My review of the Vermis series after reading all three books (and a few words about Godhusk)

[truthsnowiness411@leminal.space]

This is my brief review of all four Plastiboo books published by Hollow Press. I'll be discussing the books not in chronological order, but however I like.

This review contains no spoilers, except for a very minor one, so you can read it even if you're not familiar with the books.

Vermis II

The second book in the Vermis series and, in my opinion, the best installment. It differs most significantly from both the first and third books in that it is more narratively focused on the journey of a specific character. It has no choices and significantly fewer gameplay elements, such as loot descriptions and the like, but it tells the story excellently and reveals new lore details.

::: spoiler SPOILER ALERT
The typical character creation screen appears at the very end, after the Wayfarer's story has concluded, which, from a game design perspective, might suggest that what came before was, in a sense, a prologue to the main game? Personally, I prefer the idea that the player was given the chance to create a character at the end of the Wayfarer's story, after which the closing credits would roll. That would have been a powerful move.
:::

Vermis I

The first part of the series has its own unique atmosphere. It's short, distinctive, and wonderful in its own way. I can't say too much about it, except that it’s an excellent book with an interesting plot and beautiful illustrations.

Godhusk

Godhusk differs from Vermis in many ways right off the bat. First, it makes it very clear what kind of game this could be (it's a Metroidvania). Second, there are multiple endings(!), which is really cool for loreGB and reminded me of those old choose-your-own-adventure books with page-turn options. Third, it's not fantasy but sci-fi. More specifically, a mix of biopunk and divine machinery.

This is an unusual book with interesting artistic choices that feels most like a guide to a long-lost video game due to its abundance of gameplay mechanics, interactions, and multiple endings. I also like Plastiboo's art style here. Art is very important in books of this genre, and back in the day, the art style deterred me from buying Bubzium and Final Fentanyl, cause it was quite specific and not particularly appealing to me personally.

Vermis III

The final book (as of this review) in the Vermis series. For me, it's one big contradiction.

On the one hand, it's clear that Plastiboo has significantly improved his artistic skills over the years: this book features the best artwork in the entire series. There are also more game guide elements here, such as descriptions of loot, game mechanics, maps, and interactions seem to be about three times more abundant than in the first book. The world has also become more interesting, as has the protagonist's journey (compared to the first book).

However, the book offers almost nothing new compared to its predecessors. The first book laid the foundation for the genre, and the second told a very interesting and cohesive story. The third, on the other hand, seems to be trying to take the first book and simply make it bigger. Is that a bad thing though? No, not at all. Even though it's the weakest book in the series, it still deserves a solid 7.5 out of 10 if I had to rate it.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading my thoughts. If you've read any books by Plastiboo, please share your opinion, I'd love to hear it. As for me, I'm about to start reading How to Bake a Breadling while I wait for my copy of Age of Rot to arrive.