Monument Valley 2, the sequel to the highly acclaimed puzzle game released in 2014, is now available for iOS devices.
The game was a surprise announcement at Apple's WWDC 2017, which kicked off with an opening keynote that featured the iOS 11, the high-performance iMac Pro, and the Siri-powered HomePod.
The Success Of 'Monument Valley'
Monument Valley, which featured simple but clever gameplay with MC Escher-inspired visuals as its backdrop, found great success after its launch three years ago. The app has been downloaded over 30 million times and won several awards including Apple's game of the year for the iPad in 2014.
Monument Valley required players to help a princess named Ida navigate optical illusion mazes. The task starts off simply with taps to lead the princess to the proper positions but escalates in difficulty as more components become movable, with players having to manipulate landscapes several times to open up the exit.
After the launch of the only major expansion of Monument Valley, named Forgotten Shores, developer ustwo found itself exhausted, which moved it to switch to virtual reality and release Land's End for the Samsung Gear VR.
The studio then underwent significant changes, starting with Monument Valley lead designer Ken Wong leaving to form his own company. Meanwhile, the company went from a team of eight people to 20 people, which brought new ideas for Monument Valley 2.
What Changed In 'Monument Valley 2'?
Monument Valley 2 mostly follows the same beloved formula of its predecessor, as players need to guide characters through increasingly complicated mazes.
However, in Monument Valley 2, players will instead be controlling a mother named Ro and her daughter. According to ustwo's head of studio, Dan Gray, one of the biggest differences between the sequel and the first game is the emotional impact and emphasis on relationships in Monument Valley 2.
"Watching the two characters evolve over the experience, not just in terms of their interactions, but the gameplay was a hugely gratifying task," Gray added.
In addition to the manipulations available in the first Monument Valley, the sequel adds more components, such as portals that connect different areas and trees that only grow when they receive sunlight. Toward the end of Monument Valley 2, players will also be controlling both characters, which provides a new dimension to the puzzle. All in all, the sequel is more sophisticated than the first game, making it more challenging.
Monument Valley 2 contains 16 levels and does not require interested gamers to play the first game. It is now available for download on iOS devices through Apple's App Store, with an Android version coming soon.
Apple At WWDC 2017
Monument Valley 2 is just one of the many surprises at Apple's annual event for developers. While the newest version of its mobile operating system, the iOS 11, was expected to be unveiled at WWDC 2017, only rumors hinted at the new devices that will be announced.
The rumors have now been confirmed, with Apple unveiling the HomePod, the latest challenger to the Amazon Echo, and the iMac Pro, described as "the most powerful Mac ever."
