Deracine

A pretty good experiment from FromSoftware, creators Dark Souls. The approach of the Japanese studio with VR tech is interesting, but rough around the edges.

Déraciné has equally surprised and disappointed me. It's a gorgeous, story-driven experience, but the story has a few pacing issues and can drag along while not making the most of its gameplay mechanics. It's a slow burn, but if you enjoy eerie stories and atmosphere, Déraciné may be worth checking out. It certainly pulled me in and punished me for my naivete as the story grew darker by the minute.

Déraciné is a walking simulator mixed with graphic adventure that strikes a lot more for the binomial atmosphere-narration than for the rest of the game.

While mechanically stiff, like an automaton, this is still a compelling VR fairy tale. Lore hunters are rewarded, but even the less dedicated will want to go digging. [Issue#157, p.89]

FromSoftware's first venture into the realm of virtual reality left us with mixed feelings. Deracine is by no means a bad game, but it fails to deliver anything more than a shell of an (almost Myst-like) adventure game that was made for the PSVR, backed by great atmosphere and an interesting story.

FromSoft's first VR game isn't an instant classic, but there's a lot here to give fans of the developers a look into where their talents can take them in the realms of virtual reality.

Déraciné creates what may be the most enriching world yet seen in VR, but only scratches the surface in terms of actual gameplay.

Miyazaki also describes his latest work as “a quiet game for VR”, and again it’s an appropriate view. There are none of the scares or action you’d find in a Souls game. Instead it’s a game about sedate exploration and creeping chills. Not all of the experiments or ideas pay off, but the ones that do make for an absorbing ghost story with just the right amount of weirdness for fans of the creator. Despite being marred by clunky controls this is one of the best games available for PSVR owners.

Déraciné is a slow build with little in the way of VR gimmicks or challenge but come its conclusion I was satisfied with how the tale played out.

Déraciné maintains a calm and quiet focus on puzzle solving, characters, and its world above all else. Although it has a few underutilized mechanics and increasingly confusing time jumps, its story and atmosphere are strong enough to keep you engaged until the end.

In terms of gameplay, Déraciné could be too simple, chaotic and sometimes even disjointed, but it’s impossible to deny its power to seduce the player with its fragmented narrative.

Déraciné approaches VR in the right way, letting the player soak in the environment at their leisure, but the teleportation movement is awkward and most of your engagement outside the narrative hinges on how much you enjoy picking up objects, looking at them, and putting them somewhere else. The world is interesting, and the narrative features a handful of fun, dark twists, but the ultimate experience is bland, even if it does have its charms.

This is not bad for a VR experiment of the Dark Souls studio From Software. The setting is amazing, it is too bad it can't be explored all too well using the Move-controllers.

A fascinating narrative VR adventure partially ruined by too linear gameplay and poorly conceived puzzles.

Both plot and atmosphere are good in Déraciné, but its puzzles won't make you work too hard.

I love seeing From Software getting out of their comfort zone. It’s a nice change of pace and a good way to challenge themselves creatively, but I would have liked to see a little bit more out of the game. I want them to play against the expectations of the genre a bit more because if you strip away the atmosphere and the story, there’s nothing here you haven’t played before.

Déraciné is a solid addition to PSVR's growing stable of exclusives. It's not a must-play game though, especially if you've been through any of the other VR adventure games out there.

Fans of first-person adventure games and obtuse plots will love their time with Deracine. Its engaging story and atmosphere will keep you hooked until the end and after it's all over, you're sure to think back on this haunting tale for years to come.

Déraciné works as a simplified graphic adventure or as a slightly elaborated walking simulator, but it’s very disappointing as a VR game.

Unequally interesting from quest to quest, Déraciné takes its time and thus creates a lovable atmospher, in which VR is not a gadget. But the simplistic puzzles and lack of choices makes it a nice but forgettable experience.

Déraciné isn't really a true VR title as the VR doesn't bring much to the experience. Still it's an enjoyable ride as From Software has loads of know-how in terms of narrative and artistic direction.

The only link between this and previous FromSoftware’s games is pain. Deracine is not painfully hard though – it’s painfully boring. It does tell a good enough story, looks fine and does VR well, but interactions it offers are very limited and it is simply not much of a game. [02/2019, p.32]

Most egregious of all is that Deracine too often turns into a tedious game of hunt the sparkle, as you grope awkwardly around bodies to find the twinkle that triggers conversation audio. [Jan 2019, p.118]

Déraciné is beautiful and atmospheric and has a deep and absorbing story to tell, but its easy to question why this needs to be a VR title. The tonal inconsistency and node-based movement might also be off-putting, but for those who wish to be absorbed in a story, Déraciné is worth giving a look.

Déraciné isn’t for everyone, even if you fancy yourself a staunch fan of FromSoftware’s previous work. The slow, deliberate pacing, the vague puzzles, and a story that revolves around fairies don’t add up to a must-buy PlayStation VR experience. It’s an oddity and one that wants you to occasionally stop, stare, and soak in its atmosphere. Déraciné will be divisive; a borefest for some, yet bizarrely enthralling for others.

While Déraciné is worth playing and figuring out for yourself, it’s hard to recommend with enthusiasm. While intriguing and mysterious, the storytelling does have fundamental issues that make the overall mystery feel unearned and the tension intangible.

Déraciné has an interesting approach that only FromSoftware can deliver. At the same time, enough stands in the way of the overall package that diminishes what the game could have been. Fans of FromSoftware storytelling will find something interesting here, but others will dislike the pacing and execution.

From Software looks for poetry, but does not do it with conviction.

Deracine has a world worth seeing, but it’s not likely to stick with you once you’ve left.

Mechically and in terms of storytelling disappointing VR premiere from Hidetaka Miyazaki.

Despite the developer's pedigree with slower-moving games like Echo Night, it had great difficulty putting together a meaningful narrative that was pleasurable in any real way to watch unfold. If From Software opts to create another VR title in the future, I hope it's at the very least a different genre.

Deracine doesn’t stick the landing with its ending, and the game can often be more annoying to play than it is fun. It gets points for its bizarre atmosphere and intriguing plot, but they’re not quite enough to make it a game worth playing through.