Moss: Book 2 review: Modest VR mouse becomes mighty

digitaltrends.com:

Moss: Book 2 is proof that small changes can have a big impact. Though the first Moss game was hailed as an early VR killer app, it was a touch thin on ideas. Its simple sword-swinging combat got repetitive fast and its puzzles largely revolved around the same set of basic interactions. Its short runtime made up for its mechanical shortcomings, but there was plenty of room to grow.

Developer Polyarc has risen to that challenge with its sequel, available now on PS VR. While it looks and feels identical to its predecessor at first glance, the latest chapter steadily peppers in new ideas that help the series reach its potential. The original looked to bring adventure game fundamentals to VR, but the sequel feels more akin to more modern games like Ori and the Will of the Wisps.

New combat options, abilities, and tactile interactions elevate Moss: Book 2 above a VR proof of concept. The experience isn’t much longer than the original, but the added variety makes a four-year-old game feel brand new again.

Moss: Book 2 picks up right where its predecessor left off. Players once again control Quill, an adorable white mouse who adventures through diorama-like worlds. Players are simultaneously controlling another character in first-person: The God-like Reader who can move large objects and heal Quill from afar. Both of those characters have more abilities this time around, deepening the interplay between them.

The slow drip of new tools keeps fights from getting repetitive.

On the mouse side, the most notable difference comes in the form of combat. Quill’s toolset was extremely limited in the original Moss, with battles largely revolving around simple sword slashes against the same handful of enemies. Polyarc has added more