Monument Valley: Panoramic Edition

Developer: ustwo games | Publisher: ustwo games | Release Date: 2022 | Genre: Casual / Puzzle / Indie | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

Ida, the silent princess, embarks on a journey of forgiveness through a valley adorned with monuments. The game subtly hints that Ida’s actions may have disrupted the world’s sacred geometry and that her journey is one of forgiveness. In Monument Valley, players are tasked with guiding Ida through these surreal and enigmatic levels, each of which is based around some kind of optical illusion.

Monument Valley was initially released on iOS way back in 2014, where it quickly became a big hit. The meditative and calming puzzles found an audience among casual players who enjoyed the puzzles that were clever but never difficult. Unfortunately, despite the original game receiving an expansion and sequel, it was never ported to PC. That is until eight years later when the developers finally figured out how to bring the game to PC audiences in a way that does it justice. The result is Monument Valley: Panoramic Edition, which includes the original game, its Forgotten Shores expansion, and a bonus adventure called Ida’s Dream. As the title suggests, the Panoramic Edition also expands the portrait orientation of the iOS original into full landscapes that look great on widescreen PC monitors.

For players unfamiliar with the iOS original, Monument Valley is a puzzle title in which players must traverse M.C. Escher-style levels to reach the exit. The action is viewed from an isometric perspective, and players can transform the landscapes by pushing, pulling, raising, lowering, and rotating certain elements. The goal is to manipulate the monuments in such a way that Ida has a path to the exit. It’s all about perspective, though, so if things are aligned in such a way that they look connected, Ida can follow the path, even if it wouldn’t have made sense in a real 3D space. The laws of physics also don’t apply, so walls and ceilings can become floors with just a few twists and turns.

Thanks to the game’s optical illusion aspect, Monument Valley is a beautiful title. The new panoramic visuals also add to this beauty and give the game a sense of scale that was lacking in the original release. The rich pastel colors of each level are eye-catching, to say the least, and every level looks like something that could be framed and hung on a wall as a piece of art. Complementing the visuals nicely is a soothing soundtrack along with sound effects that blend in perfectly with the music. The only sound effects we were not too fond of were the noises made by the crow people, who are present on some of the levels. They don’t appear to be fans of Ida and will kick up a fuss if she goes anywhere near them, in addition to blocking her path.

As with most titles that originate on mobile devices, Monument Valley works well with a mouse, which replaces the touch-screen controls of the original. Left-clicking anywhere causes Ida to walk to the spot, provided it is accessible. Some puzzles require Ida to stand on specific buttons or pressure pads to activate new interactive elements elsewhere. Clicking and dragging are needed to slide blocks, spin wheels, and rotate objects. Without giving away too much, Ida also receives some aid from a friendly character on a few levels, and players can directly control this character. The controls are responsive and work well, but some elements, like spinning wheels, can feel a bit finicky, and it took us a few tries to orient things correctly due to this.

Monument Valley is not a very long or difficult game, and the primary campaign only features ten chapters. Experienced players should be able to complete most of these on their first try, and it’s impossible to get Ida killed or stuck in any way. This Panoramic Edition also includes the Forgotten Shores expansions, which add eight additional chapters to the game. While still not very difficult, the new levels add some interesting twists to the formula and are fun to complete. Some of our favorite levels are the ones where players must manipulate the environments in such a way that the crow people change their paths and activate pressure plates.  Last up is Ida’s Dream, a bonus chapter originally released on iOS to raise money for charity. Monument Valley includes a few Steam achievements, but all of these can be earned by simply completing all the levels. This means there’s not much replay value, and players should savor the experience while it lasts.

Despite how short and easy Monument Valley is, the game remains fun throughout and delivers a memorable experience. The puzzles are clever enough that we always wanted to see what happens next, and the game introduces enough new variations and other elements to keep things fresh. The widescreen panoramas are worth the price of admission alone and give the impression that this is how the game was always supposed to look. There’s no doubt that Monument Valley: Panoramic Edition is the definitive version of the game, but players expecting mind-bending puzzles that will keep them busy for ages will likely be disappointed. This is a game for casual players or those who want a relaxing and stress-free experience.