Monument Valley

[h1]Monument Valley[/h1] ☐ Loved it ☑ Liked it ☐ Not for me [b]Weighted rating[/b] out of 5 [h3]2.83[/h3] [h2]Summary[/h2] Puzzle game where you manipulate optical illusions and shifting perspectives to progress. [b]Best for:[/b] Players who enjoy meditative, art-driven puzzle experiences where visual beauty and a sense of calm matter more than challenge. [b]Skip if:[/b] You want a non-linear experience. You want failure states or inventory to add complexity. [h1]Review[/h1] A visually beautiful and conceptually fun puzzle game that at least challenged my perspective on things. It leans on an arsenal of optical illusions that highlight how, although things look 3D, they're really 2D: think Penrose triangles and impossible stairs. There was a good amount of variety between the levels in terms of both challenges and color palette. To me, the game really stepped up a few notches with the [b]Forgotten Shores[/b] expansion (which is embedded in the game), bringing an increase in both variety and mechanics. The game isn't hard and a fairly quick adventure. I rarely got stuck. One thing I missed was any sense of how far along I was in a level. There's no progress bar or other indication. I can only assume the intent is to keep you immersed in the experience, but the lack of any marker was a bit annoying. Thankfully, I could continue mid-level between sessions. The most frustrating thing was the sound design. The blips and bloops that [i]invaded[/i] my ear drum when doing things. I had to mute the game. To end on a positive note: I appreciated the straightforward achievements that unlock after each level: no guide needed. [h1]Grading[/h1] [h3]Game Design & Game Play[/h3] [b]Core Game Loop[/b] ☐ Magnetic ☐ Engaging ☑ Solid ☐ Repetitive ☐ Tedious [b]Arc & Pacing[/b] ☐ Impeccable ☐ Well-judged ☑ Functional ☐ Uneven ☐ Ruinous [b]Narrative & Thematic Coherence[/b] ☐ Masterful ☐ Compelling ☑ Serviceable ☐ Weak ☐ Incoherent [b]Systems Breadth[/b] ☐ Vast ☐ Broad ☑ Adequate ☐ Sparse ☐ One-dimensional [b]Systems Depth[/b] ☐ Emergent ☐ Deep ☑ Qualified ☐ Exhaustible ☐ One-dimensional [h3]Sensory & Aesthetics[/h3] [b]Art[/b] ☐ Breathtaking ☑ Beautiful ☐ Good ☐ Fair ☐ Poor [b]Sound Design[/b] ☐ Seamless ☐ Immersive ☐ Fitting ☐ Muddy ☑ Grating [b]Soundtrack[/b] ☐ Transcendent ☐ Captivating ☑ Pleasant ☐ Forgettable ☐ Annoying [b]Controls & Interactions[/b] ☐ Intuitive ☐ Attentive ☑ Adequate ☐ Frustrating ☐ Unplayable [h3]Longevity & Value[/h3] [b]Longevity[/b] ☐ Enduring ☐ Substantial ☐ Adequate ☑ Meager ☐ Ephemeral [b]Replayability Structures[/b] ☐ Bottomless ☐ Plentiful ☐ Adequate ☐ Low ☑ None [b]Value Density[/b] (picked up for [b]2,62€[/b]) ☐ Exceptional ☐ Strong ☑ Proportional ☐ Vague ☐ Predatory