Fans were surprised when “Monument Valley 2” was officially announced and released onstage at Apple’s WWDC this past June. The studio head said he was surprised they were able to keep it a secret for so long. It’s been out for three months on iOS and debuted on Android on November 6th. It has been released on App store, Google Play and Amazon. The game looks absolutely breathtaking and is priced at $4.99. As of right now there are no in-app purchases. Both the predecessor and the sequel were purchased more than 650,000 times in their first three months, downloaded more than 30 million times so far.
A new story
“Monument Valley 2” focuses more on storytelling, giving players a brand new adventure. In the sequel, players will guide Ro and her child as they go on a journey through magical architecture. Players will discover illusionary pathways and puzzles while learning the secrets of the Sacred Geometry.
The game follows the growing relationship between Ro and her child, while introducing new ways to interact with the environment and new levels. If you haven't played the first one don't worry, this is a completely separate story from the original and you don't need to have played the first game to understand this one. Though if you haven't played it definitely check it out!
Dan Gray, the studio head, told The Verge that mothers are never really present in video games.
If they are, they are shown with a child and not much else. He explained that Ro is not only there to protect and bestow knowledge on her child but is also a powerful and influential figure in the game.
Influenced by the mid-century
The team at ustwo games drew inspiration from several sources during the mid-century such as, illustration, toy design, theatre, and food.
The studio stated that each chapter is unique, every sound is enchanting, and every moment is beautiful.
Unexpected success in China
Gray stated that everyone says paid games don’t work in China but they have been making more money in China than they have in the US. He explained that the overwhelming success could be from their new partnership with tech giant Tencent.
Tencent helped them release the game and also added social features and an optional localized version of the story.
The team working on the “Monument Valley” games are ready to start something new. Gray is telling fans not to expect a “Monument Valley 3” and that they are focusing on giving players something they don’t know they want yet.The studio is currently working on producing prototypes with augmented reality. They said they aren’t ready to announce anything yet but we can assume it may involve AR.