Lushfoil Photography Sim

Lushfoil Photography Sim succeeds in its approachability and how it garners intrigue. It gracefully connects the world of photography and creative curiosity, naturally on display in gaming.

84%Game Brain Score

graphics, music

grinding, stability

93% User Score Based on 510 reviews

Critic Score 75%Based on 11 reviews

Platforms

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About

Lushfoil Photography Sim is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Matt Newell and was released on April 15, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

Experience detailed, true-to-life recreations of beautiful and diverse locations around the world. Trek through and explore environments to capture stunning vistas and landscapes with your fully-featured in-game camera. Each environment is filled with objectives to reward players that have a good eye for angles and perspectives, and hidden secrets for those who are patient and observant. The rich…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+13

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93%

Audience ScoreBased on 510 reviews

graphics57 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Stunning graphics and immersive environments that create a calming atmosphere.
Offers a realistic photography simulation with detailed camera controls, making it a great learning tool for photography enthusiasts.
The game provides a relaxing experience with no pressure, allowing players to explore and take photos at their own pace.

Some players find the progression system frustrating, as certain areas and features are locked behind specific photo challenges.
Performance issues on lower-end systems, with some players experiencing frame rate drops and graphical glitches.
The user interface can be clunky and unintuitive, making navigation and camera settings cumbersome.

