Monument Valley
After playing Monument Valley I can safely say it is one of my favourite games of all time. I have never seen a game created quite so beautifully, with a tale so simple yet so symbolic that in the brief time a player spends inside, a story is told incomparable to any other. Monument Valley unveils itself in an unknown world, where the tale of the young princess Ida is enabled by the player. The objective of the game is for Ida to reach the end of each level, but the bigger picture is revealed slowly through the brief words of curious onlookers, captivating music and sound, unspoken messages and the impossible architecture that formulates itself in each level.
The awesome thing about Monument Valley is the obstacles that Ida finds herself overcoming are impossible to overcome. At least that’s what our brains keep telling us. The way you help her across each level is simply to defy human logic. The general rule of thumb is if it looks like it could work, it does… regardless of what you might think is physically possible. I have never quite seen optical illusions being implemented so mechanically into a game before. Levels play with perspective; if from one angle two paths are far away, but from another they look to be joined, you simply adjust the angle so the paths cross and Ida walks right along. This magical art is referred to as a ‘sacred geometry’ only existing within the long forgotten civilisation the game embraces. Each level plays with your eyes in more ways than one, not only do they incorporate optical illusions, but beautiful artwork as well. I can guarantee you that you can pause or screenshot this game at any time on any level and the picture you end up with would looks like it could be framed and hung in a gallery. The game itself is a work of imagination. Levels are creatively designed and the interesting musical compositions and sounds make each level a narrative for your eyes and ears. The story that this artistic game tells can be interpreted in so many ways, and the personal experience I received from playing this game through is one I couldn’t forget. In terms of length, this game has 10 levels, and has two different expansions that can be purchased separately, I have purchased them all and think them to be well worth the money. The game runs on iOS (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch) so in terms of controls the player rotates screen angles, moves levers, turns wheels and instructs the silent princess Ida on where to go. The game isn’t extremely challenging to play and I didn’t get particularly stuck on any levels, although not being able to trust my eyes occasionally made me forget about the utilities I had at my disposal. If you’re not into problem solving I wouldn’t recommend Monument Valley, considering the game is entirely made up of transversal puzzles. All in all Monument Valley is an incredible game that I highly recommend to anyone who has made it this far! It is a beautifully constructed work of art that is inspiring and fun and tells a genuine story I have yet to see from any other phone application. If you are interested I recommend visiting our Monument Valley Gallery below! By Jacques |
Watch the Monument Valley Trailer!!!
Monument Valley Forgotten Shores Trailer
Behind the Scenes
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