When I played the first Moss game I was entranced. For all intents and purposes it was a solid platformer that looked beautiful in a realized VR world. This wouldn’t be enough, except the narrative and Quill engaged you enough to add an emotional layer so damn unique to VR. Moss: Book II takes that formula, adds a few things, but sticks to what worked the first time.
If you are new to the series you can absolutely pick up Book II and run with it. I would highly recommend you start with the first game because it is exceptional and short. Best of all you can play it on PSVR2 so no excuse to not play this beautiful gem of a game first. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy then the game gives you a super quick synopsis of where we are at in the story.
This synopsis is done the same way the first game gave you the intro to the first game. You start in an old gothic style room in front of a story book. You open the pages and get told a little story before being thrown into the world. Here we kick off from where game one ends. Our protagonist is standing by the corpse of that almighty snake she took down at the end of the first game ready to pick up the sword and start kicking more ass.
Like the first Moss, Book II doesn’t have the most intense plot. This time our hero Quill is being chased by a winged beast and so she needs to platform her way to save the day. It is tough to talk about a story that is light because as the end comes in, it gets stronger, but you should experience it. We get slices of info going into things like the massive event cinder night that scarred the world which definitely keeps getting more intriguing.
The real strength of the story is in the personal connection you make with Quill. It’s this weird thing where she doesn’t talk but she acknowledges you, and she celebrates when you help and things. Being forced to be surrounded by the world coupled with moments when you interact with her makes the story and relationship hit in ways that a platformer on a TV couldn’t.
When it comes to the gameplay, Moss: Book II is more or less the same as the first. You are going to platform around a beautifully realised world, kicking ass. There are minor tweaks like expanding Quill’s arsenal from a sword to include a chakram and a hammer. The chakram hits weaker but faster, the hammer slower but hits harder, and that’s about it. The benefit to this is you can choose and stick with a weapon because any of them will get you through the game fine. Platforming and puzzles are all relatively simple as well, which absolutely works for the style of game here. There are minor challenges, but for the most part you are there to feel the vibes and enjoy your time connecting with Quill.
Moss: Book II, like the first game, isn’t the reason to buy a PSVR2, but if you have one, you’d be crazy to give this one a miss. The simple and fun mechanics make it a chill experience letting you focus on the game and worlds. It’s an absolutely delightful adventure.
