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Review: Glassbreakers: Champions of Moss
My initial experience with Glassbreakers occurred about two years ago when I was granted access to the Closed Beta. After a period in Open Beta, it vanished as the Polyarc team returned to the drawing board. However, it has now made a comeback as a full release after some time away. But, does this hybrid RTS/MOBA meet the expectations set during the Beta phase?
Game Details
Release Date: November 13th 2025
Developer: Polyarc
Publisher: Polyarc
Price: £16.75 / US $19.99
Reviewed On: Meta Quest 3 with Link Cable
* Access Provided For Review *
Build A Squad Of Champions
Initially, when Glassbreakers was revealed, I had my doubts about whether this was the appropriate path for the Moss universe, especially considering the adorable and exceptional platformers we experienced in Moss and Moss: Book II – it felt like a significant shift in a different direction. However, the Closed Beta demonstrated the potential charm this game could possess, offering something new to the medium – even though I struggled to secure many victories during my time in the beta.
The game features a showdown between two players, each commanding a team of three characters from the Moss universe. These characters may be ones that appear in the series, are subtly referenced in the Moss and Moss Book II, or are merely visible in the background of the books. Each character possesses specific attributes, including health, attack strength, and special ability power. Therefore, the selection you make focuses more on achieving synergy rather than simply choosing your favourite characters from the series.
Currently, the game features twelve champions, which allows for a staggering two hundred and twenty possible character combinations. This is where the challenge of creating the ideal three-champion teams comes into play. Certain characters are particularly strong at aggressive pushes, establishing a defensive barrier, or controlling the map to prevent your opponent from seizing the crucial power-ups that could determine the battle’s outcome. Consequently, your play style can change significantly based on the combination you choose, requiring you to adapt your strategies according to your opponent – this is where the game’s true complexity lies. You can even experiment with different combinations for various matches, depending on your desired approach. Perhaps you want to go all out on offence to catch your opponent off guard, or take a more defensive stance and wait for the right moment to strike – both strategies can be advantageous, but they also carry the risk of defeat. Nevertheless, trying out different mixes and tactics is often essential until you discover what works best for you.
Keeping the champions in mind, at the beginning, you will have only three champions available: Naji (attack-oriented), Gwendoline (defence-oriented), and Brel (special ability-oriented). This will be your initial team for your first game. As you progress through matches, you will level up your starting team and unlock additional champions, which means that by playing the game, you will ultimately gain access to the entire roster.
Now that you have your line-up of champions, the next question is: how do you achieve victory? Each player possesses three glasses. The main glass serves as your headquarters, where you can heal, and if your champion is defeated, they will re-spawn here after a while. On either side of the main glass, there are two additional glasses that function as damage-dealing turrets – destroying these will pave the way for a win.
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Every game you enter features a timer, preventing both teams from simply waiting for the other to initiate the first move. The objective is to shatter your opponent’s main glass within the time limit. If time expires, the team with the most glasses (including main and turrets) will be declared the winner. In the event of a tie, overtime will commence, providing additional time to attempt to break the opponent’s glasses. Should overtime conclude with both teams still tied in the number of glasses, the winner will be determined by who has the highest shield points remaining across their glasses.
While this may seem straightforward, the game features additional nuances and mechanics that can significantly alter the course of the battle. Your characters will grow stronger throughout the game by securing kills, introducing a momentum-based dynamic. The more victories you achieve, the easier it becomes to win, so it’s crucial to focus on eliminating your opponents’ champions while ensuring you don’t lose your own and retreating to defend and heal when necessary. This balance is a fantastic aspect of the game, creating a compelling ebb and flow. However, simply getting these kills may not be sufficient to tilt the battle in your favour, as the hexagonal map will generate power-up points that can enhance any of your characters’ stats. Therefore, you must also be prepared to seize these points during combat. These power-ups can be assigned to any of your characters, each of whom has four slots for these enhancements.
Additionally, a sway glass will appear at various locations on the map. The team that destroys the sway glass gains increased glass-smashing power, which could influence the battle since the glasses will sustain extra damage from the team that claims this advantage – hence the term sway glass.
