Lushfoil Photography Sim Review - I Hope to Go There Someday
Not many of us will get the chance to travel the world in our lifetime. Some of us may not even leave the country that we call home. That isn’t to say that there’s something wrong with being comfortable and content with where you live, but for those that may dream of diving into a crisp, cool ocean hundreds of thousands of miles away or climbing a mountain taller than any building we’ve ever seen, games like Matt Newell’s Lushfoil Photography Sim give us an escape. It allows us just a small glimpse into some of the most beautiful places that are out there in the wild. It may even inspire someone to take the trip they’ve always wished they could, but never dared to.
Lushfoil Photography Sim is exactly as it sounds - it is a game where players are able to explore different detailed landscapes with a camera, taking photographs wherever and however they want (though there are boundaries so you can’t go too far and get lost). As you explore, you’ll uncover a board with different photos which act as a sort of mini-game. The goal is to find the locations where the photographs were taken and replicate those photos. Completing each photo prompts a sound queue which lets you know that you’ve got it and can move on. These photos aren’t the main goal of the game, in fact, there actually isn’t a main goal of the game. Really.
Even though Lushfoil encourages players to take their time and explore, I had a hard time NOT focusing on the objective of collecting each of the photographs. I always had those photos in the back of my mind while I explored each level. As someone who plays games as a career it’s hard to turn off that part of my brain that nags at me to complete objectives, but once I’d found each of the locations and taken my photos, that’s when the game really opened up for me and I found myself messing around with the camera settings and trying to find a good angle for a photo. I think a lot of players will have a similar experience. It’s not that we don’t want to slow down and appreciate the scenery, it’s just that that objective board calls to us like it’s our destiny.
As someone with absolutely zero experience using a professional camera, I never felt overwhelmed or pressured to mess around too much with the camera settings. Tutorials are scattered around the levels which will go more in-depth into some of the ways that you can manipulate your photographs as if you were using a professional DSLR camera, teaching you to change up the focus, exposure, aperture and things, but you can complete the game without ever touching a single setting if that’s what you want. It’s not about taking the perfect photo, it’s about capturing the places and things that you find unique in whatever way makes you happy.
The more you progress in the game, you’ll find that there’s much more than what meets the eye here. Each level does have the photographs for you to duplicate, but there’s other things to discover like paper airplanes that you can toss and watch float through the air or a surfboard that you can climb on and venture out into the ocean. There are even more surprises waiting for you if you’re able to successfully replicate the photos in the level. I don’t want to mention any of the other things that you can do in the game because it’s so fun discovering them for yourself, but the surprises are abundant and always a joy to find.
There are also items to collect as you explore. In West Australia there’s sunblock that you can find and collect, in Italy there’s suitcases. You can also find different cameras if you pay close attention. Each camera lets you take pictures and gives you a chance to appreciate how a photo taken by a regular old digital camera may differ from your professional DSLR. Lushfoil has loads of things hidden in the cracks and crevices of each level, pushing players to explore as much as they can find every secret.
On a personal note, a few years ago my best friend in the entire world moved to Australia to be with the love of her life. I’ve never been more happy to see a friend move away because I knew that it was such an amazing chance for her to be happy. But, despite how easy it is to connect with our friends online now, I still miss her every day. So, I got a little emotional walking around South West Australia. I know it’s silly, especially considering Australia is a huge continent and this location is probably ages and ages away from where she lives, but for a brief moment I could picture myself really being there, sitting with her by the fire and catching up on the dozens of things that worry us or the things that make us happy. And I think it takes a really special game to invoke these kinds of emotions, especially one that doesn’t have characters or a story to connect with. You’re connecting with the environment and the atmosphere and letting your imagination guide you.
Lushfoil Photography Sim will make you homesick for places that you’ve never been. It will have you yearning for snow kissed mountain tops and the quiet french countryside. Lushfoil is so much more than a game where you can take photographs at locations around the world. It teaches you to pay attention to the little details - angles and aperture and point of view. But it also encourages you to appreciate the bigger picture. To slow down and breathe and listen because there’s so few moments that we get like that. Quiet, special moments that make us smile and remember that we’re only here for a short time and we should enjoy it in any way that we can.
Breakdown
Name: Lushfoil Photography Sim
Developer: Matt Newell
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
Availability: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Game Length: About 8 hours
Reviewed on PC
Final Thoughts
Lushfoil Photography Sim is a really special game. Whether you’re a professional photographer or a complete beginner, there’s something to love about it. My favorite part was hunting down the collectibles, but there are others that will prefer wandering around and taking in the scenery without worrying about objectives or things to find. That’s the beauty of it - you can pretty much play it however you wish. I don’t give out 10/10s lightly, but Lushfoil’s locations are breathtaking, the soundtrack is relaxing and I think anyone will be hard pressed to find something quite like this one.