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Moss Book 2 just launched on Steam - reviews and impressions

RuneSR2
Grand Champion

This trailer was captured on PC, so of course some of us knew there was a PC version - which silently was just released on Steam:

 

 

Priced at $30, so we do get a discount for the wait, Quest 2 price was initially $40 - get the game here:

 

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2059670/Moss_Book_II/

 

Note that I have not yet tried the game - I don't know if the game has been enhanced for PCVR with high-res textures and dynamic shadows - so this post is not for recommending the game, it's only to say that the game is now on Steam.

 

Strange with such a silent and surprising release, I don't think the PC version ever was officially announced - but I like surprises 🙂

 

More info here:

 

https://www.roadtovr.com/moss-book-ii-steam-vr-index-pc-vr/

 

For now the PCVR version is only available on Steam, it is not in the Rift Store. I'll check for native Oculus driver support later. 

Oculus Rift CV1, Valve Index & PSVR2, Asus Strix OC RTX™ 3090, i9-10900K (5.3Ghz), 32GB 3200MHz, 16TB SSD
"Ask not what VR can do for you, but what you can do for VR"

13 REPLIES 13

RuneSR2
Grand Champion

Fun thing, the US$ is now worth more than €, still Moss Book 2 is priced at US$30, but only €25... Well, adds even more to the discount over here 🙂

Oculus Rift CV1, Valve Index & PSVR2, Asus Strix OC RTX™ 3090, i9-10900K (5.3Ghz), 32GB 3200MHz, 16TB SSD
"Ask not what VR can do for you, but what you can do for VR"

RuneSR2
Grand Champion

Wasn't sure how the PCVR version has been enhanced compared to Quest, but the difference is quite substantial. 

 

I found a video on YouTube showing the Quest version - I took some screenshots from that version using 1920x1080 res, but the image quality still was quite low. So this does not represent Quest 2 image quality, but is just used to show some differences in graphics, especially lighting. 

 

I am using res 300% with the Index - that's about 27 mill pixels per frame, so of course the image quality from PCVR is extreme. 

 

Here are some lighting differences:

 

Moss 2 ROOM QUEST.JPG

The Quest version

 

Moss 2 ROOM PCVR.JPG

The PCVR version - with great lighting

 

Moss2 LIGHT Quest.JPG

More light with the Quest 2 - see the little hole in the roof

 

Moss2 LIGHT PCVR.JPG

Lighting in the PCVR version

 

Changes that really struck me were the plants and leaves:

 

Moss2 PLANT QUEST.JPG

Quest version: note the leaves to the left 

Moss2 PLANT PCVR.JPG

PCVR version - note the much more detailed leaves - kinda a night vs. day difference...

 

Lighting and leaves combined 🙂

 

Moss2 LIGHT 2 Quest.JPG

Check out the top left plant and the lighting

 

Moss2 LIGHT2 PCVR.JPG

PCVR - much better lighting and leaves - and many more dust particles in the air

 

Here's a nice big room:

 

Moss2 BIG ROOM Quest.JPG

Big room with the Quest 2

Moss2 BIG ROOM PCVR.JPG

Big room using a PC costing the same a 15 Quest 2s 😉

 

Some hall differences:

 

Moss2 Hall - Quest.JPG

Quest 2 

 

Moss2 HALL OC.jpg

PCVR

 

Moss1 HALL.JPG

Fun image - same hall from Moss Book 1 

Has Moss Book 2 been Questified? Not really, the game has much better lighting - but yes, some textures may have been degraded - like this statue:

 

Moss1 STATUE.JPG

Moss Book 1 statue - note the textures on the squirrel statue 

 

Moss2 STATUE.JPG

Same statue in Moss Book 2 - does look more low-res to me - but no big deal

 

Btw - the steam version supports native Oculus drivers - even the great old original TOUCH controllers are correctly identified:

 

OculusScreenshot1666347396.JPG

 

Testing with the RTX 3090 and Rift CV1, I could not use High graphics setting and ss 2.5 (27 mill pixels per frame) and get solid 90 fps - but ss 2.3 worked perfectly so far. 

Now, Moss 2 does not really look better than Moss 1, it seems Moss 1 has more high-res textures, but lacks the Moss 2 lighting. None of these games have proper dynamic shadows, but you have a blob shadow. The often low-res Moss 2 textures mean that Rift CV1 with some SDE is not a bad choice - the SDE really helps fooling your brain making low-res textures look more high-res - while high-res lcd hmds will reveal all flaws. 