During my experience with the Closed Beta, the only available game mode was competing against other players online, which concerned me since a lack of player engagement can lead to a game’s downfall. However, I was pleased to discover that the game now includes an AI Skirmish mode, allowing players to face off against AI opponents on easy, normal, or hard settings – plus, you can choose their champion combinations for added variety. Additionally, I was delighted to find that you can also work on unlocking champions while battling the AI, meaning that if you’re not quite ready to take on other players online, you can develop your champion roster offline and prepare for your first online match. Regarding the online mode, my experience in finding games has been somewhat mixed throughout my time playing for this review.
The Beauty Of Moss
One aspect where the Polyarc team truly shines is in bringing the characters of the Moss universe to life, and Glassbreakers is a prime example of this. Each of the twelve champions has been carefully crafted, with their stunning animations, expressive reactions, and gestures perfectly animating them and embodying the charm that the series is celebrated for. Just as you develop a fondness for Quill in Moss, the champions in Glassbreakers evoke the same feelings, making it impossible not to grow attached to them.
Each of the four stages in the game is inspired by the settings from the narratives of Moss and Moss Book II, creating a deeper connection to the series. The hexagonal boards may appear simplistic in design, with the primary focus being on the environment – yet, it’s rare that you actually notice these details. I believe this was a crucial choice, as this approach minimises distractions, allowing for clearer visibility during battles – which is vital in a game like Glassbreakers. The team has also ensured that icons and symbols do not overcrowd the board, facilitating easy access to the necessary information to aid your decision-making. Furthermore, the flatter and more simple boards enable the previously mentioned stunning animations of your champions to shine prominently.
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The finishing touch to the visuals is provided by a variety of customisation options for both you champions and you as a reader. As a reader, you have the ability to alter the appearance of your mask, allowing you to stand out against your opponents. Additionally, you can create a unique flag for your team of champions, selecting aspects such as shape, colour, and the displayed insignia. However, the primary customisation features are aimed at your champions, as you can modify the dye of their outfits and unlock additional outfits by playing the game, enabling you to style your champions. I’ve enjoyed coordinating my mask with the colour and insignia of my flag, ensuring that my champions sport some green in their outfits to create a cohesive look.
The audio design matches the quality of the visuals. The battlefield’s soundscape is exceptional, featuring the clashes between champions, the shattering of glasses under siege, and the clearly articulated and charmingly delivered voice lines from each champion, along with a few remarks from Morla Gorrondona, the narrator of the Moss games, serving as the MC for the battles. The team has also skilfully utilised spatial audio, which is crucial in a game like Glassbreakers, where you can’t keep your eyes on every part of the board simultaneously. This allows you to hear enemies flanking from the opposite side of the board before you spot them, enabling you to adjust your defence or attack strategy based on the spatial audio cues. This meticulous attention to sound detail enhances the game’s immersion and aids in maintaining your focus in the right areas during fast-paced matches.
This is ultimately complemented by a stunning soundtrack that plays in the background, perfectly aligning with every game in the Moss universe. The music transitions from warm and welcoming to tension-building as the match progresses, effectively establishing the appropriate atmosphere for the ongoing situation. This further deepens the immersion by evoking the right emotions for the events unfolding on the battlefield.
Comfort
The Verdict
Initially, I was uncertain whether Glassbreakers was the right path for the Moss universe, as it diverged significantly from the charming and appealing platform games that the series is known for. However, after spending some time with the game, my perspective has changed – the team has truly excelled with Glassbreakers. Polyarc has leveraged their expertise to create a completely original game for virtual reality, blending real-time strategy elements with the class-based systems typical of MOBA games, all while preserving the enchanting essence of the Moss universe. The game’s depth is remarkable; it’s much more than just achieving perfect synergy across a three-champion team – that’s merely the beginning of your strategy. Champions level up during matches by taking down opponents, and timing your attacks, managing power-ups, and capturing the sway stone can significantly shift the momentum and advantage in gameplay. Glassbreakers is competitive, incredibly addictive, and demands quick strategic adjustments and sharp thinking to maintain an edge in matches. The only notable drawback at the moment is that the player base hasn’t expanded sufficiently to ensure consistent matchmaking – however, there is an AI Skirmish mode available where you can progress and face AI opponents in these scenarios. One thing is certain: Glassbreakers offers something entirely unique in virtual reality, proving to be not only addictive but also one of the finest strategy experiences available in VR.
Copyright / The VR Realm / 2016 -
