Moss: Book 2 – Review
Moss: Book 2 demonstrates the power of even the smallest adjustments. As a pioneering VR killer app, the first Moss game lacked originality. Simple sword-swinging combat and puzzles based on the same set of interactions quickly became tedious. In spite of its short runtime, it was able to make up for its mechanical flaws.
Polyarc has up to the occasion with its follow-up, which is now playable on PS VR thanks to the company’s efforts. However, despite its superficial resemblances, this latest volume gradually introduces fresh concepts that enable the series reach its full potential. The original aimed to introduce the foundations of adventure games to virtual reality, but the sequel feels more like Ori and the Will of the Wisps than the original.
Moss: Book 2 goes above and beyond a VR proof of concept with new combat options, skills, and tactile interactions. Even if it’s only a few minutes longer, the additional content breathes new life into an old game.
We pick up just where we left off with Moss: Book 1. Quill, a cute white mouse, is again in the spotlight as a diorama-like environment is explored by players. The God-like Reader, who can move massive items and cure Quill from afar, may also be controlled in first person by players. As a result, the interplay between these personalities has become more complex.
Combat is the most noticeable difference between keyboard and mouse versions. In the original Moss, Quill’s arsenal consisted only of simple sword strokes against a small number of adversaries. Weapons including a boomerang-like chakram and a sluggish but deadly Hammer have been introduced by Polyarc to the game.
You can also activate a special power for each weapon in addition to those additional tools by holding the attack button while touching Quill as the Reader. With the use of the sword’s extraordinary power, Quill may fly forward in an instant, while the Reader can detonate the phantom hammer at any time. The most glaring fault in the first game has been remedied by the inclusion of these new special abilities. Even though the sequel lacks a diverse cast of enemies, the steady stream of new tools ensures that battles never become stale.
The new system’s only flaw is the way it was put into place. Weapons can be equipped by opening up a menu as the Reader and then dragging it to Quill. During the later encounters, I found myself in an awkward juggling act as I attempted to switch weapons on the fly, trigger a charged ability, and dodge about as Quill at the same time. It’s even more bizarre considering the DualShock’s face buttons are largely utilised in this game. The face buttons may have been used to map all three primary weapons, allowing for more fluid attacks.
A few additional tactics have been added to the Reader’s arsenal, allowing it to cut down on the drudgery of the previous version. I got a little tired with dragging boxes and monsters around the screen by the end of the first Moss. Polyarc has designed a more tactile world that makes better use of VR controls, so solving puzzles isn’t as much of a one-trick pony.
In Moss: Book II, Quill comes face to face with a massive tree that bears a scarlet letter.
Climbable walls can be created by waving your hand over vines that have wilted and connecting plants together. When you have the ability to do both, it’s a win-win situation. A number of Zelda-like puzzle dioramas are featured in Moss: Book 2 with ingenious solutions. The addition of more varied interactivity on top of that transforms the puzzles into a pleasant set of fidget toys.
Quill’s new tools and systems combine with the old to provide a new level of complexity for the sequel. In other rooms, I was spinning cans and manipulating enemy attacks as the Reader while firing Quill’s chakram shot to blast through progress-blocking walls..” As challenging as it is in combat to multitask, the game’s methodical puzzles are considerably better suited to this type of multitasking.
Each of the game’s boss fights, which further experiment with the interplay, is one of my favourites. Quill towering above me in one battle, as I’m fighting a hammer-wielding knight. To give Quill (also under my control) a chance to attack after he smashes his hammer to the ground, I grasp his head as the Reader and begin a game of tug-of-war! Even though there are only a few major battles, the player’s abilities will be put to the test.
It’s not merely a mechanical relationship between Quill and the Reader. The tale revolves around the relationship between the two characters. Two characters need each other, but telling them that is one thing. One thing is to read about it in a book, but it’s quite another to really experience it in a space where neither character is capable of navigating on their own. At moments, I felt like I was playing with a close buddy in Moss: Book 2, which is a single-player experience.
First Moss left me with mixed feelings about the future of the series. While it was enjoyable, there was little else I could have done with it. My appetite for a third book on PlayStation VR2 has been whetted by Book 2. That’s a testament to Polyarc’s apparent ease with this incarnation. The world-building is more confident, with a combination of vast lore and more personal character interactions that nearly elicited some tears from me (thankfully, in VR, no one can see you cry).
The sequel treatment is extremely beneficial to level design. The universe of Book 2 feels more grandiose than the one in Book 1, which was mostly based in a normal fantasy setting. Turning my head to view a massive structure in the distance gave me a sense of perspective I hadn’t had before. A mind-bending set-piece drawn from M. C. Escher’s playbook is Polyarc’s finest twist at the end of the game.
My desire for more was a recurring theme throughout my journey with this specific portion. While I love Polyarc’s penchant for short, snappy games, there are times when I wish the game would keep going when it seems to be taking off. At one point in Book 2, a second playable mouse is introduced. After meeting the new protagonist, I was eager to see how they would deviate from the tried-and-true approach. While that character is present for a limited period of time, it is quickly written out in favour of Quill.
Polyarc’s modesty can’t be completely faulted. Wearing a virtual reality headset for an extended amount of time might be physically painful. As long as the episodic nature of Moss is maintained, I’ll be delighted to see it continue for as long as possible. I’ll be here for Quill no matter where she goes next.
Moss: Book 2 delivers a much-needed tune-up to one of VR’s best outings. As a result of a new set of powerful tools, both gameplay and puzzles have gotten a significant upgrade. There are only five hours of gameplay, so it’s a lean adventure game that doesn’t repeat itself. Even though the game ends just when it is beginning to find its footing and stumbles with combat controls, even the smallest improvements add up. One of the best examples of virtual reality’s promise is Book 2, but it goes further than that. Simply put, this is a fantastic game.
