diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Gameplay/GameplayObjects/Character/EdgePanningController.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Gameplay/GameplayObjects/Character/EdgePanningController.cs
index 2cf8a5c1..375411e9 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Gameplay/GameplayObjects/Character/EdgePanningController.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Gameplay/GameplayObjects/Character/EdgePanningController.cs
@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@ public class EdgePanningController : MonoBehaviour
     public float resetSpeed = 2f; // Speed of resetting panning
     public Vector2 panLimit = new Vector2(0.5f, 0.5f); // Max panning limit (x, y)
 
+    // --- Added fields for free roam mode ---
+    public float freeRoamSpeed = 10f;           // Speed of free roam movement
+    private bool isFreeRoamMode = false;          // Toggle for free roam mode
+    private Vector3 savedCameraPosition;          // Stores camera position before free roam
+    private Quaternion savedCameraRotation;       // Stores camera rotation before free roam
+    private Transform savedFollowTarget;          // Stores the original follow target
+
     private Vector3 defaultOffset;
     private Vector3 panningOffset;
     private bool isPanning = false;
@@ -55,10 +62,73 @@ public class EdgePanningController : MonoBehaviour
 
     private void Update()
     {
+        // Check for backspace key to toggle free roam mode
+        if (Input.GetKeyDown(KeyCode.Backspace))
+        {
+            ToggleFreeRoamMode();
+        }
+        
+        // When in free roam mode, handle free movement and bypass normal edge panning
+        if (isFreeRoamMode)
+        {
+            HandleFreeRoam();
+            return; // Skip the rest of Update so the panning logic is not executed
+        }
+
+        // Normal camera behavior (edge panning) if a target is set
         if (targetFound)
             HandleEdgePanning();
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Toggles the free roam mode on/off.
+    /// </summary>
+    private void ToggleFreeRoamMode()
+    {
+        isFreeRoamMode = !isFreeRoamMode;
+        if (isFreeRoamMode)
+        {
+            // Activate free roam: save current camera state and disable following
+            savedCameraPosition = virtualCamera.transform.position;
+            savedCameraRotation = virtualCamera.transform.rotation;
+            savedFollowTarget = virtualCamera.Follow; // Save the current follow target if any
+            virtualCamera.Follow = null; // Detach so the camera can be controlled directly
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            // Deactivate free roam: restore the previous camera state and resume following target
+            virtualCamera.transform.position = savedCameraPosition;
+            virtualCamera.transform.rotation = savedCameraRotation;
+            virtualCamera.Follow = savedFollowTarget; // Reattach the follow target
+
+            // Reset panning variables so the camera aligns with its default offset
+            cameraOffset.m_Offset = defaultOffset;
+            isPanning = false;
+            panningOffset = defaultOffset;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Handles free roam camera movement when free roam mode is active.
+    /// Uses the Horizontal/Vertical axes and Q/E keys to move up and down.
+    /// </summary>
+    private void HandleFreeRoam()
+    {
+        float horizontal = Input.GetAxis("Horizontal"); // A/D or Left/Right
+        float vertical = Input.GetAxis("Vertical");     // W/S or Up/Down
+
+        // Use E to ascend and Q to descend (you can change these keys if needed)
+        float ascent = 0f;
+        if (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.E))
+            ascent = 1f;
+        else if (Input.GetKey(KeyCode.Q))
+            ascent = -1f;
+
+        // Compute movement relative to current camera orientation
+        Vector3 movement = new Vector3(horizontal, ascent, vertical);
+        virtualCamera.transform.position += virtualCamera.transform.rotation * movement * freeRoamSpeed * Time.deltaTime;
+    }
+
     private void HandleEdgePanning()
     {
         if (targetCharacter == null) return;
@@ -79,28 +149,28 @@ public class EdgePanningController : MonoBehaviour
 
         bool isHoveringTarget = IsCursorOverTargetCharacter();
 
-        // ✅ If the cursor touches the center or target **even for a millisecond**, trigger reset
+        // If the cursor touches the center or target even for a moment, trigger reset
         if (isNearCenter || isHoveringTarget)
         {
-            shouldReset = true; // Set the flag so reset starts immediately
+            shouldReset = true;
         }
 
-        // ✅ If reset is triggered, smoothly return to default position
+        // When resetting, smoothly return to the default position
         if (shouldReset && isPanning)
         {
             cameraOffset.m_Offset = Vector3.Lerp(cameraOffset.m_Offset, defaultOffset, Time.deltaTime * resetSpeed);
 
-            // ✅ Once back to default, stop resetting and reset flag
+            // Once the camera gets close enough to default, stop panning and reset the flag
             if (Vector3.Distance(cameraOffset.m_Offset, defaultOffset) < 0.01f)
             {
                 isPanning = false;
                 panningOffset = defaultOffset;
-                shouldReset = false; // Reset flag
+                shouldReset = false;
             }
             return;
         }
 
-        // If cursor is near the edges, start panning (up to limit)
+        // If the cursor is near the edges, adjust the offset (within limits)
         if (mousePos.x <= edgeThreshold) newOffset.x = Mathf.Max(defaultOffset.x - panLimit.x, newOffset.x - panSpeed);
         if (mousePos.x >= screenWidth - edgeThreshold) newOffset.x = Mathf.Min(defaultOffset.x + panLimit.x, newOffset.x + panSpeed);
         if (mousePos.y <= edgeThreshold) newOffset.y = Mathf.Max(defaultOffset.y - panLimit.y, newOffset.y - panSpeed);