#IMWAYR: Monument Valley 2 (which is not a book)!

Y'all, I have a confession to make...

Today I'm reviewing a video game, not a book.

And I kind of hate that I'm doing it! This is a book blog, and I post in a roundup of book bloggers. So I hate to use this forum for whatever I feel like—there are standards to be abided by, for goodness's sake!

Aaaaaaaaaaaand yet...at the same time, I really want to talk about this game with y'all. Because it's one of the most beautiful pieces of art I can think of, and it matters a lot to me, and I think every human being would find joy and meaning from playing it, and that includes y'all! And I miss talking to y'all about what I'm interested in. And I daresay this game might even have particular appeal to book lovers...especially graphic novel lovers like moiself. (I know that's cheap, but just go with it!)

So we're doing it—we're talking about Monument Valley 2!

What is Monument Valley 2?

Well, one easy way to find out is to watch the trailer:

But if you're not a video person, I can also explain it to you! Monument Valley 2 is a 2017 mobile game developed by an independent studio, Ustwo Games. It's the second of three games, preceded by Monument Valley (shocker), which was released in 2014, and followed by Monument Valley 3 (even more of a shocker), which releases December 10. (Its imminent release is why I've been so excited about these games again!)

I'd argue Monument Valley 2 is best played on mobile. You can purchase it for $3.99 on iOS or Android, or play it for free on iOS or Android if you have a Netflix subscription, or play it for free on iOS if you have an Apple Arcade subscription (where it's called Monument Valley 2+ to be confusing). Or if you choose not to play on your cell phone or tablet, you can also play on a Windows computer by purchasing the Panoramic Edition for $7.99. ("Panoramic" just means it's not letterboxed, as in, it fits on the horizontal screen of a computer instead of the vertical screen of a mobile device.)

Between 2014 and 2019, Monument Valley and its sequel (the one I'm discussing today) were downloaded over 80 million times, according to this source. That's a lot of players. And it's largely because these games are like nothing else I've ever seen, and they're crafted with a level of ingenuity, attention to detail, and (especially in the second game) empathy that is rare in any media. And they're also accessible, with reasonable difficulty and a short length (just a couple of hours total).

These games, and replaying them, are a part of my childhood. I remember being afraid to try Monument Valley when it first came out because it was about a princess (named Ida), and I thought princesses were only for girls. (Thank gosh I ignored that messaging and finally tried it.) I remember being the tech nerd that I am and watching Apple's WWDC developer keynote in 2017, where they surprise-announced Monument Valley 2, which (as far as I know) is the only time Apple has shared the stage with another company to announce something. (It makes Apple look good when people make such beautiful things for their devices!) I remember replaying both Monument Valley games as a kid—I was always fond of Chapter VIII, "The Box," and Appendix vii, "The Oubliette," in the first game. And when I replayed Monument Valley 2 in fall 2022, I was so struck by the soundtrack that I listened to three songs on repeat—"Interwoven Stories," "Child," and "Power of Two"—during that dumpster fire of a semester. And those songs got me through.

In preparation for Monument Valley 3, I've been on a Monument Valley and Ustwo Games journey, as I've referenced here, here, and here. I've had the chance to replay both Monument Valley games, and my hot take is that Monument Valley 2 is even better than the first game. So now let me tell you what the game is about, and how it plays!

What is Monument Valley 2 about?

It's about a valley of monuments, duh. (Sorry, I had to.) But seriously, it is about a valley of monuments, just like the game before it. The term "monument" has a broad meaning—think human-made architectural wonders, or ruins, that are as diverse in style and landscape as you can imagine. But they have some things in common. They are dynamic, not static, with components that move and change as people traverse them. And they serve as places for reflection. One might even say for worship, but rather than worship of an external entity, a deity, they serve as worship for the achievement of their own creation. In other words, humans find their purpose in worshipping them, and they worship the purpose that they find in them. They worship the monuments' mind-bending beauty and how it brings them meaning just as it did for their ancestors. How cyclical, and how lovely.

Despite being technically inanimate, the monuments serve as spectators—guides, even—for the game's characters. And that is especially true in Monument Valley 2, which has far more of a storyline than its predecessor. Monument Valley 2 is about a mother and daughter. The mother is named Ro, and her daughter is known only as the Child. When the game begins, the Child is young, and she follows Ro on her travels through the monuments. But children do not stay young forever, and as Ro guides her daughter through the journey that is growing up, the game unfurls into a shimmering examination of Ro and the Child. These two characters are independent human beings, each with their own lived experiences and things to learn. One level gives Ro the space to travel back into her own memories of childhood, while another reunites her with a long-lost companion. Yet amidst their individuality, Ro and the Child could not be more linked—they are mother and daughter, after all. In an early level, the Child is separated from Ro but still follows her every move, and the game brilliantly uses this as a gameplay mechanic, where you physically move Ro in order to move the Child elsewhere onscreen. (It's hard to explain, but you'll get it when you see it.)

