Moss review

Reviewed on: PS VR

When I imagine a fairy tale, a story involving fantasy, I can’t help imagining colorful landscapes and secret paths, cute animals, a menacing villain and a world that awakens a desire to protect it. That place exists, at least on PSVR, and it’s called Moss, which is taken out of the books and placed before the reader/spectator; actually, it is the reader who is transported into this world, but from the perspective of an observer who interferes in the journey of his newest friend: Quill, an adorable little mouse who would be perfect as a PSVR mascot. It is Quill’s journey that we will follow. When we leave a big hall, shaped like an immense library, and are transported into the great book we are handling, we come face to face with the world of Moss, where our little friend will set out on a journey to save her uncle from the clutches of the terrible fire-spitting serpent.

The interesting thing is that you play in first and third person, respectively, because as the reader you have the first-person perspective; but simultaneously you also start to control the dear little mouse, with the third-person perspective, and this was implemented masterfully, because you feel the immersion of the environment from the reader’s perspective but also drive the game’s story in the figure of Quill, so it can be classified as a platformer with puzzles.

You move Quill with the left analog stick while, as the Reader, you look for opportunities in the scenery to help her using the DualShock 4’s motion control. The gameplay works fluidly, but the fights Quill has with beetles, scarabs and other enemies can be a bit frustrating at times, because besides controlling Quill with the stick and making her attack, with motion control you can pin down the enemies and push them away from our dear little mouse. But some of them can throw fireballs and you still have to dodge.This mix of controls can at times be challenging and at times frustrating, earning a gameplay score of 8.0.

As for the story, it is a simple but effective fairy tale, where we set out on a journey with Quill to help her save her loved one from the clutches of the serpent, the game’s great villain. All of this built in an environment that enchants with the design of the settings that reflect the story, accompanied by orchestrated, very well implemented 3D audio, which make Moss much more than a simple story told with VR, taking the reader into the game, truly living this imaginary virtual environment, earning for its engaging narrative a score of 9.0.

As for the game’s visuals, I can say it is the most beautiful game I have had the chance to test on PSVR. Exquisitely built in immersive environments with a 360-degree perspective, allowing, together with incredible 3D audio, the player to feel truly immersed, bringing to VR a new way to play, with the character built to perfection, with the fragility the story demands, to the point that the player believes she really exists and throughout the journey wants to care for and protect her, as if it were really their role to make sure that little mouse reaches her goal. This was only achieved through the care with which she was created and the interaction she has with the player throughout the game, earning a 10 on the technical side.

If I had to criticize the game it would be its length, which takes three to four hours to finish, with little incentive to return to the journey apart from a few collectibles, but for the work as a whole, I surely think the price justifies the purchase, especially because of the bond you create with Quill and the care with which the game was made. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to the world of Moss, I already miss Quill!

Final Score 9.0