One of the standout virtual reality (VR) titles from last years Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) was Moss by Polyarc. The PlayStation VR exclusive has captured hearts thanks to its cute heroine, a small mouse name Quill. With the launch due in just over two weeks, Sony Interactive Entertainment America (SIEA) has decided to whet those appetites with new gameplay footage as well as some other ancillary items.
Apart from a few screenshots, Polyarc has released no new video footage of Moss since that E3 2017 reveal. This is the first time you’ll get to see some of the levels in Moss – so don’t watch if you want it all to be a surprise. Obviously, with new areas comes enemies and puzzles – remember this is a gameplay video rather than trailer, with the SIEA social media team playing – so plenty of spoilers. On the plus side, the video gives you an even better idea of what to expect, especially if you’ve pre-ordered or are still planning to.
Apart from the video Polyarc announced an official Moss iMessage sticker pack. Now fans can send 21 animated Quill stickers to anyone using the Messages app. They can even add Quill to their photos if they so wish. And for fans wanting to further customise their desktop or phone, there’s a bunch of new Moss in-game and concept art backgrounds and wallpapers to download from the Polyarc store.
If you’ve not read it yet, VRFocus wrote a glowing preview of Moss back in June, saying: “After just one short play, the tease of more taxing puzzles and the forming of a non-verbal relationship with the adorable Quill is very compelling.” VRFocus also sat down with Polyarc’s Chris Alderson who works as the Art Director on Moss for further info.
Moss will be available for PlayStation VR on 27th February 2018, retailing for £29.99 USD. Want a new videogame this week for your Sony head-mounted display (HMD), well there are 5 launching tomorrow. For any further PlayStation VR updates, keep reading VRFocus.
Chris Alderson, the Art Director at Polyarc explains that during the early development stages of Moss their team started prototyping with physical interaction. They realised that they enjoyed moving around, picking up things in the environment and VR was a perfect sandbox for interactivity. Polyarc is composed of character developers and have put in a lot of effort into Quill as a character. He believes that VR really needs a few mascots and Quill can be one of them.
The combat is basic in this early build. A three-hit combo allows Quill to get the better of enemies, even when multiple are attacking at once. Should she take damage the player can heal her by locking onto with one of the triggers and wiggling the controller. It’s simple and intuitive to control both Quill and your own interaction simultaneously, as is demanded by the aforementioned puzzle.
While no videogame should be judged on the merit of its visual quality alone, the beauty of Moss’ art direction is more than worthy of note. Created using Unreal Engine 4, Moss features a staggering amount of detail in its densely populated areas; leaves that rustle under feet, particle and water effects that bring life to the forest Quill calls home, and Quill herself is one of the most elegantly animated character models not just in VR, but in videogames as a whole. Quite simply, Moss looks stunning.
