VR gaming is something that I’ve never been able to experience, largely due to a lack of the hardware. Thankfully, there are plenty of fantastic games out there that are slowly getting ports so that we can get our hands on some of the previously VR-exclusive games.. Moss: The Forgotten Relic is the latest VR game to ‘go flat’, and after seeing the concept I just had to dig in.
Moss: The Forgotten Relic is a collection of the original Moss and Moss: Book Two, and upon loading, Moss makes its intentions pretty clear. In most games, we assume control of a character and experience the game through them, but in this instance, we’re a reader, simply along for the ride.
Moss takes place within the pages of an enchanted, living story book, and here we meet our small, adorable mousey heroine, Quill. We might get to control her, but we are not becoming her… if that makes sense. Moss makes the distance between us, Quill as the protagonist and us as a reader intentional, but this, if anything, just made me more attached to her. I wanted Quill to succeed.
Quill dreams of adventure. She grew up listening to her uncle and his stories, and when he needs her help, Quill doesn’t hesitate to jump into action. What compels me most about Quill is that she is a protagonist with actual flaws. She’s brave but not completely fearless. She knows she has weaknesses and cannot complete this journey alone, and she relies on you to help her out. But we’re just readers, right?
Wrong. While we are an outsider in this adventure, we possess special powers to help our little friend. We can hold obstacles still to allow Quill to cross, flick switches for her and help her in combat but holding enemies still so that they cannot attack her.
Quill’s arsenal expands as the story goes on, letting her acquire new gear as she goes to expand her skills. Personally though, my favourite thing about the entire experience was how Quill interacts with you. When you’re idle, she looks up at the camera and waves, trying to get your attention. She gives you thumbs up when you help her pass puzzles. If you interact with her directly, the two of you even high-five. The VR mechanics have translated across very well, and it has been a while since I have felt so interconnected with a protagonist.
Moss: The Forgotten Relic is a brilliant experience, and even if you never got the opportunity like I did on its original VR release, please do yourself a favour and try it now. It’s beautifully told, the world is gorgeous, and Quill will take your heart and give it a big ol’ hug. Everyone needs their own little Quill.
Moss: The Forgotten Relic is now available on Steam.