Lushfoil Photography Sim – Review

Let's talk about the art of looking at time through a lens.

Lushfoil Photography Sim encourages you to slow down, breathe the virtual air of incredibly detailed landscapes, and exercise your photographic eye without rushing. Created by Matt Newell and published by Annapurna Interactive, the game was released on 15 April 2025 for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

A poetic exploration with a camera in hand

The concept is elegant, yet ambitious. You, the player, wander through realistic recreational locations, beaches, mountains, Japanese villages and decide how to photograph the perfect shot. The in-game camera offers authentic settings you'd find on a real DSLR: exposure, white balance, aperture, focus, flash and more.

Let's talk about the art of looking at time through a lens.

As you explore, "photo objectives" appear, or photos that need to be replicated to unlock progress and new locations. But the game doesn't pressure you to get them all. You can simply wander and admire the landscapes, experimenting with shots freely.

These objectives act as a kind of discreet guide: when you successfully take a photo, you hear a confirmation sound and the image appears marked in your collection. After you complete the photo, a "challenge" variant appears in the same spot, with different environmental conditions: altered light, changed weather, etc.

The game also hides small secrets, collectible items (e.g. sun cream on the beach, suitcases in Italy), with the aim of rewarding attentive and curious players.

Bright spots and subtle challenges

A great asset of Lushfoil is its peaceful and immersive atmosphere. The ambient music, the sounds of nature, the way light falls on stones or foliage. All contribute to the feeling of digital meditation.

The graphics are impressive, especially in the PC and new-gen console versions; the detailed environment, textures and lighting effects contribute to the feeling of being in real recreational places. Another plus is that the game has been optimised to run well on Steam Deck, although it sacrifices certain details, performance remains surprisingly fluid.

However, not everything is perfect. Camera control can sometimes seem harder to master, especially for players unfamiliar with advanced photo settings. Digitally Downloaded, for example, noted that the control method and the risk of discomfort (motion sickness) are weak points.

Regarding the "bloom" effect, in some environments, the light can look too "fluffy", which diminishes the contrast and clarity of details; a Steam user mentions that the environments already seem filtered and make it harder to compose the most natural images.

Also, the landscapes sometimes have an eerie feel when completely uninhabited, empty tourist towns, lifeless shops, which can give a slightly depressing, dead space feeling, especially when you're alone in that frame.

Some areas have "invisible walls" or invisible boundaries that stop you from exploring further. These limitations are signalled in the game and can be deactivated or adjusted in the settings, but it remains a small compromise between freedom and world optimisation.

Personal experience and final impressions

I got lost in environments inspired by real places, the coast of Australia or the Italian mountains, and I sometimes lost track of time. I watched how the light fell, searched for the "photographed spots" and adjusted the aperture to capture sunspots on a rock. When I succeeded with a photo, I felt a small satisfaction hearing that sound signal that told me I'd done it well.

But, after a few long sessions, the less intuitive controls and unused advanced settings made me take breaks. Sometimes, the camera seems to struggle with the scene, with the light, with the default filters. And some areas, empty cities or lifeless tourist spots, add a strange sadness that you don't feel in a usual exploration title.

The game's length is moderate; for those who complete all objectives and explore everything, the duration can reach 8 hours according to some reviews. It's enough to experience all the functionalities without feeling it becomes monotonous.

Critics reacted positively: Metacritic indicates a "Generally Favorable" average score (79) at launch, which reflects admiration for the concept and execution, but also caution in the face of limitations.

Overall, Lushfoil Photography Sim isn't a game for everyone; it's not a shooter, it doesn't have intense action or big challenges. It's a game for those who want to slow down, get lost and reflect. Those who love real photography, nature, light and space will find a digital friend for contemplation here.

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Available on: Windows (PC via Steam and Epic Games), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Played on: PC (Steam)
Release date: 15 April 2025
Developer: Matt Newell
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive