Moss (PSVR) Review

Title: Moss

Developer: Polyarc Games

Publisher: Polyarc Games

Available Platforms: PlayStation VR

Reviewed On: PlayStation VR

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Playing Moss is exactly how my younger self would have imagined living in a book of fairytales. It’s almost too charming for its own good. I had hands-on time with the game during E3 2017, and that experience has stayed with me nearly one year later, through my full play-through of the game.

While Moss is short with full completion hovering around the four and half/five hour mark, Polyarc Games delivers a memorable journey, with a character you can’t help but root for and become attached to. Although Moss suffers from one major fault and a few minor ones, it still manages to be a shining light in an otherwise niche form of gaming that has struggled to gain some traction.

In Moss, players find themselves alone in a library, with nothing but a story book in front of them. Once that first page opens, you are (quite literally) sucked into the story of a mouse named Quill, and assume the role of a Reader. To be so small, Quill is overflowing with bravery and a willingness to succeed, and as the Reader, you become her most trusted ally. The pair of you venture into dangerous territory in order to save Quill’s uncle and restore order. 

A solid narrative serves as the foundation of Moss, and much of it is driven by the unique bond you form with Quill as the story progresses. It’s not uncommon to find yourself talking to her, shouting and trying to get her away from enemies, or healing her when things get rough- it’s all part of the experience. What makes this journey even more endearing are the small instances where Quill communicates with you, either through a thumbs up, a high-five, or even pointing out where to go next. All of that, set against a world that looks like something from a Miyazaki film, makes for a VR game worth playing.

Every level in Moss exudes strong sentiments of enchantment that can be hard to come across in games. The levels are both well-designed and beautiful, and their depths have been fully realized by the team at Polyarc (at one point, I had to physically stand up in order to see a ledge Quill needed to jump on). The gameplay throughout Moss is heavily reliant on puzzles that need solving, and players should know that every last one of them was designed with an immense amount of creativity.

Across each expansive environment, objects can be pulled, turned, or moved from point A to B in order to progress. Though many of them are simple at the game’s outset, there are a few head-scratching puzzles down the road that require a bit more patience and thought. The sense of accomplishment, though, is strong during the latter half of the game when you succeed. So, go ahead. Pat yourself on the back.

Moss has a laundry list of great things going for it, but there is one thing that can’t be overlooked: the game is extremely glitchy. A few bugs in any new game is just to be expected, but there are moments in Moss, where the glitches actually impede gameplay and progression, especially during enemy encounters. As the Reader, you control a blue orb that allows you to latch on to objects and even enemies to help Quill succeed. The orb lags a lot near the end of the game, and doesn’t always show up on screen right away, if at all. I often had to re-calibrate the viewing area on my VR, and moments like those took me away from what was an otherwise immersive experience.

Moss is an enchanting experience that sometimes find itself limited by glitchy gameplay during crucial enemy encounters. As a whole, the game is a bright light in the PSVR market and demonstrates the hardware’s potential when games are made with heart. I’m not saying run out and get a VR right now just to play Moss; but if you have one already, this is a tiny masterpiece that you shouldn’t miss.