If you thought of yourself as a hero, do you think you could accomplish anything regardless of your size? Do you think that if someone or something was so much bigger than you, they would stand in your way, or do you think you would have to strategize more about how you would go about things? Adventures can be exciting and scary at the same time. The unknown of it all can make our hearts beat and our eyes open. So does developer Polyarc Games improve on and give us more of what we have been craving? Let’s find out with Moss: Book II for PlayStation VR.
Moss: Book II is a single-player action-adventure puzzle game where 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. But the young hero has a plan of her own, one that could finally end the merciless rule of the Arcane and restore peace to Moss once more. So before you go out on the adventure there are a few things that you will want to know. For one, find your favorite place to sit. It’s been a while since some of you have teamed up with this hero, and you will want to be as comfortable as you can when you go out on this adventure. Second, take your time. You don’t have to rush your way through as the world of Moss is quite an intriguing one along with the different creatures you will meet. Third, make sure your DualShock 4 controller is fully charged. You don’t want to make that leap of faith or try to get away from an enemy only to have the controller die when you should have charged it. And finally, I am not going to spoil anything for anyone. With all that said, let’s continue…
Back in 2019, we were introduced to a game called Moss and Quill, the Hero. When it ended, there were many who was wanting more. Then, of course, we got the teases and then the announcement of Moss: Book II, and for those that are wondering, this new adventure not only reunites us with Quill but continues right where the first one ended. In this newest adventure, you still play the reader, and Quill, like in the first adventure, needs a true partner by her side. When you first start Moss: Book II, you are in this room that, even though no one else is in the room with you, stills feels very massive and immersive. But seeing the book of Moss in front of you and turning the page and having the narration read out to get you all hyped up for the adventure to learn that the glass was supposed to be protected until the protector did so until their final breath.
But when the adventure begins and you see Quill again for the first time looking for her Uncle’s sword, it really does bring back so many fond memories from the first adventure that it almost made me want to replay it again. But that will be for another time as we have a new adventure to go on. With this newest adventure, there are new weapons that Quill can use such as the hammer, which I can tell you, that even though the hammer seems to be a little bulkier than the sword, Quill still has the might to use it and it honestly feels so good just smashing things around. But it’s not even the new weapon that feels right, but the mechanics of moving around trying to solve puzzles and defeat enemies that feel just as right. Climbing ledges, jumping onto moving platforms, and having to dash around all is as much fun as it can be challenging at times. You just need to be a little open that there may be a different way to go about things in order to complete them.
Along with the weapons you can use, Quill has a special power which is used by holding down the Square button so Quill can hold her weapon and use it. But of course, if you are going to have weapons and a special power, there are going to be new enemies that the game introduces like the Bomber which as you can take from the name will explode. So you will have to know when to move out of the way at the right time. But the world of Moss would not be without its puzzles and it seems that the developers have made not only the puzzles the right amount of challenge, even if some may take a little thought, but they really do add to the game here. But not only are each of the puzzles that you come across, and the characters that you meet, but it’s the destinations within Moss: Book II that really help elevate the series and just made me want to explore them for even longer periods of time than I actually was able to do so.
Let’s talk about the graphics and sound. When looking at this point of PlayStation VR, it still can surprise me how good the graphics can be for the platform, and seeing Moss: Book 2 just reassures that. The graphics are clean and the colors are vibrant. Having Quill go against some of these enemies with everything else that is going to even the different characters that you encounter still shows how important adventures can be within Virtual Reality and how important they are here for PlayStation VR as well. The sound is equally done well from the narration to hearing the small noises that Quill makes to even the dialog and communication between the characters to even the soundtrack that is being played really is fantastic.
There are just a very few things that I would have loved to see. For one, more bosses. Quill has a heart of gold and it would just add even more to those feel-good moments if there were just more bosses to have Quill face and challenge. Second, there were a few times when the screen would jitter. I am not sure if an update can correct this, but I didn’t experience this too much, but there were a few times that did happen. And finally, more adventure. By the time I was done, like the first, I wanted more. I don’t know if there are any plans for a Moss: Book III, but I really do hope so as I can see so many more adventures that can be had. Who knows, maybe when PlayStation VR2 comes around, we can get our wish.
Moss: Book II does have something for everyone and for all ages. The adventure, puzzles, character interactions, and even the environments are all here for everyone to enjoy and be a part of. You can escape where your actions are the words the stories are made of. When we are challenged, it just goes to show, that no matter the challenges that we face, we all have the courage deep down inside to be brave enough to face them. And as big and scary as the world is, isn’t it better to try and find the courage and find our inner hero no matter the size of the challenge we face?
Moss: Book II is out now on PlayStation VR and is coming soon to Quest 2 in the Summer of 2022. A review code was provided.
To learn more about Polyarc Games, please visit their site, like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, follow them on Instagram, and subscribe to their YouTube channel.
In case you missed the trailer, please enjoy. Until next time, I have to get back to this world.
