It's almost hard to believe that 10 years ago, back in 2014, was the first occasion that I took the plunge and paid for a mobile game (as far as I can recall anyway). There was the whole Angry Birds craze which I was well into, but that was free. Monument Valley, on the other hand, cost my younger self £2.49 ($3.99/AU$4.99) – but was totally worth it.
Wrapped in among the major news that an all-new third instalment of the Monument Valley game is coming to Netflix on 10 December – an announcement that coincided with Gamescom taking place in Germany; one of the last gaming showcases worth its salt – is also the fact that the best streaming service will be getting the original game and its sequel too.
Monument Valley will appear on Netflix from 19 September, so just next month, while Monument Valley 2 will be available from 29 October – pacing the titles' availability before the all-new instalment becomes available. It's a major win for Netflix's gaming division, which until now I've not paid a huge amount of attention – much as I love console gaming on TV and mobile gaming on the go.
If you've never played either of the Monument Valley games then you're in for a treat – and if you have then the re-run will be well worth it too. They're unusually quiet puzzle games that almost instil a sense of calm when playing. The three-quarter isometric view is key to the puzzling adventure, which is akin to Escher's surrealist style, except delivered in developer Ustwo's distinctive art style.
They're beautiful games, ultimately, accompanied by mellow soundtracks that really add to the experience. The third game continues that trend, but will feature a new hero, called Noor, who you'll command through a series of "impossible landscapes, manipulating architecture and perspective to unveil hidden paths and solve intricate challenges". That's the summary of the puzzle mechanics.
It's well worth watching the trailer, featured above, to give you a sense of what to expect. All three Monument Valley titles will be available to Netflix subscribers on iOS and Android devices via the Netflix app, which is a really interesting take – no specific download charge, rather an ongoing Netflix subscription. It'll add value to my sub, though, so I'm all for it – especially for my then-favourite mobile game of a decade ago and its forthcoming successor.
