Photo Mode has become a massive part of modern day video games, with players taking the time to take the perfect shot of their favorite characters or locations. However, there has also been an increase in games based all around taking pictures, simply known by players as photography games.
These photography games are growing in popularity, especially in the indie space. And when it comes to indie games, no platform is as accommodating for publishing games by indie developers quite like the PC. And luckily for PC players, there are tons of great photography games on Steam to choose from.
7 Alekon
A lot of photography games put an emphasis on taking photos of various creatures that live in the area, but rarely are these creatures that can be interacted with after the fact. In Alekon, players get to not only take a photo of a creature but then befriend them through quests.
Each level of Alekon gives players new areas to journey through and find creatures to take photos of. After a level, players can wander around a hub where some of the creatures they snapped a photo of will be present. Here, they are able to take on tasks as well as play mini-games hosted by these creatures.
6 Beasts Of Maravilla Island
Exploring nature in general is sure to produce photo-worthy moments, and Beasts of Maravilla Island is all about exploring a mystical island filled with creatures that the real world has never quite seen before. That is, until photographer Marina Montez takes a shot of them.
As Marina, players will be tasked with saving Maravilla Island by capturing every aspect of it. Players can explore the island, climb trees, and use the environment to solve a variety of puzzles that will grant Marina access to move of the island's wildlife. There are over 50 different creatures to spot in the game.
5 Fatal Frame: Mask Of The Lunar Eclipse
The rise of photography games could be attributed to the rise of cozy games, but that doesn't mean photography games can't be a bit sinister. In fact, one of the more famous photography games that has been around long before the genre's popularity is Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse.
While the horror franchise has been around since the early 2000s, Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is the Wii entry that has been ported to PC over a decade after its release. The gameplay loop revolves around taking photos of ghosts to deal damage to them while the player looks to avoid taking damage themselves.
4 Penko Park
One of the biggest inspirations for many photography games is Pokemon Snap, an on-rail shooter on the N64 that had players taking photos of Pokemon in the environment. A great indie that takes inspiration from this while adding a slightly spooky twist to it is Penko Park.
Each level has players sitting on their ride and taking the time to take photos of the wildlife that are hanging out on the sidelines. However, there are ways for the players to manipulate their journey through the level by throwing objects that change animal behavior or activating events that cause a level's route to change.
3 Eastshade
While painting is a much different method of capturing a moment, Eastshade is actually a photography game as the idea of the game is to take a glimpse of a landscape and have it automatically transformed into a painting on the player's easel.
On the island of Eastshade, players will wander around taking in the gorgeous landscapes while also talking to individuals who live in the area. Many of them will have a task for the player, which will involve getting a specific shot and capturing it on the easel, which can be placed down at anytime.
2 TOEM
There are so many beautiful things to capture, but it's also easy to want to chase that one perfect shot. In TOEM, the main character is on a mission to take a photo of the phenomenon known as TOEM, which the idea is presented to the player in a vague way to not spoil the surprise.
The character's journey to TOEM involves making a few spots and helping enough people out to get a pass to the next area. Each section has a general theme to it, with a variety of unique characters that all have their own task that they would like to take care of. Along the way, players can fill out their compendium as there are ton of wildlife to keep track of.
1 Umurangi Generation
Photography can be used as a method of visual storytelling, and Umurangi Generation does a great job of presenting players a world that they can try to understand by just taking in the atmosphere and understanding both the serene moments and the intense situations.
Taking place in Tauranga, Aotearoa, players are a courier for the Tauranga Express tasked with taking photos while accompanied by their group of friends. There are a list of bounties that players must try to complete in each level while also taking in moments of relaxation and genuine terror.