For those still using a CV1 (original Vive or Vive Pro), you're not getting a lesser game experience - you're getting a really awesome experience, but remember to turn up ss to the max!

Oculus Rift CV1, Valve Index & PSVR2, Asus Strix OC RTX™ 3090, i9-10900K (5.3Ghz), 32GB 3200MHz, 16TB SSD
"Ask not what VR can do for you, but what you can do for VR"

RuneSR2
Grand Champion

I think these shots, taken by the devs, are new on Steam - showing the PCVR version:

 

ss_7a7f1fe7b99067ff887ea4f22d65bd7af0dcba39.1920x1080.jpg

ss_834295727130868bb1207647fe2ba92e4e750dec.1920x1080.jpg

ss_b5a9a8045629f32a9e9387a7d9efad0b0c3c9baf.1920x1080.jpg   

Oculus Rift CV1, Valve Index & PSVR2, Asus Strix OC RTX™ 3090, i9-10900K (5.3Ghz), 32GB 3200MHz, 16TB SSD
"Ask not what VR can do for you, but what you can do for VR"

RuneSR2
Grand Champion

I guess when Moss Book 2 does it best, few VR games do it better...

 

download (7).jpg

The throne room looks amazing

 

download (6).jpg

Great lights and atmosphere

download (3).jpg

I called "Hey, Smaug - you there?", but didn't get an answer

 

download (10).jpg

Nothing like a trip to the garden - and a prefect spot for a cup of tea...

 

download (9).jpg

Nicely decorated rooms

 

download (11).jpg

Many puzzles - and the mouse learns many new tricks

 

download (4).jpg

There are treasures and rpg-like upgrades to be had... 

 

download (1).jpg

Maybe I could win some photo-contest with this shot, lol 🤔

 

download (5).jpg

Some frog talk... 

 

download.jpg

More new skills in the making...

 

Sure textures could be better and are behind games like Red Matter 2 and Wanderer - but Moss Book 2 stands tall on its own. I'm now 4 hours into the game - still feels like the beginning - I'm slow 🙂

Oculus Rift CV1, Valve Index & PSVR2, Asus Strix OC RTX™ 3090, i9-10900K (5.3Ghz), 32GB 3200MHz, 16TB SSD
"Ask not what VR can do for you, but what you can do for VR"

RuneSR2
Grand Champion

There are some discussions about why devs did not promote or announce Moss 2 PCVR before the launch -and the launch went really terribly, only 15 ratings on Steam after 48 hours. Bonelab had 4,000 rating on Steam in 2 days. 

 

Today I can see that the devs did try to get the game more attention - I just checked out Steam for new VR games (as I do every day) and this was the VR front page:

 

cv.jpg

 

I'll keep my fingers crossed for the devs 🙂

Oculus Rift CV1, Valve Index & PSVR2, Asus Strix OC RTX™ 3090, i9-10900K (5.3Ghz), 32GB 3200MHz, 16TB SSD
"Ask not what VR can do for you, but what you can do for VR"

RuneSR2
Grand Champion

Still doing time in Moss, lol - having seen the PSVR version (PSVR = PlayStation VR) in more detail, the PCVR version looks much like the PSVR version (which has godrays and great lighting) and it does not look like the Quest 2 versin (which lacks the great lighting and has been cut down for textures too). 

Not really sure if the PCVR version differs from the PSVR version besides being able to use higher res and more fps (for hmds supporting 120 and 144 Hz). Moss Book 2 works with PS5 too, and I don't know if the PS5-version has been enhanced, but I know that the PS4 version is enhanced for the PS4 Pro. The PS4 Pro is rated at 4.2 tflops, making it  3.5 times faster than the Quest 2 (1.2 tflops). 

 

I guess I'm playing a super-charged version of Moss Book 2 enhanced for the PS4 Pro - and it does look fine, even if I do get the feeling it could have been even better if made ground-up for PCVR. 

