Review: Moss
Moss is a PSVR exclusive that will make you believe in the power and magic that only VR can deliver. It offers a rich story and a beautiful setting that makes you want to just look around at the world that Polyarc has made.
Story
Normally I would describe who you are in the game, but in this case you are two characters. You play from a 1st and 3rd person perspective. From the 3rd person perspective you play as a cute little mouse named Quill. From the first, you play as a "Reader".
Quill has a charm to her that will make you care about her safety.
You are the Reader, with special powers.
You start as a reader who finds an old book. As you read it you are transported to a fantastical land with bright colors. You are quick to meet Quill. She doesn't talk other than some basic sign language. She has a charm to her that makes you instantly bond to her. As you play throughout the game, you grow to care for her, her quest, and her safety. In some cases, Quill will ask for a high-five, which you can do with the Readers' orb.
Give Quill a high-five.
Your adventure starts at the Library.
Quill's land has been overtaken from a fire breathing snake named Sarffog. Her uncle has also been taken captive. It is up to Quill and you to rescue him. It is a basic concept but really only serves as a purpose of exploring and traversing this land.
Gameplay
Since you are in essence controlling two characters at once, controls are super important. As Quill you control her basic movements, basic attack, and a dodge move. Fighting isn't very deep since it is only 1 attack but when paired with the Readers abilities there is some strategy to it.
As the Reader you have an in-game orb that you use to control certain elements in the world. Speaking of controlling, the game uses the standard PS4 controller, and not the Move Motion Controllers. You are able to move blocks for Quill to jump on, rotate pillars, and even take control of enemies to solve puzzles and fight. Controlling 2 characters at once never feels like a chore though it will take some practice to get down. Once you do, you are able to express yourself in combat. The game gradually increases the difficulty in combat so you are able to progress naturally in your combat skills.
You will navigate through a lot of ruins of your ancestors.
The puzzles are slightly on the easy side in most areas. The real challenge comes in finding scrolls hidden in the area. Finding these require moving your body in the real world to get a different perspective in game (it is a VR game by the way) or solving an additional step to the puzzle you are currently solving.
If you happen to get stuck with a puzzle, Quill will often point in the direction of where you need to go or interact with. It's a smart way to help the player progress without beating them over the head with the answer. I occasionally got stuck and never felt the need to look online for a solution. It make me feel smart for solving the puzzle and very gratifying.
The one thing that would have made this game even better was that is was longer. Depending on how long you take to explore and find the scrolls, the game will take on average about 5 hours to complete.
Graphics
Explore old ruins of mice culture.
Moss is beautiful to look at. Vibrant colors and interesting architecture. Being a mouse and thus small you are given glimpses of just how small you are in the world. In a certain scene in the background a full size deer is alerted to your position and runs off. On the other side of the spectrum, the mouse world is present with mouse houses and small castles that are perfect for your size. You are always looking forward t what will come next.
The world that has been created is a wonder to look at.
The locations go from village with tiny housee to castle ruins to saves. It is always interesting to look at.
The mice have built little forts.
Music
Jason Graves composes all of Moss' music. It is fantastic. The outro song even has a special singer Malukah (you may remember her from some bard Skyrim fan songs such as "The Dragonborn Comes"). She sings the song "Home to Me" beautifully. Listen to it below.
Final Thoughts
Is you own a PSVR, Moss is a must have. It is such an experience that everyone should partake in. You will get sucked into it's world and form a bond for little Quill. It will leave you wanting for more (which they will be making a "Book 2").
The Verdict
The Good
- Amazing realized world with bright colors and story
- Special bond with Quill
- Intuitive controls
- High bar for VR games
The Bad
- Little on the short side
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