Monument Valley
UsTwo Games
Played on Android
monument-valley-game-house-cards-how-play-get-new-levels-free-beginners-guide
Monument Valley is less of a game and more of an experience, but it is a damn good one.  A sort of meditational challenge, Monument Valley is a M C Escher-inspired visual puzzler for mobile phones.  The goal is to guide a figure through a series of ‘monuments,’ physics-defying labyrinths that rely on forced perspective.  SImilar to the classic PSP game ‘Echochrome,’ Players rotate, flip, and skew the terrain to guide the heroine to the end of each level.
While the game itself is not overly taxing, the puzzles require players to think visually and strategically, and at its best moments, feels almost meditative.  The calm atmosphere is reinforced by top-notch visual and sound design.  The princess journeys through spires, caverns, and seas with a painterly aesthetic.  One particularly clever level is designed as a puzzle box.
The style of the game helped to alleviate any sense of frustration I felt while playing.  This was a little world that I was glad to get lost in.
Although a bit on the short side, Monument Valley is a pocket-sized gem of a puzzle game, and an oasis of calm suitable for hardcore gamers, casual players, and kids.  You can find it in the IOS, Android, and Amazon app stores.

If you enjoyed this article, please share it, or consider following me on Patreon for more content!