 

Especially the lighting looks great when active, like here:

 

download.jpg

Examples of the great lighting - this is PCVR using the highest setting for graphics

 

- and textures are nice, even if very far from Alyx, Wanderer and Red Matter 1-2:

 

download (7).jpg

 

You will meet big enemies - and these are impressively animated:

 

download (5).jpg

download (6).jpg

download (1).jpg

 

- and you will be fighting some interesting foes:

 

download (9).jpg

 

The game feels much bigger than Moss Book 1 - one dude wrote:

 

Moss (2018)
Main Story - 4 Hours
Main + Extra - 4½ Hours
Completionist - 6½ Hours

Moss: Book II (2022)
Main Story - 6½ Hours
Main + Extra - 8½ Hours
Completionist - 9 Hours

Trying not to spoil much, there's more than one book this time:

 

download (4).jpg

 

Some new environments look nice:

 

download (2).jpg

download (3).jpg

  

The lack of dynamic shadows does bother me, but you can see your footprints in the snow, which is a nice touch. Also the ice will crack beneath your feet, which is nicely animated, so there are qualities balancing out the lack of proper shadows, at least to some degree. 

Oculus Rift CV1, Valve Index & PSVR2, Asus Strix OC RTX™ 3090, i9-10900K (5.3Ghz), 32GB 3200MHz, 16TB SSD
"Ask not what VR can do for you, but what you can do for VR"

RuneSR2
Grand Champion

Still after 7 hours I have not completed the game - puzzles are much better than Moss, and you have many more ways to fight etc. Took a few more shots:

 

download (1).jpg

Almost looks round(-ish), but poly levels are made for PSVR and are somewhat low

download (2).jpg

Don't catch the flying ball 😉

 

download (3).jpg

Check out the fog effects - I believe these are only available using "High" graphics setting

 

download (4).jpg

The light and godrays do look good

 

download (7).jpg

Many different environments are included

 

download (6).jpg

This in not Quill, but another character you get to control      

Oculus Rift CV1, Valve Index & PSVR2, Asus Strix OC RTX™ 3090, i9-10900K (5.3Ghz), 32GB 3200MHz, 16TB SSD
"Ask not what VR can do for you, but what you can do for VR"

Hopefully like the original Moss this will come to VivePort Infinity in the near future.  Moss 1 def looks fantastic using my OG Vive Pro (amoled screens, Etsy lens mod, and Index controllers).  SDE is still there but not too noticeable as long as SteamVR visuals are set to at least 200%.

i9 13900K water cooled, RTX4090, Z790 MB w/wifi6e, 32Gb 6400 ram, 2x2TB SSD, 1000W PSU, Win 11, QPro, Q3, w/Link and Air Link, Vive Pro1 with Etsy lens mod and Index Controllers

I also tried the game with the CV1, and it looks really good. Actually I sat down and took some time in Moss 1, after having done many hours in Moss 2. First I did think we just got a lazy Moss 2 PSVR port being worse than Moss 1, because I remembered Moss 1 looking great. 

But Moss 1 did arrive in 2018, and 4 years have passed - Moss 1 does not shine as much today as it did back then. After carefully having checked many textures etc., it feels like devs generally used same texture res in Moss 1 and 2 - makes sense, because the PS4 (Pro, launching in 2016) has not changed, and both games were designed primarily for PSVR. That said, some leaves in Moss 1 do have higher textures res than in Moss 2, but most textures in both Moss 1 and 2 are kinda low-res when you get close. These low-res textures do benefit from some SDE, and might even look better with oled for the blacks and colors too. 

 

There are some downgrades in Moss 2 though. In Moss 1 you could see your own face clearly in the water, and you made waves when touching the water. You not longer make such waves, and you rarely get to see your own face in the water - and when it happens, it's very blurry. 

 

I can Revive Moss 1 using Index res 400%, but using native Steam drivers in Moss 2 I'm down to res 300% for 90 fps - so Moss 2 is more taxing for the gpu - and light effects do look better. 

 

Overall, Moss 2 can look a bit dated, because it's the same texture quality as Moss 1, and 4 years have passed - and being designed for PSVR (=oled), using oled hmd with some SDE may be a really great choice 🙂

 

Strange that Moss 1 isn't part of Infinity - I do wonder if that means Moss 2 will not be either... 🤔

 

Devs said on Twitter the PCVR version will not arrive in the Rift Store - so there will be no cross-buy. 

Oculus Rift CV1, Valve Index & PSVR2, Asus Strix OC RTX™ 3090, i9-10900K (5.3Ghz), 32GB 3200MHz, 16TB SSD
"Ask not what VR can do for you, but what you can do for VR"