graphics
114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
46%
4%
The graphics in Lushfoil are widely praised for their stunning visuals and photorealistic environments, creating a beautiful and immersive experience for players. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a sense of exploration and relaxation, though some note performance issues on lower-end systems and a lack of extensive graphical customization options. Overall, the game is considered a visual masterpiece, particularly appealing to photography enthusiasts, despite some critiques regarding optimization and graphical fidelity on certain hardware.
- “Stunning visuals, great sense of exploration, a wide variety of areas and landmarks to visit, and a soothing and relaxing soundscape to complement it all.”
- “This game is absolutely breathtaking; the graphics are extraordinary.”
- “Some of the most, if not the most photorealistic and beautiful graphics and environment design I've seen in a video game.”
- “Despite the glorious visuals at times and presets that list even '4090' as an option, with the 10 GB size on disk for all these reasonably large environments, it's pretty clearly optimized for console (the game fits twice in my GPU's VRAM).”
- “For such a simple game, it has a high graphical cost.”
- “One thing I was disappointed about was the graphics; based on the trailers, I was expecting this game to be photo-realistic, but it keeps to the realistic side of things.”
music
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
68%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and experience of exploring beautiful environments. Players appreciate the ambient soundtracks that complement the visuals, creating a relaxing backdrop for photography and exploration. While some feel the music is not the main focus, it is generally regarded as a significant and enjoyable aspect that adds depth to the gameplay.
- “The music is perfectly pitched: unobtrusive, but characterful.”
- “The soundtrack is perfect and the actual in-game quests are educational and exploratory.”
- “In addition to the immersive locations, the music choice is excellent, and sets a relaxing but engaging vibe that never feels monotonous.”
- “Honestly, most of them just sound okay; music is not the focus after all.”
- “Something about the restrictive boundaries, high amounts of fog, total absence of people (understandably), and the almost entire lack of fauna makes locations still feel a little hollow despite all the energy that the foliage sway, realistic lighting, piano music, and ambient noise provide.”
- “I highly recommend turning off the music, as the detailed environmental sounds are otherwise somewhat lost, though this does create a more ominous atmosphere.”
gameplay
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
74%
7%
The gameplay is characterized by a meditative and atmospheric experience focused on photography, with deep camera mechanics and a soothing exploration of beautifully designed environments. While some players appreciate the artistic expression and the gentle challenge of observing wildlife, others find the gameplay loop somewhat repetitive and limited in variety over extended sessions. Overall, it offers a unique niche for those who enjoy serene exploration, though it may not appeal to players seeking fast-paced action or complex mechanics.
- “The gameplay is more than just walking around — it’s a true photography simulator.”
- “This focus on artistry and observation creates a soothing, meditative gameplay loop where patience and attention to detail are rewarded.”
- “On top of the deep photography mechanics, the little extra collectibles and hidden features encourage you to explore every corner of the impressively large areas.”
- “I can't honestly recommend this game to friends without warning them that the only way to get into the gameplay loop is to just keep walking around until you find something to do. Then, in the next areas, you'll understand what it's about.”
- “It felt like there's room to build a story, world, and society outside of what the player sees on their long, slow trek through beautiful but ultimately deserted landscapes, especially in the interests of having a more engaging hook to get potentially interested players introduced to the gameplay loop.”
- “The crouch mechanics are a bit weird—you have to press 'E' and move the mouse to simulate crouching, but doing this doesn’t allow you to pan, tilt, or jib while crouching.”
atmosphere
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
28%
10%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning visuals and calming sound design, creating a serene and immersive experience that encourages relaxation and exploration. Players appreciate the attention to detail in diverse environments, from natural landscapes to urban settings, which enhance the overall tranquil vibe. While some find the gameplay loop limited, the atmospheric depth and artistic expression make it a standout title for those seeking a peaceful escape.
- “Of course there is not exactly much to do in the world and no specific storyline exists, but the way it almost swallows you within its harmonic peaceful atmosphere is so magical and genuinely magnificent, you might not be in a position to call this a cash grab.”
- “The game’s sound design complements this perfectly, featuring ambient nature sounds like bird calls, rustling leaves, and gentle water flows that heighten the serene atmosphere without distraction.”
- “I highly recommend turning off the music, as the detailed environmental sounds are otherwise somewhat lost, though this does create a more ominous atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere and scenery is exactly what you would experience in Kyoto.”
- “Genuinely unreal how immersive and therapeutic it can get, and all of it handcrafted by a single developer who's mastered the art of atmosphere and mood.”
optimization
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
45%
14%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players praise its performance and visuals, particularly on higher-end systems, others report issues like frame drops and poor performance on lower-end hardware. The use of Unreal Engine 5 has been criticized for negatively impacting performance without significant visual improvements, and while developers are actively working on updates to enhance optimization, some users still experience occasional performance hiccups. Despite these concerns, many players find the game enjoyable and visually impressive, indicating that further optimizations could enhance the experience even more.
- “The developers have shown a commitment to refining the game through updates, steadily improving optimization and adding subtle enhancements based on community feedback.”
- “This is the best photography simulator in the market, it's absolutely beautiful, very well optimized, and I don't think I have ever seen a virtual camera come so close to an actual real DSLR before; the game is just perfection in its field.”
- “Feast for your eyes and surprisingly well optimized; surprised my 3080 can get through this with almost max settings at 4K.”
- “Unreal Engine 5 was a poor choice because it did a lot to decrease performance and not much to improve visuals.”
- “And an indie production like this couldn't handle those issues and just shipped the game poorly polished and optimized.”
- “You get to explore very peaceful environments and practice your photo-taking skills with nice ambient soundtracks; the one thing I'd like to see are some more frame rate optimizations, trying to run 4K on my RTX 3060 GPU causes frame rate to dip to around 30fps (on lower settings it can do 60-65fps easily).”
story
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
61%
17%
The game lacks a specific storyline, focusing instead on creating a tranquil atmosphere that encourages exploration and photography. While players appreciate the relaxing environment and the educational aspects of the quests, many express a desire for a more engaging narrative and deeper lore to enhance the experience. Overall, the absence of a compelling story leaves some players feeling that the game could benefit from additional content and context.
- “Of course there is not exactly much to do in the world and no specific storyline exists, but the way it almost swallows you within its harmonic peaceful atmosphere is so magical and genuinely magnificent, you might never be in a position to call this a cash grab.”
- “Lushfoil photography sim is one of my favorite slow-moving games that took me by surprise, but I really wish there was more of a game, more fun, more story, more lore, and more of a chance that my friends would enjoy it.”
- “Of course there is not exactly much to do in the world and no specific storyline exists, but the way it almost swallows you within its harmonic peaceful atmosphere is so magical and genuinely magnificent, you might not be in a position to call this a cash grab.”
- “This game is one of those games where you relax and it doesn't have a specific story.”
- “It felt like there's room to build a story, world, and society outside of what the player sees on their long, slow trek through beautiful but ultimately deserted landscapes, especially in the interests of having a more engaging hook to get potentially interested players introduced to the gameplay loop, as well as informed about and invested in the objectives.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players highlight the game's ability to evoke strong emotions through its beautifully crafted landscapes, offering a heartfelt homage to nature. Whether exploring freely or engaging with the environment, the experience is described as a deeply moving journey that resonates with players.
- “If you want an emotional journey through carefully crafted landscapes, you won't regret buying this game.”
- “An absolutely gorgeous labor of love, and a touching homage to nature in all its glory.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, likening it to a scavenger hunt that detracts from the overall experience. Many feel that the effort required to uncover hidden areas for credits and achievements is excessive, making it feel more like a chore than an enjoyable activity.
- “It's quite tedious finding hidden areas in each location only to get the credits and achievements.”
- “It feels like they took a chill photography game and turned it into a tedious scavenger hunt for no reason.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with some users noting occasional bugs like wildlife clipping and minor animation glitches that don't significantly impact gameplay. However, others report more serious issues, including frequent crashes that detract from the overall experience.
- “Too buggy; it crashes more often than you would like it to happen.”
- “Occasional bugs, such as wildlife clipping or minor animation glitches, have been reported, though these do not substantially detract from the overall experience.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
Players appreciate the game's impressive graphics and the substantial content it offers, noting that unlockable features significantly enhance its replayability.
- “The graphics are amazing, and there's a decent amount of content and replayability.”
- “The unlockable extra features elevate the replay value of this game.”
- “Graphics are amazing and there's a decent amount of content and replayability.”

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75%Critics’ scoreBased on 11 critic reviews

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5h Median play time

4h Average play time

3-5h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Lushfoil Photography Sim is a casual simulation game.

Lushfoil Photography Sim is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Steam Deck and others.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing Lushfoil Photography Sim.

Lushfoil Photography Sim was released on April 15, 2025.

Lushfoil Photography Sim was developed by Matt Newell.

Lushfoil Photography Sim has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its grinding.

Lushfoil Photography Sim is a single player game.

Similar games include Mýrdalssandur, Iceland, Explore Fushimi Inari, Castle Rock Beach, West Australia, Kayak VR: Mirage, TOEM and others.

Lushfoil Photography Sim

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