Game of Phones: Every week I’ll pick a game for iOS or Android that’s perfect for long journeys, the commute or just when you want to switch off from the outside world.
You would be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t recognise either the name or the appearance of the first Monument Valley. Designed by a tiny team in South London, the game became a phenomenal success thanks to its utterly unique visuals and calming gameplay style.
Creating a sequel to a game like this could be considered an impossible task, and yet it’s a task that developers usTwo embraced whole-heartedly.
The result is an experience that feels thematically the same, but goes far beyond the original with considerably more complex puzzles, a more engrossing storyline and if it’s even possible, even more beautiful artwork.
For those who haven’t played the original, Monument Valley 2 sees you control both the main protagonist Ro and her daughter.
You will need to get both of them to a finishing point by manipulating the world around them in ways that look frankly impossible. The game’s hook is in the level design, each scene a pastel washed piece of art inspired by the works of Escher.
As you move them around the world the game’s exceptional audio and soundtrack will react in ways that elevate the whole experience. For something as simple as moving a person from A to B, Monument Valley can make the task feel like you’re reshaping the universe itself.
No it’s not difficult, and no it’s not particularly long either, but it is emotionally involving, utterly beautiful and one of the most convincing ways to escape the realities of a hot, smelly train carriage or a never ending coach journey.
Monument Valley 2 is available now on iOS via the App Store for £4.99 and on Android via the Google Play store for £4.99.