The story of Monument Valley 2 is unquestionably my favorite part of the whole game. The beats are flawlessly planned and flawlessly executed. And because the story is so spare, with no cheap words or facial expressions (Ro and the Child have adorably blank faces and do not speak), the focus is always on the emotions themselves. The monuments are tailor-made to mirror the emotions of the story, and it makes you feel as though whichever unseen character constructed these monuments toiled hours upon hours specifically so the monument would be there to facilitate this moment, for these characters. You don't need Ro or the Child to smile, or shed a tear, when the entire world surrounding them is radiating what they must be feeling, even as they themselves stay strong, stay quiet, and keep moving.

I can't be more specific about the story because it's so beautiful that I want you to experience it spoiler-free. But I want to be clear—the story of Monument Valley 2 is one of the most beautiful, and ingeniously told stories, I've ever experienced. It's why I love this game as much as I love some of my favorite books.

How do you play the game?

Both Monument Valley 2 and its predecessor are puzzle games. Your goal is to traverse the monuments by getting your character (Ida in the original game, Ro and the Child in the sequel) from point A to point B. Point B can be the shrine at the end of the level, it can be a doorway from one part of the monument to the next, or it can be a switch that changes part of the monument entirely.

To move Ro or the Child, all you have to do is tap on your destination, and your character follows there. Sounds easy, right? Well, the wrinkle is that there usually isn't a path to the destination—that's where you come in. Sometimes you need to move certain parts of the monuments that have "handles," in order to create pathways. Sometimes you need to move your characters so they activate temporary switches. And this is the trademark of the series—sometimes you need to create pathways that are optical illusions, where you align pieces of the monument that physically couldn't connect, but as long as they look connected to your eyes, they are, and Ro or the Child can walk across them.

Everything I wrote above applies to all the games in the series. But Monument Valley 2's levels bring unique spins on the formula not present in the original game. One level has platforms that you can remove from one "handle" and reattach to another. Another level has doorways you can move to different locations. Gosh, one level has trees that grow new and larger branches if you shine more sunlight on them. Just like in its predecessor, every level in Monument Valley 2 is different, so there's always something to surprise you.

And if this all sounds difficult, I assure you, it's actually far more approachable than your average video game. You don't have to do everything at once—the developers are very careful to introduce mechanics slowly, so you get the hang of one before needing to manage another. And there's no rush—you can proceed through a level as quickly or as slowly as you want, thinking through your moves as needed.

I have three pieces of advice for new players: One is to adjust everything you can and see what happens. Move a "handle" and see if you can create a pathway you wouldn't logically expect. Our brains can't imagine all the possible solutions in a world where optical illusions exist, but we can see the solutions once we've already formed them.

My second piece of advice is to work backwards from your goal when you're feeling stuck. If you need to get to a switch or doorway, figure out which piece of the monument could connect to it, then figure out how to get there, and repeat and repeat until you end up back at your character. I think this works because there are many paths Ro or the Child can take, and you'll notice them all when you start at the character. But there's usually only one path that ends at the goal, and that's the one you'll notice when you work backwards.

And my third piece of advice: You can do this!!! It's not as hard as I make it sound, I swear. Really, if there's one thing reviewers complain about with this series, it's that it is too easy. You will get the hang of it way faster than you think you might—and even if you don't, if it takes you four hours to play instead of two, you will find your way to the end. I know it.

Do I need to play the original game first?

Honestly, I don't know! I've never had a good answer to this question, because there's pros and cons with both routes.

If you start with Monument Valley and then play the sequel, I suspect you'll have a stronger foundation of the mechanics, particularly when it comes to the optical illusions. Monument Valley 2 isn't harder than the first game—I actually think it's easier. But it does introduce new mechanics, so I can see the benefit to honing your skill on the original ones first.

But the thing is, Monument Valley 2 has a much more beautiful and engaging story than the first game, at least in my opinion. And it has better music, and even more stunning visuals...you get the idea. I feel like Ustwo Games mastered the game mechanics with the first game, and then got to use them in service of a beautiful, emotional experience in the second game. So if you play the first game first, you've got to be patient, because the second game will be a revelation.

