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Viewfinder

Viewfinder

PCPlayStationXboxNintendo
Released

Release Date: July 18, 2023

Puzzle, FPP, Adventure Elements, Indie Games, Surrealism, Xbox Play Anywhere, Perspective-bending, Photography, Singleplayer

Viewfinder is an FPP puzzle game developed by Sad Owl Studios, in which the player is tasked with manipulating perspective by various means, e.g. taking photos. The game is distinguishable by its surreal atmosphere.

8.3

OpenCritic

9.4

Steam

7.6

Users

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Ratings
[0:39] - Xbox Launch Trailer Videos: 6
Screenshot Images: 28
Screenshot
Screenshot
Screenshot

Viewfinder is a puzzle game in which you transform the world by taking pictures and manipulating perspective. The game combines many different artstyles, resulting in a surreal atmosphere. It's a debut game of a small Scottish studio Sad Owl Studios. It was published by Thunderful Publishing, responsible for many other indie games, such as LEGO Bricktales and Planet of Lana.

Mechanics

The game's world is three-dimensional and observed from a first-person view. The player's objective is to solve puzzles by altering the reality around them and messing with the perspective. This can be done with a polaroid, which can take photos of objects and implement them into the world for various purposes, such as creating passages to previously inaccessible locations. Other pictures, such as sketches, postcards and screenshots, can also be "brought to life". The player also encounters many surreal elements and optical illusions, which can shift depending on the perspective.

Platforms:

PC Windows

PC Windows July 18, 2023

PlayStation 4

PlayStation 4 December 12, 2023

Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch December 3, 2025

PlayStation 5

PlayStation 5 December 12, 2023

Xbox Series X/S

Xbox Series X/S August 12, 2025

Developer: Sad Owl Studios

Publisher: Thunderful Publishing

Features

News

PS Plus free monthly games for September 2025 include a Game of the Year nominee and one of the best indie puzzle games

PS Plus free monthly games for September 2025 include a Game of the Year nominee and one of the best indie puzzle games

This September, PS Plus subscribers can claim three incredible games. A GOTY nominee, a mind-blowing first-person puzzle game, and a legendary farming sim.

video games

Matt Buckley

August 27, 2025

PS Plus free monthly games for September 2025 include a Game of the Year nominee and one of the best indie puzzle games
Viewfinder - Console (Xbox and Switch) and Mobile Release

Viewfinder - Console (Xbox and Switch) and Mobile Release

Viewfinder is releasing on the 18th of July, and players are curious about a possible mobile and console ports for the game. Find out the answer in the article below.

How to

Ewa Ichniowska

July 18, 2023

Viewfinder - Console (Xbox and Switch) and Mobile Release

System Requirements

System Requirements for Viewfinder Video Game:

PC Windows

PC / Windows

Minimum System Requirements:
Intel Core i5-9600K 3.7 GHz / AMD Ryzen 5, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 970 or better, 20 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit.

Ratings

Game Ratings for Viewfinder Video Game.

8.3

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 89% of Critics. There are 90 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

Digital Trends: 4 / 5 by Giovanni Colantonio

Viewfinder is an ingenious puzzle game that wows at every turn, even if its sci-fi story stretches to find deeper meaning in its mind-bending photo hook.

Full Review

Game Rant: 3.5 / 5 by Dalton Cooper

Viewfinder is fun while it lasts and has more than one moment that will leave players with a smile on their faces. It doesn't live up to its full potential, but it's still a solid game and one that will hopefully inspire others to explore similar concepts. It's easy to see how Viewfinder's picture-to-reality idea could be huge for something like a horror game or even a first-person shooter. Applying the brilliant idea at its core to something with a better story and more content would be the makings of an instant classic. What's here is still certainly worth the price of admission, however.

Full Review

Shacknews: 9 / 10 by Larryn Bell

Viewfinder’s innovative, clever puzzles and the satisfaction that came with solving them left me eager to face each challenge head on. Although the optional puzzles somewhat extend your time spent in the simulation, the experience felt relatively short overall. However, I can appreciate the time and effort that must have went into the thoughtfully crafted puzzles that are present in the game. Viewfinder’s unique gameplay mechanics encourage you to think outside the box, and the aesthetically pleasing spaces, intriguing lore, and surreal image manipulation left me wanting more. Despite its brevity, Viewfinder is a solid puzzle game that represents an elegant step forward in the puzzle genre.

Full Review
94%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Very Positive (10,954)

STEAM
7.6

USERS Score

Average score from votes.

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