Monument Valley 3 is gorgeous, mind-bending, and outdated

Monument Valley 3 has simply launched as a part of Netflix Games, simply over a decade because the unique sport was launched. Having loved the primary two titles and with an costly Netflix subscription nonetheless draining my checking account steadiness, I figured I’d as nicely give it a shot.

After ending the sport just a few hours later, I used to be fairly torn. Certain, it’s a stunning and great sport that it is best to play in case you have Netflix, however I couldn’t assist however really feel upset. It introduced so few new concepts in comparison with the now decade-old unique, and the one modernization it does make is unlikely to make a distinction.

Clearly, there are numerous issues that Monument Valley 3 does nicely. Like its predecessors, it’s a soothing audio-visual expertise greater than a real puzzle game. Each degree is splendidly crafted, with shifting bridges and spinning doodads to information you to the top of every degree.

These ranges are quick, sometimes taking 5 minutes or so, with ten ranges in complete. As you’d count on, later ranges are usually longer and extra advanced, though they by no means lengthen past the length of an extended journey to the toilet. I don’t assume I must elaborate extra.

Certainly one of my favourite ranges has a sort of papercraft origami vibe, with great textures and mechanics to swimsuit. Sadly that degree was on the shorter aspect and the fashion was by no means seen once more. As somebody who loves papercraft and popup books, I’d gladly play a whole sport that appears like this.

One other new addition makes an look early on: a ship! The lovely little man accompanies you in your journey, which is predicated round a lighthouse at sea.

The boat doesn’t have many actual gameplay implications, however you possibly can transfer it round freely to get from island to island. When you beat the sport you may as well discover the realm across the lighthouse, however once more, there isn’t a lot there.

Sadly, that lack of freedom is consultant of the sport as a complete.

When the primary Monument Valley got here out, it was an inventive pressure within the cell gaming house. There was nothing fairly prefer it, and the sport was simply so rattling stunning that it gained numerous awards. It’s offered greater than 25 million copies, which is unimaginable for a premium cell title.

However as a sport, it wasn’t excellent. The degrees had been quick and simple, and there wasn’t actually a lot past mere eye sweet. And that continues to be the case in Monument Valley 3.

The degrees may be extra advanced or have extra shifting elements, however there’s nonetheless just one answer. You all the time need to go from level A to level B within the meant method, with no other ways to unravel issues. Even the boat sections, which might be an ideal option to discover ruins (even when simply in passing), shoehorn you towards the subsequent puzzle or goal.

In 2014, the constraints of the platform made that call comprehensible. The cell gaming market was nonetheless discovering its footing, and extra expansive open-world video games had been nonetheless largely locked to PC or console {hardware}. However now, gadgets are much more highly effective, and there must be a option to incorporate exploration with out sacrificing creative integrity.

Perhaps there are alternate variations of sure ranges. Perhaps the second time you play via, there are collectibles to function an additional problem. Perhaps add some interactive components unrelated to fixing the puzzle, like birds or rubble that falls. In case you can’t inform, I’m determined for an excuse to spend extra time on this stunning world that developer Ustwo has made past setting screenshots as my telephone background.

The opposite massive change in Monument Valley 3 is the shift to a extra sturdy live-service mannequin. There isn’t a battle move or any addictive gameplay loops, however seasonal content material will probably be launched over time. The primary is slated for April 2025, with three extra deliberate all year long.

Whereas I respect the dedication so as to add extra content material (earlier video games had paid DLCs, in spite of everything), the gradual drip of ranges doesn’t really feel like sufficient. An hour of latest content material each three months is woefully underequipped to compete with most cell live-service video games that pump out limited-time occasions each week.

For what it’s value, Netflix has additionally added the earlier two video games to its catalog, so for those who’re new to the sequence you’ve obtained just a few extra hours of surprise to play via. Ranging from the start will present the creative progress of the studio, however contemplating it’s been 10 years, little else has advanced.

Time will inform whether or not the added content material improves on core gameplay mechanics in any vital means, however for me, I’ve already moved on. I loved the quick journey again to 2014, however I’m headed again to cozy video games with a bit extra meat on the bones.