Seclusa Review

Seclusa is a 2026 photography simulation game developed and released by Studio Niente.

In Seclusa, we play as a wildlife photographer, staying at a cozy, secluded safari lodge in East Africa. We spend our days relaxing at scenic overlooks, taking photos of local wildlife, selling images, completing commissions, and upgrading our equipment.

Seclusa adapts to our play styles – whether we want to snap a lot of photos from different angles of a hippo relaxing in the river, or just sit near the fire and enjoy the night sky. Each area in the game features its own beautiful views, an immersive soundtrack, and specific animals.

We start the game with a basic camera setup. As we complete photography jobs for conservation groups and private clients, we earn experience and credits. Experience unlocks new animals and locations, while credits allow us to purchase camera upgrades. These upgrades enhance image quality and introduce new features, dramatically changing the look and feel of our photos and enabling more creative shots as we progress.

We also have a list of daily tasks and objectives. Completing them gives us experience and helps us level up more quickly. The tasks usually require us to take a photo of a specific animal in specific conditions – a lion during a rainy day or a bird during flight. At our cozy lodge, we can unlock and complete jigsaw puzzles while sipping a variety of digital drinks. Or, we can simply pet the cat and watch the day go by. Levelling up earns us credits, which can be used to improve the camera, purchase things for the lodge, and even unlock the option to change the weather and time of day on a whim.

We have eight different biomes to explore, each with its unique nature and animals. Travelling between the biomes is done via fast travel, and the loading screen for each spot shows how many animals we still need to unlock there.

Once we unlock everything, we can change the time of the day, the weather, change every aspect of the photo, from composition to dominant colors and hues, as well as call on a specific animal species to be our subject. Finding and unlocking more animals also unlocks their corresponding cards in our collection. We have eight locations, including the lodge. Each location unlocks once we have enough experience and coins.

Our camera is actually a small drone that can maneuver around a locked target. We can zoom in and out, adjust distance, and adjust focus. The camera also features real-time processing options and many upgrades. While adjusting the settings for each photo, we are not left to our own devices – the game has helpful explanations for every term and setting. That makes Seclusa educational, as well as entertaining, especially if you’ve been interested in photography at least once in your life.

Since there are no timers, the game allows us to take our time and enjoy the process of creating the perfect photo. If you are used to more dynamic gameplay, Seclusa might feel slow and repetitive. If you are coming into the game expecting a nature-inspired digital meditation, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The soundtrack is minimalist, featuring natural wildlife calls and birdsong. Visually, the game is beautiful, with warmth, expansive grasslands, and a truly breathtaking rendering of the night sky and the Milky Way. It truly feels like a window to Africa.

Seclusa has a demo available on Steam, as well as Steam achievements, but no Trading cards as of yet. There’s a good selection of Display, Audio, Gameplay, and Control options.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Seclusa, and there are still things to learn about photography there, so I know I will return. If you are curious about photography, if you like natural beauty and animals, if you need a distraction from the busy real life, Seclusa might just be the little break you need.