Every single level in the game is an intricate puzzle of impossible shapes, all staring off into infinity. And just looking at them can make your head spin. But the more you look at it, the clearer it becomes, the more you understand how it all works.
Game geometry
Many games today make use of this kind of design. Of course, there are companies that not only replicate the brilliance of Escher’s designs, but can also convey their singularity. One can only imagine a world full of charming creatures that move about almost any surface, chaotically.
The player will play as a silent princess named Ida, whose story is at first unclear. Each new level is accompanied by fairly simple annotations to give the player a little insight into what’s next.
There are also additional characters in the game that start the conversation. They’re cryptic and terse and convey information in a straightforward, you might say childish, and little by little way. But if you include your imagination, you get the whole picture.
During the game the main character has to play the role of guide, that is to find and pave the way for the princess, to lead her from beginning to end. At the same time it is possible to control the space and individual elements. That is, structures are fully controlled, you can all twist and turn, move or rearrange.
Passing in most cases is not accompanied by any difficulty, but there is still a surprise. Simply look at the labyrinth in a different way, or turn a single lever, and everything begins to transform, new sides emerge and possibilities open up.
The puzzles are all extremely simple, yet clever, and even the familiar ideas are rare. In some cases, it’s up to you to reverse the level so that a pair of platforms form a ladder and the princess can ascend, descend and cross. The developer has put a lot of effort into creating variety, so it’s definitely worth a look.
There’s a sense of peace and tranquillity during the game, from the beginning to the end. Monument Valley squeezes the player more and more as time goes on, and it is possible to devote just a couple of hours and get through it completely. That time will simply fly by. It’s probably one of the best games out there, and many have said that it ends very quickly.