Game Review: Monument Valley

Monument Valley [Google Play, Amazon, iTunes, Windows Phone] $3.99

• Forgotten Shores expansion $1.99
• Developer: ustwo

Monument Valley sets the benchmark in mobile gaming, there is no denying the fact. It is not just a winner of all possible 2014 game of the year awards worldwide, including ours, but a new milestone of quality, beauty, style and complexity.

Right now, we see new games emerging that use the same Escher-esque style of Monument Valley, and many reviewers and gamers cry wolf - “they're stealing Monument Valley ideas!” What is a benchmark in art, or gaming, if not a new paragon that sets the tune for the multitude of new games?

Another curious fact about Monument Valley is whenever someone gives it a low rating, they explain the grade by the brevity of the game, demanding more. Is it not another proof the game is awesome?

Overview

Monument Valley might seem abstract at a first glance, but the deeper you go, the more you begin to suspect the story that evolves, and every detail you uncover makes perfect sense in the end.

The protagonist is Princess Ida walking through what seems like a maze of weird architecture floating in space, defying gravity and all possible rules of geometry.

Optical illusion and impossible geometry might not make sense to you until you try the game, and see how Escher's weirdest paintings come to life in this mysterious game.

Ida is not alone, and she apparently has a purpose for every now and then there appears a ghost of a man telling her to back out.

The architecture itself seems Arabic, and so does the ghost's outfit. With all the symbolism of the game, I still haven't figured out what it means, but it keeps nagging at the back of my mind.

Gameplay

Ida walks these monuments, some floating in the air, others standing out from the water, or buried deep under ground, or worse, enclosed in some sort of a sinister cube. Ida keeps walking through them, looking for doors, buttons and handles that rotate, flip and switch mechanisms of the monuments and change their layout in most unimaginable ways.

Each structure is unique and has a way in and no return until Ida finds a way out, to the next level.

At some point, she gets to the level inhabited by mysterious crow people, and from then on, they are a continuous presence. We don't know who they are until the game's end, and their behavior is odd, if not eerie. Whenever Ida comes near, they start cawing like mad. As a result, she needs to avoid them while getting through the levels.

That said, the game combines the atmosphere of puzzle challenge, visual delight, eerie suspicions and loneliness, but the bottom line is – it is very Zen. The best way to play it is with your headphones on, on a couch, or in the armchair, relaxed and peaceful. It will set your mind at peace, immerse your attention and take you somewhere you've never been.

Controls

With the crazy mechanics and impossible architecture, Monument Valley's controls are smooth and responsive, but most importantly – intuitive. The game introduces new mechanics with each level in subtle ways, allowing you to get the hang of them at your own pace. The structures can be rotated, but the overall number of mechanisms that trigger stairs, elevators and all sorts of fantasy gizmo is very large.

Design

Lots of praise has been sung to Monument Valley's design for a reason. The game is a puzzle at heart, but a work of art in its essence. The game even has an in-game camera option that lets you zoom in on any scene and capture it to use it the way you like – as a screen saver, or a userpic, you name it. It is an option users appreciate greatly because the game is fantastic in every detail – the backgrounds, the color palettes, the shapes, shades and play of light. Each structure is unique and intriguing while solving its riddle is a real treat.

Moreover, the sound score is directly dependent on the evolving scenes, and reflect your personal pace, adding further to the atmosphere of discovery and tension.

Replay Value

The original game comprises ten levels, which form a self-sufficient story with a definitive ending that does not imply any sequels. How much time will those ten levels take you is absolutely up to you. The first time I played it, it took me about 2 hours+, and my first impression, besides the “wow!” was a slight shade of disappointment that did not affect my overall admiration.

A week later, I got back to the game and went through it again, and discovered, to my utter surprise, I enjoyed it the second time even more that the first one. The fact that I've already gone through the puzzles did not mean anything – I still had to fiddle with the most difficult ones.

However, the game's visual supremacy and my anticipation of the story's climax made the second, and third, and fourth gameplay a real delight I now resort to whenever I need to reload my steaming brain. So, I did not uninstall it. Instead, it turned into my new favorite Rubik's cube.

In December, ustwo released an expansion “Forgotten Shores” available via in-app purchase for $1.99. It comes with eight levels more and let those who miss Totem enjoy a bit more of Ida's friendship with a yellow, one-eye parallelepiped that drowned when following Ida deep into the sea in the original game. The Forgotten Shores expansion gives you some more of that lovable duet in another set of ingeniously beautiful and mind-boggling puzzles.

Pros

• Ingenious puzzles, smart and unique that make you think in terms of three dimensions and develop your spatial skills
• Gorgeous art work
• Amazing soundtrack
• Charming protagonist and memorable characters
• An intricate, delicate and heartfelt story
• Immersive gameplay
• Intuitive and fluid controls
• Endless replay value
• Works great for all age categories
• No violence
• A case of high quality premium game done right
• Cloud save, tablet support

Cons

• If there is ever a complaint against Monument Valley, it is in the game's brevity. I don't mind that since I like to get back to it once in a while. A free expansion would be nice, however.

Conclusion

Monument Valley is by far one of the best mobile games ever. In fact, its serenity, beauty and pure wonder of discovery provide for a true gaming pleasure unlike any other. Its story is mysterious and full of symbolism; its characters are memorable and touchy; its art is ingenious; its puzzles are smart and unique. It may be short, with the initial ten levels, and eight more available via IAP, but its replay value is high for the right player.

I would like to say something like “If you prefer FPS, skip Monument Valley,” but the truth is this game's charm works on a wide audience – kids, teens, millennials, middle-aged people and seniors. It works as a pacifier for the over-agitated while its immersion level is so high, your brain is sure to focus on the gameplay. If you are on a fence, doubting whether a relatively short mobile game can be worth $4, I would like to push down the weigh in its favor. It's a pure, elegant and dazzling delight – get it.