Long before Dark Souls really took off, it was just a Software company that had a knack for making RPG games and really turning them into a dark twisted story with plenty of fantasy and experiments that may or may not pan out. It had plenty of dark fantasy stories to share in this VR Game.
Deracine is from the same mold, and it may just be the best one.
Positives
- Unique in the VR realm
- Connects you using VR to its truest form
- A perfect balance of skill level puzzles
Negatives
- Puzzles often are easy, but don’t make too much sense
- Different type of atmosphere that may not be for everyone
Your first impression of this place will leave you in shambles, not knowing what to exactly think of it all. You play as a mystical fairy who can just cause all sorts of problems. You can stop in time to steal from kids pockets, talk to the kids (who are impossibly polite and eerily pleasant) and even over-season their food to a point where it raises some real problems. Its all so quiet too, as the kids will talk in soft excited whispers, and seemingly taking naps wherever their bodies will let them doze off, including trees. There is just simply nothing bad about these kids.
Now looking back into the game, there is plenty of Dark Souls inside of it, but this game has its own identity at the same time. The details inside of the chapel, the kitchen and even bathrooms give an eerie feeling on why you’re there. In fact, the first hour being there I was simply exploring without a real sense of what to do. This world was meant to be explored.
But if you think this game sounds like flowers and fields, don’t be mistaken. This game only gets deeper.
As you explore deeper into what you’ve already done, an odd bit of time traveling and being stuck in time occur. You start experiencing things for the character. This game really wants you to breathe like the character does, see like the character sees, and feel as the character does. With this being a VR game, it has the ability to do just that. It creates a real connection between you and the player you’re playing as.
There is of course, limitations. You really are never completely free to make your own interactions, but Deracine lets you create your own conclusions and never putting those ideas into your head for you.
All of this leads up to about story that feels quiet short in running time, but makes up for it with plenty of well-paced twists, plot turns and an ending that seems very appropriate. If you’re looking for longer forms of content and RPG, you will need to look elsewhere.
Final Score: 8/10 – Great
Deracine, like mentioned earlier, wont be for everyone. But of you’re willing to try something new then this game will take you below a surface of VR that you didn’t know was possible. It is a different type of beast, and something you certainly wont forget fast. It is full of powerful moments that can really define the story, and it weaves great memories inside of your head. This game shattered the barrier between real life, and the player you are inside the game. VR is benefitting great from this game.
