a distance and you only have iron sights, the best thing you can do is take cover and flank (or run away heroically). It's unlikely you'll get to do a lot of shooting in a Squad match, but when you do, there's little room for error.
#Toem game review full#
Matches are full of similar little moments that organically establish a tense and unpredictable atmosphere. I warned him about a sniper, he thanked me, then continued on his way. This is one of the first things I learned and so, when I was carefully creeping through some trees, I wasn't surprised when somebody from another squad came up alongside me and asked if there was danger near. Expect to get killed a lot by players you never even see. Even when playing as a lowly grunt, it can be a literal lifesaver, and if nothing else, it adds to the atmosphere.ĭeath comes quickly and easily in this game. When playing as squad leader, it allows me to communicate with the commander and the other squad leaders, not to mention the members of my own squad. Ordinarily, I leave my headset a safe distance from my mouth and ears when playing online, but I use it constantly while playing Squad. Almost as important is communication in general. This 3-6 hour adventure was a perfect snapshot trip for anyone who wants a relaxing, engaging, and wholesome journey to explore.Working as a team is essential. TOEM absolutely captured my attention from start to finish. + Relaxing adventure that doesn’t feel forced upon the player + Charming characters with their own stories to tell
#Toem game review Pc#
Additionally, since this game is monochrome, color blindness isn’t an issue for any of the puzzles.Īvailability: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PC There’s also a compendium to fill with all the creatures you find and a trophy list within the game to explore if you want to stay immersed in the world a little longer.Īccessibility-wise, there wasn’t any option to adjust font sizes, but there are several features to change how you can maneuver the camera and invert controls. And, just like before, if I was stuck on something, I would work on completing another objective, and eventually was able to piece everything together. Instead, the puzzles offered either environmental or written cues to help me along my way. Luckily, none were overtly obtuse or frustratingly abstract. In addition to these overarching objectives, there are several puzzle elements required to advance the story. These updated mechanics with the camera felt natural and meaningful, allowing for more fun and a bit more complicated puzzles to solve. As the story progresses, you eventually gain a bit more customization for the camera and additional items that can help offer a wider lens of options for you to experiment with. At the start, you have your basic camera with a zoom and that’s pretty much it. It’s also worth noting that my time with the game on PlayStation 5 played as smooth as butter - no crashes, hiccups, nor framerate slowdowns.Īs in the title of the game, the main gameplay mechanic revolves around the camera and the photos you take along the pilgrimage to TOEM. I found this to be a fantastic touch that more games should implement - especially since I had a few favorites that I played on repeat. The songs often fit the activity that you’re engaging with at that moment, but you’re able to go into the menu and choose what songs you want to listen to. As you progress through each of the levels, you’re able to collect cassettes with relaxing songs that you can listen to on your adventure. In addition to the beautiful visuals, the audio also offers incredible atmospheric immersion.