Of course, we're comparing solid gold apples to gold-leaf apples—they're still so much better than regular apples. (Well, not really, but that's what I get for making silly analogies.) If, in my massively biased opinion, most games are hovering near the floor, up to waist level, Monument Valley is at the blades of the ceiling fan, and Monument Valley 2 has passed up through the ceiling. If you start with Monument Valley, you'll fall in love and be even more wowed by the second game. If you start with Monument Valley 2, you'll figure out the mechanics in due time, just in a different order than I did. I really don't think there's a wrong answer—neither game spoils the other, so follow your heart, and start wherever you like! You're in for a treat either way.

This game sounds so good—is there a catch?

Well, sort of.

The original Monument Valley grew out of concept drawings created by Ken Wong, who played a key role as designer for the game. After his work on Monument Valley, he left Ustwo Games and started his own development studio called Mountains, which produced a different beautiful mobile game called Florence. (I've played it, it's amazing.) Wong received a "Special Thanks" credit on Monument Valley 2, but as far as I can tell, was not directly involved in its development.

Unfortunately, there is evidence that suggests that Ken Wong is an abusive, toxic, garbage bag of a person. (Alas.) In 2019, the lead developer of Florence, Tony Coculuzzi, alleged a pattern of serious emotional abuse from Wong, toward him and other colleagues. His Twitter thread with the allegations is very powerful, and very convincing, and you can read it here. I believe his allegations, and I am horrified to hear of the pain he went through at Wong's hands.

I don't know how these allegations translate into the work environment of Monument Valley and its sequel—only the current and former employees of Ustwo Games can know that. I suspect that the development of Monument Valley 2 was less affected by Wong's behavior than the development of the original game, because Wong had already left Ustwo Games—I think/hope the "Special Thanks" credit is more an acknowledgement, and less a reflection of actual involvement in the game.

Despite these allegations, I still play these games, and I am here recommending them now, for several reasons. First, it seems that Wong was fairly uninvolved in Monument Valley 2, which I love more than the first game anyway. Second, these games bring me too much joy and fulfillment for me to leave them behind. Third, particularly with Monument Valley 2, there are so many human beings involved in the development process who I believe to be good, wonderful humans. (Beware of spoilers, but see this interview with the game's composer and audio designer, Todd Baker, as an example.) And I'm not willing to throw away the beautiful art those people created just because of its connection to one person. Wong may have come up with the idea for Monument Valley, but it does not belong to him—it belongs to every person to worked on it, and to all of us who played it and were affected by it. It is more than him.

And for that reason, I feel comfortable recommending Monument Valley 2. And I also feel comfortable making space here to recognize the known and unknown sacrifices that its creators and forebears may have made, in suffering through abuse from people like Wong.

So that's what I've got!

Good grief—I'm a talker. I hope what you'll take away from this absurdly long post is that Monument Valley 2 is a truly beautiful experience, which provokes feelings in ways few works of art can. There is only a handful of books I have reread as many times as I have replayed Monument Valley 2. There are only a handful of things I have been as excited for as I am for the upcoming Monument Valley 3, and that's because my experience with the second game in particular has a space deep in my heart. Thank you for the chance to share what this game means to me. I hope if you decide to be bold, and to try your hand at a video game even if it's not the medium you're usually drawn to...I really, really hope you choose Monument Valley 2 as that video game. As I say so often at the end of my reviews...you won't regret it.

And one more thing...the Kidlit Lovers' Meetup!

We are just days away from our SIXTH Kidlit Lovers' Meetup, which is scheduled for:

Saturday, November 23

4-5 PM Pacific / 5-6 PM Mountain / 6-7 PM Central / 7-8 PM Eastern

Virtual (via Zoom)

As always, these meetups are a chance for us kidlit book bloggers and readers (and anyone else who wants to join in on the fun) to connect and discuss books, reading, blogging, and more!

I've decided to stop using RSVP forms because it was getting confusing. Instead, sign up for the meetup mailing list so you can get the Zoom link for this meetup and all future meetups as they are scheduled. (You can also click that link to learn more about the meetup format, if you're curious!)

(I suspect it's also going to get confusing to have two mailing lists, one through Mailchimp for blog posts and one through regular email for meetups—but I can't think of a better solution right now!)

That's all for now—thanks for joining me on this non-literary adventure, and I hope to see you on the 23rd! ✨✨