Monument Valley stands out as a breathtaking adventure where the overall presentation and puzzles are among some of the most creative to be found in the genre. Most of the levels are built around mesmerizing optical illusions that are incredibly pleasing to the eyes, turning each environment into a living piece of art. The puzzles strike a wonderful balance in difficulty, ensuring that the gameplay remains relaxing and nothing ever feels overly challenging or frustrating to solve. The experience introduces clever mechanics to mix things up, such as the inclusion of the loyal pillar companion that completely changes how you interact with the architecture. Furthermore, the expansion content in Forgotten Shores is a fantastic addition, with each level acting as its own unique puzzle. The snake level is a particular highlight, delivering a memorable sequence where the pathways get twisted in mind bending ways.
On the downside, the beautiful journey is held back by a couple of minor limitations. The game features a relatively short runtime, which might leave you wanting more just as you truly get into the flow of things. Additionally, playing with a controller is not the most optimal experience. The movement system tends to snap aggressively to specific parts of the level, which can frequently lead to your character walking to the wrong place and disrupting your puzzle solving rhythm.
Overall Monument Valley is a visually spectacular and deeply imaginative puzzle game that excels through its artistic presentation and elegant illusion based mechanics. While the short duration and finicky controller tracking can occasionally detract from the experience, the sheer creativity of the level design and the inclusion of the superb expansion stages make it a thoroughly enchanting masterpiece that is well worth playing.