Ustwo Monument Valley title have been stuck for more than a decade at the top of the mobile premium games lists and for a good reason. Now the minimalist aesthetics of the series and its mechanical distinction between puzzles finally reach the consoles. Thanks to its portability and the touchscreen, Nintendo Switch seems to measure for this unforgettable experience. The first two games from Monument Valley and all its DLC can already be bought separately or as a package.
Essentially, Monument Valley's game mode remains unchanged in both titles. The player must lead his character through complicated labyrinthical phases in order to achieve a designated area that is characterized by a special symbol. Although there is an underlying narrative, it takes shape through cryptic phrases and abstract animations, so that the meaning for individual interpretation remains open.
In the first game, Princess Ida begins a revenue trip and is looking for forgiveness for her past acts and learn the consequences of life. Monument Valley II follows Ro when he teaches his son to find his own way and take responsibility while he grows. DLC emphasizes problems with environmental protection and focuses on forests to obtain the planetary borehole. Although the stories add a thematic level, the gameplay remains the real show of the show.
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When a barrier blocks the protagonist's path, the player has to manipulate the surroundings to eliminate the obstacle. Depending on the stage, several switches and levers appear that enable the scenario to change and form new routes. What the game really distinguishes is the intelligent use of an isometric perspective: Instead of free movement, the surroundings are observed from a fixed point, which enables puzzles that are based on perspective tricks. A few separate columns may initially seem impassable, but from a different perspective they form a fissure -free catwalk. The world folds into the player's point of view until the character finally reaches his fate.
The mechanics of the game is simple, but intuitive. The players interact with the world with a pointer and a selection button to steer the character or to change the surroundings. However, the pointer only moves between prepared points, which can sometimes lead to frustrating incorrect interpretations, which leads to tedious back and forth. Of course, it should be assumed that the tactile Switch screen would be the perfect solution because it enables players to play exactly where they wanted. Surprisingly and disappointingly, the game is not compatible with the touchscreen, which forces the players to rely on the inaccurate controls of Joystick, even if they play directly on the device screen.
Monument Valley seems to be more visually interactive than a traditional game. His minimalist design, its meticulous composition and its beautiful color palette create a relaxing aesthetics that cannot be admired. Clear lines, simple shapes and lively details give the game a unique organic style, almost like a living origami. This distinctive artistic approach is not only beautiful, it also enables the puzzles of the game to change the perspective, which leads to fascinating optical illusions that increase their amazement feeling. The game works in Switch OLED and looks perfect without any problems.
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The calm atmosphere is reinforced by its calm sound landscape. Harmonious bells and bubbling audioffs of the game are perfectly mixed with their environmental soundtrack and increase their underlying topics of self -observation and self -reflection. Scott Baker's sound design captures the peaceful world of Monument Valley perfectly, although it disappointed me a little that the trailer track of the first game -the impressive amateur cartography -obfusc -was absent in the real game.
Monument Valley rightly deserves his reputation. Thanks to its artistic depth and unique puzzle mechanics, it is more of an experience than a conventional game. Its impressive visual effects and attractive puzzles leave a lasting impression. Unfortunately, the adventure does not take long: complete the first game and its extensions only have a few hours and the sequel offers more or less the same content. With individual titles at a price of approx. $ 10 or the package of $ 18, the costs seem to be a bit high, especially when you consider that mobile versions are available for about a third of the price. Despite the price, it is an experience that deserves to be played.
