Toem 2 gets a demo, and yes, you’ve got a screwdriver now
The cosy photo adventure is back
- TOEM 2's demo is live following Wholesome Direct
- New tools like camera attachments expand puzzle-solving
- Full release planned for summer; mobile still unconfirmed
The original Toem ended up on mobile eventually, after launching on Switch and PC. Whether Toem 2 follows the same path is still an open question, but Something We Made and popagenda used the Wholesome Direct this month to drop a playable demo, so at least there's something to go on.
Toem 2 is a photo adventure, same as its BAFTA-winning predecessor. You're out with a camera, wandering through cosy environments, helping people out, cataloguing critters, filling a journal with stamps. Jupiter reviewed the original Toem and gave it 4.5 out of 5, so the foundations are pretty solid going in.
The demo takes you through part of Deltburg, a European-inspired city with an aquarium and, apparently, citizens who need help from a tourist with a camera and a screwdriver. That last bit is new.
The camera has attachments this time around, letting you solve problems in ways that go a bit beyond just pointing and shooting. Will that open things up meaningfully or just give you a few extra puzzle types to run through? Hard to say from a demo alone.
The stamp system is back too, which is how you move into the next region. You’re filling it out as you go, finishing quests, logging discoveries, that sort of thing. It just keeps things moving without making a big deal out of it.
There's also a genuine “set your own pace” ethos built in. No timers and no hard requirements for full completion. Sit on a bench, listen to music, smell the flowers. Toem 2 is not going to drag you anywhere.
A summer release is still the plan, on Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC. Mobile is unconfirmed, though the original did make it over eventually.
For something you can play right now, check out our picks for the best puzzle games on iOS.
