It’s roughly 50 percent longer than Moss, addressing a common complaint from players that the original’s four-hour runtime was too short. Polyarc also wants the story in Moss: Book II to strengthen the bond between Quill and the Reader. “The biggest thing we want players to come away with is the emotional connection.” A massive hammer, for example, is too heavy for Quill to heft completely on her own, so the Reader has to lift it into the air, allowing Quill to deliver a powerful knockout blow. New weapons and combat skills also bring Quill and the Reader closer. This time around, players can create bridges and climbable surfaces made from vines, giving Quill new ways to move through the environment. On a larger scale, it comes from new options in exploration and combat. On a small scale, that means better interactions with the environment, like grass moving realistically when Quill or the Reader’s hand brushes against it. Moss: Book II aims to accomplish that in big and small ways throughout the game. Only Quill can see the player in their role as the Reader. “The biggest thing we want players to come away with is the emotional connection with Quill being stronger than ever,” Calihan says. It’s no surprise, then, that Polyarc is zeroing in on the player’s relationship with Quill for the sequel. That unique positioning, which makes the player a guide rather than the game’s protagonist, is a big part of what made the puzzle platformer Moss stand out in a VR field dominated by bombastic experiences like jetpack basketball and hypnotic rhythm games. She reaches out to the Reader, reacts to the world around her, and notices objects in the environment without the player’s help, all of which makes Quill feel more real than most video game characters. But while you control Quill’s movement, she always feels like a separate character, someone you communicate with rather than embody. As the Reader, you can reach into the world to move objects and open doors for Quill, who you then control through platforming and combat challenges. In both Moss and its sequel, the player takes on the role of the Reader, an invisible spirit only Quill can see with the help of a magical artifact. “The reason we’re making Moss is we want to create an experience that only VR can allow, which is putting you in the middle of the story with Quill,” Calihan tells Inverse. Based on a recent gameplay demo and a conversation with Polyarc’s Principal Artist Coolie Calihan, Moss: Book II is doubling down on what made the original one of VR’s most memorable narrative experiences. It did so not with flashy, mind-blowing effects or an acrobatic control scheme, but with immersive level design, a captivating story, and one adorable mouse named Quill. Moss: Book II’s Spring 2022 release date is fast approaching.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |