Monument Valley (for iPhone) Review (2024)

I don't re-read books that I love, but I can't remember how many times I've played Monument Valley. The mysterious atmosphere and clever design of this iPhone game are more comparable to other great mobile titles like Year Walk ($3.99 at Apple.com) than the simple, if entertaining, Candy Crush . Each level is as much a puzzle as a work of art; it's contemplative and invites the player to do more than just play. Monument Valley is one of the best iPhone games available, and an Editors' Choice winner.

Monument Valley is available in the Apple App store for $3.99. The Forgotten Shores expansion is available as an in-app purchase for $1.99, while Ida's Dream is a free update. It plays well, even one-handed, on older iPhones, but shines on the bigger screen of the iPhone 6 ( at Amazon) . Be sure to plug your headphones in so you can enjoy the stellar soundtrack.

Surmount the Monument
In Monument Valley, you take control of Ida, a silent princess who must travel through abandoned monuments in order to place a geometric figure at the summit of each. Along the way you meet a friendly obelisk called Totem, a cryptic apparition, and the annoying crow people—flightless bird-creatures that can block your path. The game is built around perspective optical illusions, and you'll have to twist architecture with some Escher-esque tricks to guide Ida around obstacles (sometimes, by walking on the ceiling) and reach her goal.

Though the core Monument Valley game has only ten levels, each is lovingly designed. Even the level-selection screen is beautifully impossible for the eye and brain to see logically, as four sides of a cube somehow manage to display ten different faces. My favorite level is close to the end, where you must unpack an elaborate puzzle box. The surprises inside, and the ingenious construction, show the game at its best as each element works perfectly with the next.

Sometimes the puzzles don't seem difficult so much as meditative—a sensation enhanced by a distant, soothing soundtrack. That said, I found the final level so difficult that I had to walk away from the game for the better part of a day before I could come back and try again. The difficulty is a bit oddly paced throughout the game, but simply exploring each level is its own little treat.

Forgotten Shores and Ida's Dream
The expansion to Monument Valley adds eight more levels, nearly doubling the number from the original. This comes along with some new twists (literally) on the original's gameplay, bringing the mind-bending perspective shifts to a whole new level. Despite this, Forgotten Shores doesn't feel like a totally new game. Instead, several levels seem like ideas that weren't fully finished for the original game, or new takes on existing ideas. The Oubliette, for example, is my favorite level from Forgotten Shores and is reminiscent of The Box from the first game.

This is what an expansion should be. It feels fresh but familiar at the same time, and expands on themes established in the original. However, fans seeking a continuation of the original game's story will be disappointed. Forgotten Shores is really just a collection of new levels, though it does thread along a short narrative centered around Ida and the friendly Totem.

In June 2015, Ustwo released a new free level called Ida's Dream. This had previously been released as part of a charity campaign, but it's now available to everyone. In Ida's Dream, a new physics-defying puzzle awaits behind a series of doors on a windmill. There aren't any new mechanics on display here, but I was surprised at how devilishly hard some of the puzzles were. If you enjoyed the difficulty of the original game's final puzzle, you'll revel in Ida's Dream.

Artistically Inclined
Monument Valley clearly strives for more than the average mobile game, but it sometimes suffers from its success. The surreal, mind-bending landscape and contemplative tale invite comparisons to Ico and Journey . It's a credit to Monument Valley that it can stand with these console and PC titles, and it's a stand-out success on the iPhone.

But the elements of each level can feel a bit too familiar after a while, as if the designers had only so many tricks to use. Ida's story and the game's ending, too, are sweet but shallow. All the mystery sprinkled throughout the game adds up to not a lot by the end. And though the Forgotten Shores and Ida's Dream expansions are extremely entertaining, they don't make any attempt to amend the shortcomings of the story.

Make the Journey
I was mesmerized by Monument Valley when it was released in 2014, and have been grateful for any reason to revisit it. While some may scoff at the price for a mobile game, it is well worth it, and even modest free additions like Ida's Dream are made with obvious care.

There aren't many mobile games that stick with you, but this is definitely one that does. Like a good book or a movie, it invites reflection, and I've found myself replaying the game just to experience it again. Often I'm not playing to win, or even finish a level. I just enjoy experiencing the music, the lush sounds, the beautiful images, and the meditative play. That's the highest compliment I can give a game. Monument Valley is an easy Editors' Choice for iPhone games.