Title: Monument Valley Develop: ustwo Platforms: IOS Universal Price: $3.99 ---
I shared my thoughts on the Monument Valley beta in January, but even that small taste was enough to make the game one of my most anticipated of 2014. Now that it has finally released and I've experienced the full finished product, I truly believe that Monument Valley is the epitome of what IOS gaming should be.
This is an experience that puts visual artistry and atmosphere first, a complete journey without filler or padding. Each chapter feels distinct, unique, special in its own way. As you guide Ida through this abstract world of long-abandoned structures, you'll encounter impossible mechanisms and structures to push, pull, and rotate, utilizing Escher physics to navigate this mysterious world. Without the touchscreen, Monument Valley just wouldn't be the same; the tactile nature of IOS devices allows for an intimate connection with the world as you manipulate the environment with your fingertips. The whole experience is a masterfully-crafted mix of wonderful artistry, compelling music, immersive tangible mechanics, and subtle narrative.
My trip through Monument Valley lasted two hours, but it was a journey that I didn't want to end in a world I wanted to see more of. It's a game that uses the tactile tangible nature of the touchscreen to its fullest potential, that is simple yet engaging and compelling. At a time when clones and clones of clones flood the charts and tear the spotlight away from the games that deserve it, where IAP and free-to-play practices are rampant and only seem to grow more and more ubiquitous, Monument Valley is not just a great original premium IOS game. It's a great game regardless of system or platform.
I was lucky enough to get into the Testflight beta for Monument Valley and after playing through the current beta, I have to say that no game I've played has offered such satisfying and fun perspective-twisting mechanics since Fez. Set in an abstract world of a long lost civilization, you traverse these isometric environments, solving puzzles and slowly unraveling the mysterious fate of those who resided there before. While the minimalist art and Escher-esque environments are always pleasing to explore. what truly makes Monument Valley shine are its mechanics. Each chapter offers a new twist of the perspective-shifting and spatial manipulation, from levels where you can rotate the entire level and transition from floors to walking across walls to the Box, a nesting doll-style environment where you flip open different sides of the box to reveal different puzzles and areas. Some levels you need to manipulate enemies to activate switches, other levels you're moving a pillar to bridge impossible gaps.
While the developers hope to eventually bring Monument Valley to Android and PC, currently it's only set to release on IOS and honestly I feel Monument Valley without a touchscreen would diminish the experience. There's something quite satisfying and tactile in moving portions of the level around, dragging sections to complete illusions, and other functions that could only be accomplished with a touchscreen. Monument Valley will release some time in 2014. You can follow the game's progress on the development blog.
