Critical Play: Monument Valley

I played Monument Valley, an optical illusion-based puzzle game. The basic premise is that users are helping a princess named Ida through different fantastical architectural landscapes. To navigate Ida through the landscape, however, users must rotate elements, press buttons, move pillars and platforms, and even make bridges.

Each level introduces a new mechanic (i.e. rotating elements) that the user must employ to solve that level. This keeps the game dynamic and interesting as the user is continuing to learn, and not just exercising the same puzzle-solving technique each round. Furthermore, it was fun to see how even though the conceptual basis for each puzzle was the same: a convoluted architectural maze that the princess must get through, each puzzle could be approached in a unique way. In this aspect, Monument Valley strikes the perfect balance between novelty and familiarity, which is critical in puzzle-based games.

The game was not terribly challenging or impossible, but still enjoyable to play for the reasons outlined above as well as the pure aesthetic beauty of the game design. Each level is beautifully designed, with vibrant colors, clean lines, and unique shapes. I personally could see how the game could be improved by adding more levels and ramping up the difficulty of the puzzles.