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Top 50 Challenge 2014 – Monument Valley
I heard a little bit about Monument Valley before I recently played it for our Top 50 Challenge, so although I didn't know what exactly to expect gameplay-wise, I was intrigued. After playing the game, I can understand why people are talking about Monument Valley.
Learn more about Game Informer's Fight for the Top 50 Challenge 2014. Also, here's Jeff Marchiafava's original nomination of Monument Valley.
Monument Valley is a puzzle game in a colorful, beautiful, and mysterious world. Players must navigate the character through 10 levels (some with multiple screens) by manipulating parts of the level/world in order to lead the heroine to stand on certain switches and pass through doors. It's like a better-functioning Echochrome, where manipulating the level makes you see the 2D geometry in new ways to open up new paths. You'll rotate platforms, avoid Crows that block your way, make friends with a helpful totem pole, and test your perception.
Your actions sometimes activate specific sound cues, and developer Ustwo crafted a lush experience through rich colors, intriguing sounds, and exotic locales.
While Monument Valley is a well-crafted game, including its gameplay mechanics, I really only felt challenged on a couple occasions. A puzzle game doesn't need to be agonizingly hard to be good, but I rarely felt like it brought its mechanics truly to bear and therefore the overall payoff was blunted. I didn't feel like I beat the game after some epic war of wits. It simply felt like I put in enough time with it.
The story also comes up short. Unlike Journey, for example, Monument Valley's ambiguous story does not lead to grander conclusions and strengthen the game. Instead it feels too bare.
My Vote
I enjoyed my time with Monument Valley, but I feel it comes up short for making our Top 50 list for the year. Its solid, even eye-catching, craftsmanship cannot save it from ultimately being a largely forgettable experience.
If you're curious about the game, you won't regret your purchase. However, it does not do enough to make it stand out among all the other games out this year.
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