Geek Review: Moss

The realm of VR gaming has been sketchy at best. Sporadic support from publishers and the lack of any true, blue virtual reality games have left many speculating about the impending failure of a once promising platform. But with Polyarc Games’ debut title, Moss, one can’t help but feel invigorated once again.

Step into a beautiful and rich storybook world, as Moss brings you along for the thrilling adventures of Quill, and delivers a splendid adventure of courage and friendship. From meeting Quill for the first time to exploring a wonderfully realized world, Moss is overflowing with charm from start to finish.

From the lush jungles to foreboding castles, Moss is one of the most gorgeous and convincing VR experiences you can ever have. The beauty is apparent from those looking in from the outside on the TV, but put on your PSVR and the feeling is nothing short of miraculous.

Quill, as a character, holds a special place in my heart. Elegantly animated and full of life, this sprightly mouse moves, interacts and communicates with players with exceptional attention to detail.

Combine that with your ability to get up close in VR, and it will melt even the hardest of hearts. The amount of back-and-fro you can have with Quill reinforces the special bond that exists, and it makes the entire time spent in Moss simply magical.

As “The Reader,” you become more than just a bystander as Quill embarks on her journey to stop Sarffog, a fire-breathing snake, and rescue her uncle, Argus. Instead of adopting the usual first-person view, the game places you in third-person perspective. What is different is that you can affect the world by means of manipulating the environment.

The player and Quill are indispensable to each other, and it definitely builds a bond that is impossible outside of the medium. Other than controlling the adorable Quill’s movements, the Dualshock 4 controller is tracked in the game, and represented by a glowing orb in-game.

This allows for grabbing, pulling, and other contextual actions that can affect the world. You can even take control of enemies when the opportunity calls. It is an element of the game that helps in some creative puzzle designs, and a form of interactivity that not only livens up Moss, but keeps you engaged in the world.

Each level is broken up into unique dioramas, with plenty of secrets that can be uncovered as you move the headset around in reality. This grants you different perspectives into a 3D world that would not feel right in conventional games, like a giant checking in on a small piece of the universe.

Combat is pretty straightforward when The Forged, Moss’ enemies, come knocking. Simple actions like evading, attacking, and healing with the Dualshock 4 can be achieved with no fuss and will soon be second nature. There is a variety of foes to contend with, each with a unique ability, but they would not be too much of a challenge till the late stages.

However, The Forged are not just for Quill to slice and dice. They play an important role in the puzzle design of Moss. Taking control of them to activate pressure switches or blasting open walls are some of the unique ways they can be used, and balancing using the Dualshock 4 to possess these enemies, while controlling Quill will take some learning.

That said, the difficulty of puzzles are not extremely taxing, although planning is always encouraged especially in late-game puzzles that require more than just a simple step. Solving these puzzles are always satisfying, and the occasional thumbs up of approval from Quill does not hurt at all.

Moss is a relatively short game, coming in at about three to four hours, but that’s relative to the industry standard of a substantial title. As a PSVR title, Moss more than justifies the short length, and the overall experience is worth every dollar. With this being Book 1 of what is hopefully a series, the sequel cannot come fast enough.

Never has a VR title been so captivating, enrapturing and charming, making this is a flawless journey that you would want to bring as many people as possible on.

The debut title of Polyarc Games is without a doubt the best reason to get/put on your PlayStation VR right now. It marks VR as more than just a passing fad or novelty, is a true gamechanger, and we can only hope for more to come.