I don't usually play mobile games, let alone review them. But ever since I started university, I never have much time at home to play console games or PC games anymore. So I chose the next best alternative. Mobile games. Will you see more mobile game reviews from now on? maybe and maybe not. It all depends on what I'm playing at the moment.
This week I happen to finish Monument Valley, A stylish and calm puzzle game developed by UsTwo (what a sweet name) released for Android and iOS on April, 2014. To sum monument valley up in a nutshell... it's slick, smooth and you'll be left wishing they had made DLC for the game. So the game's basic premise is that you have to guide this little princess through different puzzle stages that make great use of those paradoxial architect designs. It's those designs and the way certain platforms connect with one another that really make it challenging. However, I'm terrible at puzzle games and I never really found the puzzles all that challenging except for the last 2 levels.
There's a total of 10 stages in the game that you have to complete and each stage is set in a new environment with a different color palatte. That's one of the things I enjoyed about the game. The colors and environments of the stages all incorporate very calming and welcoming colors. Accompanied by some sweet, calm and quiet background music, Monument Valley is easily a game that I can play for hours on end if it had enough stages to let me do that.
With the gameplay being just average in my opinion, it's the art design and nice colors that really keep you playing. The story also entices you to keep playing forward as the end of each stage leaves you with more questions than answers. What is the princess doing here and Why is she going through all these different puzzles?
All is answered at the end game.
The gameplay is simple enough as you tap at a certain place to make your character walk there. There are some knobs or bolt-looking thingies that pop out of the architecture that can help manipulate the environment to aid your character on her journey. Some of them may turn the floor you're standing on upside down and others might reveal a set of stairs that weren't there previously. It's quiet ingenious but after a while, it gets a little boring.
I seriously hope there will be some DLC for this game as 10 stages is way too short for this wonderful and simple game. I'm not suggesting making 100+ stages as if it were Cut The Rope but maybe adding another 10 stages to further explain the story. I feel like the story had good content in it and there were some really interesting bits that were just kept away from players. When I finished the game, I sort of understood what the story was about but I felt that it was rushed because of only 10 stages in the game.
All in all, Monument Valley is a good light-puzzle game utilizing some intuitive architecture for the stages. Using a great color palette and calm soundtrack to set the mood for players and keep them playing through the 10 stages. It could really use some extra content and a clearer story but even at it's state now, I recommend any mobile gamers out there to get this game. It's worth it.
Final Score - 7 / 10
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