Quick answer: TOEM 2 mouse camera controls in the full release let you zoom with the scroll wheel and rotate the camera while holding the right mouse button. Left-click movement has not been added, so you still walk with the keyboard or a controller; the mouse-only play style of the first TOEM is not available.
Players also call this The game should have mouse only movement like in the first one, Camera is annoying, QOL control changes for keyboard+mouse ideas, or MOUSE CAMERA PLEASE.
Quick facts
- Camera rotation: Hold the right mouse button.
- Zoom: Use the scroll wheel.
- Walking: Keyboard or controller; left-click to move is not in the full release.
- Why no click-to-move: TOEM 2 adds jumping and climbing over obstacles.
- Controller: Fully supported — the developers build the game with a controller.
- Version: Mouse camera controls were added for the full release after demo feedback.
Use the mouse for the camera
Rotate the camera
Hold the right mouse button and move the mouse to rotate the camera around you. This replaces the arrow-key camera that many demo players disliked.
Zoom the camera
Use the scroll wheel to zoom in and out. The demo's scroll zoom was criticized as far too slow ("5 rotations feels like 20% zoom"); the full release reworked mouse zoom as part of its mouse and keyboard changes.
Walk with the keyboard
Move your character with the keyboard. Keep one hand on the movement keys and the other on the mouse for camera and zoom.
Why you cannot walk by clicking
The original TOEM could be played entirely with a mouse, with the keyboard, or with a controller, and several players asked for the same in the sequel. The developers answered directly on the Steam forums: they added better mouse and keyboard support for the full release, but "we can't go back to having the left mouse click to move because you now need to jump over obstacles and such." They added that they could not solve this before launch and that click movement might be supported in the future. Until an update says otherwise, treat mouse-only movement as not available.
The reason is the new traversal. TOEM 2 lets you jump and climb around the environment — the developer describes it as seeing the world "in a whole new perspective" — and many quests depend on it, from climbing challenges to hopping across balloons for the Bean Slurp quest. Point-and-click walking does not map cleanly onto that.
What changed from the demo
If you played the demo, some of your control complaints were addressed and some were not. Here is where things stand, based on the developers' replies:
| Demo complaint | Full release |
|---|---|
| Camera looked around with the arrow keys | Hold right mouse button to rotate |
| No mouse zoom, or zoom far too slow | Scroll wheel zoom |
| Closing menus only with Esc | Not confirmed yet |
| Left-click to walk, like the first game | Not added; maybe in the future |
| Rebindable keys and buttons | Not at launch; the rebinding system needs a rewrite first |
| Character walking slowly after opening the Steam overlay | Reported fixed |
Rebinding is the biggest open item. During the demo the developers said they were "doing rebindable keys" and that rebinding would come with the full game, but it softlocked the game at the time. On launch day they confirmed: "You can't rebind keys on launch" — they have a rebinding system, but it most likely needs a full rewrite before it can ship, which "has been harder than anticipated". So for now the default layout is the only layout. One thing worth knowing: selecting and interacting uses E, and a player who kept pressing Space or clicking the mouse to select found this the hardest habit to break.
Controller controls
Controller support is a first-class option: the developers said TOEM 2 "will 100% support controller, that's how we develop the game ourselves." A few controller details players mentioned:
- Zoom: while exploring you zoom with the triggers, but in camera mode zoom moves to the right stick click. A player asked for these to be unified; this is not confirmed as changed.
- Looking around in camera mode: the camera looks around with the left stick, which some players found unusual. The developers asked whether players would prefer to zoom with the left stick and look with the right.
- Striking a pose: in the Creative Freedom photo studio quest, you strike a pose with the left trigger before taking the photo.
- On PlayStation: a player noted that one button opens the camera but a different one closes it; this was demo feedback.
Find the full control list
The game does not show all controls up front. One player found a partial control list in the menu under How to Play; check there first if you are unsure which key does what on your setup.
Older demo discussions asked for mouse camera movement and zoom, so they do not describe the full-release controls. If your character suddenly walks slowly after you open the Steam overlay (Shift+Tab), that was a demo bug the developers reported as fixed — update the game if you still see it.
Tips for mouse and keyboard players
- Use the mouse for photos, the keyboard for movement. Rotation and zoom on the mouse make framing critters and quest targets much faster than the old arrow keys.
- Focus matters more than zoom. Many hidden objects only appear when you focus on them, such as the aquarium mollusc; zooming alone does not reveal them.
- Consider a controller for platforming. Climbing and jumping sections were designed with a controller in mind, and the developers play that way themselves.
FAQ
Related
- Complete Walkthrough — Follow the main TOEM 2 guide after sorting out the controls.
- How to Photograph the Aquarium Mollusc — A photo that needs the focus feature.
- Pondacondor Evolution Chart Photo Order — Find the order for another photo task.
- Steam Deck Launch Crash Fix — Get the game running on Steam Deck.