When you think of a hero, what or who comes to mind? Would they be someone like a superhero or someone closer to your heart? Maybe you look in the mirror and think of yourself as the hero that everyone else sees. But when you really think about it, what does a hero mean to you? Someone who can save a life without even trying or maybe a hero can be just someone who can listen and tell your story. Heroes can come in all shapes and sizes and show up when we least expect it. But does the developer, Polyarc, improve on what we know to become the hero we expected? Let’s find out with Moss: Book II for PlayStation VR2.
Moss: Book II is the sequel to Moss. Quill is back and she’s being hunted. Those who seek to unmake this world are desperate for the Glass she holds, and they’ll stop at nothing to claw it from her grasp. To stand a chance, Quill will need a true partner by her side. With her, you’ll venture deep inside the hexed castle of the Arcane where dangerous terrain, challenging puzzles, and enemies twisted in fire and steel await. So before venturing inside a hexed castle, there are a few things that you should be aware of. First, like Moss, find your favorite place to sit. This is a seated experience and you might as well be as comfortable as can be. Second, make sure those Sense controllers are charged as you don’t want to come across an enemy only to die because you forgot to change them and you wouldn’t want to have Quill die now, would you? Third, I am not going to spoil anything for anyone as this is an adventure that you should take. And finally, let’s have some fun. With that said, let’s continue…
Moss: Book II picks up from the first adventure where we get to see Quill, who is looking for her Uncle’s sword. If you played the first game, then you should remember all the good times that you had from the adventure and storytelling to the newest adventure that includes a new weapon, the hammer, and characters to meet. Depending if you have played the first game on your favorite platform of choice or for those where your first experience was on PlayStation VR and you recently revisited the adventure on PlayStation VR2, everything from the moving and combat mechanics, the way you solve puzzles, and encounter enemies feels more polished here. Not because it’s just a new adventure, but because of what Polyarc has done with the game for PlayStation VR2.
On PlayStation VR2, we have the freedom of the Sense controllers that made Moss that much better and it carries over here, especially when you need to pull up that weapons menu. Using the adaptive triggers as you use your weapons, you can feel the amount of force that is being used with the resistance. Eye tracking allows objects to produce this glow so you can see what you can interact with. Not only that but the controllers and headset have you feeling when Quill gets hit or even when the world around you starts to shake things up. And then there are the 4K visuals that help bring everything from the colors and textures to having a better sense of the world around you.
But just as Quill has a new weapon, you as the Reader, also will gain new abilities such as making bridges out of vines and being able to add vegetation on areas for Quill to climb.
There is a part a little later in the game where a new playable character is introduced called Sahima they are a skilled warrior who has these boomerang-type blades that come in very handy when facing enemies.
Let’s talk about the graphics and sound. Like with the remastered version of Moss, Polyarc has done a fantastic job with using the PlayStation VR2 features and incorporating them into the game. Everything from the lighting of the simple things like plants as you pass by them while under the night sky just added this ambiance of an atmosphere that seemed to allow me to focus more and made the atmosphere feel alive. The sound was equally impressive and never disappointed. Hearing the settling sounds of when Quill grabbed her weapons to a more calming atmosphere when the music of the soundtrack would just start to pick up at the right levels of play and this really came through very clearly with the Pulse 3D Audio Headset.
There are a few things that I would love to see. First, every time I came across those special heart-touching moments, it kept drawing me in more. I would love to have seen more of these moments added. And finally, just more. I really do hope that there is a Book III planned where more characters are introduced and playable. Maybe in something like a co-op or online co-op adventure.
Moss: Book II for PlayStation VR2 is the definitive version to play. It brings more of what we love and entangles that within the PlayStation VR2 features and shows us how things can improve. We go through life facing different challenges and our heart gets hurt in the process. It’s when we give our heart the time it needs to heal, that we might just be surprised how strong our trust can actually be.
Moss: Book II is out now for PlayStation VR2 either as a standalone or the Moss and Moss: Book II Bundle on the PlayStation Store. A review code was provided.
To learn more about Polyarc Games, please visit their site (that also includes some must-have Moss items for sale), like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, follow them on Instagram, and subscribe to their YouTube channel.
Also, check out the Moss PlayStation VR2 review and check out the video review:
In case you missed the trailer, please enjoy. Until next time, I missed some scrolls that need to be collected.