Monument Valley 2

Firstly, this game is stunningly beautiful. The way everything moves is flowing and smooth, and the complementing soundtrack is honestly the best iOS soundtrack I've heard in a while. It suits the game perfectly. The art direction in this game is top notch and probably deserves an award of some kind. The story here is also quirky, intriguing, and touching. It's not a tearjerker, but I felt the love between mother and child, and it warmed my heart. Any game can get by with good visuals and sounds, but the gameplay here is enjoyable as well. Although the puzzles in the beginning were admittedly easy, especially if you played the original game, the difficulty curve was consistent and the puzzles towards the end were tough. All of them were satisfying though, if only because the unique geometry requires you to think in a way you normally wouldn't. Overall, if you're only looking for a brain-bender of a puzzle game, this may not be for you. However, I think that everyone can get something out of MV2, because I won't forget the experience for quite a bit. I look forward to the updates so I can get back into this lovely, lovely world.

As a huge fan of the first game and forgotten shores, this second installment did nothing to raise the standard set by the first. The art and music were on point, but the levels themselves were shorter, simpler, and far less intriguing than those in the first. The difficulty/complexity of the first game made it rewarding to play and also increased the playtime such that retrospectively I’d have happily paid twice the asking price to download the first... on the other hand I’d tell anyone who hasn’t played these to only buy the first and forgotten shores and skip MV2 (or play it first). MV2 also seemed to have a smaller set of puzzle mechanics. Typically in this game you are limited to rotating platforms and sliding platforms. In MV1 you had these, but you also manipulated the entire map relative to camera angle, redirected water flows, channeled bird people to/from switches etc. The only new mechanic in this game was having two characters that you could direct which ultimately functioned as an easier version of the NPC birds or smaller version of the block friend you work with. In short, the first game had puzzles, clever mechanics, presented a challenge and had a compelling storyline. MV2 felt like a reader rabbit game; a children’s interactive storybook with simple references to the original. The first game involved multiple sessions of play, this one I finished in under an hour.

As a huge fan of he original MV, there seemed to be a distinct difference in the effort put into the original and the sequel; MV2’s settings, for example, were a bit too simple for my taste. The settings in MV seemed to do a better job of creating a clear vision of what the fictional setting of “Monument Valley” looked like with its tower complexes, waterfalls, meadows, cliffs, and ancient catacombs (one of my favorite parts of the original). The detail of those settings really involves the player more in the story about restoring the Sacred Geometry to restore the valley. MV2, however, consists of overly-simple settings, most of which are literally just a floating block in the middle of a plain background (comparable to the levels in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker), where’s in MV you’re scaling actual mountainsides, climbing actual towers, and exploring actual cave complexes. MV2 could have at least given us a waterfall or something in the background to look at and remind us that “Monument Valley” even exists as a setting (the level Botanical Gardens especially did not at all give off any “garden” vibes when it definitely could have). Not to be completely negative, I did love the level where you’re inside Totem; that was pretty awesome. P.S. This is all without mentioning that it literally took me, like, an hour to beat the game, and most puzzles can be solve by simple trial-and-error methods (with a couple of exceptions, to be fair)

THIS GAME IS THE BEAT GAME OF ALL TIME!!!! I thought the first one was good, and then this one came!! As soon as I saw it in the App Store, I bought it! It was so fun! The levels were just the right amount of challenging, not to easy not to hard, but I have a few minor suggestions: the main thing I didn’t like was that the story lines are not clear. I have so many questions about MV1 and MV2. Is Ida the queen or princess of the crows? Why did she go on that whole adventure? Who was that ghost lady and why does she call Ida a “ thieving princess”. What is the ghost lady even talking about? And what does totem pole guy have to do with it? The story line in MV2 was a little clearer, but it had nothing to do with the first one. Is Ro’s child Ida? Is Ro the ghost in MV1? Why does Ro have to leave her child? What were all the little sparks coming out of Ro’s hat? And I was also kind of disappointed when there were no bonus levels in MV2. In MV1 their was Idas dream and forgotten shores but there were none in MV2. But otherwise I loved it! Please consider what I said if you are going to make MV3 (which I hope you do) thank you 4 reading!

In a time where mobile games are perceived as quick cash grabs, I’m genuinely happy to see a team out there who dedicated this much effort and love into their game. The geometric puzzles are always a joy to solve, never too hard nor too easy, but just with the right amount of challenge. The further I progressed into the game, the more I grew fond of the characters. The game’s art style and visuals are absolutely gorgeous. I’ve tried a plethora of mobile games, but none were this close to beautiful. The best part wasn’t me playing through the game, but seeing my own mother, who haven’t played anything more than one or two mobile games in her life, walk through the game by herself (and occasionally asking for help for a really challenging puzzle!). Not only did the developers manage to make a great game, but they managed to do so while catering to both avid and casual gamers. To the team behind this masterpiece, I want to tell you that me and my mother, and many others I’m sure, can’t wait to visit the world of Monument Valley once again.