Monument Valley might be a very short game, but it has the charm that keeps drawing you back. It has great graphics, storyline, and gameplay. Beyond the usual drive to win a game, Monument Valley holds you spellbound with its amazing music and sounds, calm scenery, and fine images.

In Monument Valley, you have to take Ida through the illusion-filed paths that lead to several monuments. The illusions that these architecture create are not the only obstacles in the silent princess’ way. There are also tons of flightless birds poised to making your journey hellish. So, your task – for most of the game – is finding a way to evade or overcome these obstacles and get to the apex of each monument.

Ten Levels of Incredible Fun

Monument Valley has only ten levels, but each has an intricate, stunning design. You can select a level from a four-sided cube that appears on the screen. It’s amazing how this four-sided cube elegantly displays ten faces representing the level. That’s a testament to the visual excellence of this game.

Each level has its uniqueness, even though the tasks all revolve around puzzle solving. As you get towards the final stage, the game gets trickier and more complicated. Many a time, you have to take some time off and come back to it – and I just love that! I’d be unimpressed if the game didn’t spring up some surprises that challenged my gaming genius. Another interesting spark in Monument Valley is how meditative the puzzles can be. Like, you can begin a task just to relax, with some soothing music blessing the scene.

While the original game has just ten levels, there’s an expansion known as Forgotten Shores. This features eight more levels that bring new and interesting elements to the game. The levels do come with more complicated challenges, but they aren’t so much of a detour from the original ten levels. More often than not, you’ll find these new levels as continuation or almost-replica of the initial ones.  Another level, Ida’s Dream, joined the scene in 2015, featuring the most challenging puzzles ever in Monument Valley. If you’re like me who enjoy such puzzling challenges, then you’d love Ida’s Dream.

You Never Know What To Expect

Monument Valley is mighty at springing up surprises. When you tap a level open, you’re going to find a completely different setting from the previous one. You won’t get a tutorial at the beginning, but the first level is almost like an introduction. There, you learn the very basics of the game and everything about controls. Thereafter, you’re thrown into the game’s boxing ring. 

The levels, also known as monuments, feature different backgrounds, from illuminated environments to eerie ones. They all form a part of the game’s interesting story. A little confession: I was even surprised this game had a story in the first place – you rarely find that in mobile games. Much of gameplay involves solving puzzles, with very little help from other in-game characters. Besides, the character interaction in Monument Valley isn’t so great. So expect to do everything by yourself. You’ll find that every piece of the puzzle is very detailed and execution is just awesome.

Your goal, which is Ida’s goal, is to reach the summit of these monuments and place a geometric object on them. Doing that completes the stage and immediately unlocks the next one. Thankfully, the game has no pay-to-win features. You don’t even have coins, gems, or any other type of in-game tokens to fight for. The goal is clear and simple: get to the top by solving puzzles. 

Ida doesn’t stay the same throughout gameplay. She learns new things as she journeys on and also gets better at interacting with the world around her. This shows that Monument Valley isn’t a static dynamic. Besides, the levels get more difficult as you move on – proving that the game actually grows.

Brilliant Artistic Display

Monument Valley may not have the repute of some of the biggest mobile games out there, but it does make a statement. The game’s design is intricate, artistic, and brilliant. Anyone will be intrigued by its landscapes and in-game elements. You can’t take your eyes off the fluid animation for a minute. While Ida has limitations to her movement, the fluidity in it is just astonishing. 

The interesting thing about the game’s graphics is how simple but visually outstanding they are. When it comes to the sound, Monument Valley maintains the same positive note. The tracks are calm, relaxing, and simple. They fit well into the game, giving you a completely enjoyable balance.

It also excels in its tale that makes for an enjoyable story. We know what Ida’s journey is all about and what she must do to get to the pinnacle. The shortness of the game may contribute to its ability to sustain the intrigue of the story. If the game was longer, Ida’s story would’ve been too shallow to hold anyone hoodwinked for so long. I expected the expansion to stretch the story and offer some depth, but that wasn’t the case. For now, I’d take the contemplative tale that fits the length of the game’s playthrough.

Verdict

Monument Valley brings something new to the mobile gaming scene. Its meditative setting is unarguable unprecedented and that’s just what I like most about it. Also, the developers did put a lot of time into the very intricate part of the game, creating an overall artistic design that’s just fabulous. Although the game is one of the shortest you’d ever see, it offers a robust experience that blanks that out. If you need a relaxing and enjoyable game to play, you shouldn’t look away from Monument Valley.