PlayStation 4 PSVR – Déraciné Words Lewis Corner

A secluded boarding school from the Victorian era doesn’t really sound like the setting of one of the year’s more intriguing video games, but Déraciné isn’t any normal title. It’s the PSVR debut from director Hidetaka Miyazaki and From Software, who have previously given us legendary titles like Dark Souls, Dark Souls II and Bloodborne.

But if judging by their past accomplishments you’ re expecting Déraci né to bean adrenaline inducing, action-packed brawl through an otherworldly terrain, then you’d be wrong. Déraci né relies more on atmosphere than action, putting you in the perspective of an invisible faerie who travels through different points in time to discover the mystery that is wrapped up in this eerie building.

A soon as you place the PSVR headset on and pick up your Play Station Move controllers, you are transported to a new realm. Intensely quiet with a lingering sense of foreboding, virtual reality gives Déraciné an almost intrusive intimacy. Characters interact with your unseen presence, cleverly placing you within the story as you witness the events that unfold.

As you travel through the epochs – essentially how the game divides the story into levels – you are not a completely passive entity, however, using your rings of life and time to breathe energy into inanimate objects, and help alter the course of the story. While the Play Station Move controls take a little time to adjust to in this VR environment, they become remarkably familiar as you navigate the old school and its grounds. In fact, the control system is unlike anything you’ll have experienced before as you pick up objects, tap into brief moments in time, and crouch in a dusty old kitchen, all the while surrounded by the beautifully constructed digital world.

The adventure at the centre of Déraciné is intriguing enough to keep you going back for more; the innocence of its characters giving it an almost anime charm. However, as we mentioned there is not much action to experience here, and the plot relies heavily on seeking out the smaller details. It means some of the objectives can feel long-winded after you’ve checked what the creaking in the lobby is for the tenth time to no avail, or find yourself with very little clues as to where you’ll find that small rusty key.

Overall though, Déraciné is a title worth experiencing, pulling together mysterious storytelling, elegant visuals, and an environment you’ll find yourself wanting to wander further and further into.