The long-awaited mobile game Monument Valley 3 is here at last, and it’s breaking free from its original M.C. Escher–inspired confines to tackle a new theme: the ever-encroaching threat of climate change.
The game is the third installment of the critically acclaimed Monument Valley series, designed by developers at the studio Ustwo. It debuted on mobile devices yesterday through a new partnership with Netflix’s video game division, a subcategory of the platform, which debuted in 2021 but has faced challenges in user uptake. In the past, Monument Valley games have required a onetime premium purchasing fee, but now, users must have a Netflix subscription in order to gain and maintain access to the game.
When it first debuted in 2014 as a premium app, the first Monument Valley—inspired by the mind-bending, geometrically impossible works of artist M.C. Escher—quickly gained global recognition for its atmospheric style and mysterious-yet-calming storyline, which followed protagonist Princess Ida through zigzagging staircases, architectural illusions, and secret passageways. The game was so acclaimed that it won a BAFTA and led to the production of Monument Valley 2 in 2017, as well as an add-on game called The Lost Forest.
Monument Valley 1 and 2 largely follow a self-contained model in which each level centers on a singular architectural structure, similar to the actual canvases of M.C. Escher’s artworks like “Waterfall,” “Relativity,” and “Belvedere.” Now, though, a new team of designers at Ustwo is ushering the game into a modern era that expands beyond its original bounds, both literally and figuratively.
Broadening Monument Valley’s horizons
Compared to the closed worlds of its first two iterations, Monument Valley 3’s landscape is more flexible and open. Escher-esque buildings still populate each level, but the game’s central character, Noor, is no longer fully restricted to them. At times, she’s able to travel between locations by boat—a mechanism made possible by the game’s focus on rising sea levels.
Whereas the first Monument Valley appeared to take place in an abandoned underground world, this new brightly lit interpretation plays out across several active communities, populated with other characters, that have each faced some kind of flooding. And as the game progresses, a series of earthquakes slowly worsen the sea’s encroachment on Noor’s path. As in The Lost Forest add-on, which promoted forest conservation, Monument Valley 3 visually emphasizes the natural world surrounding its structures as a commentary on the ecological impacts of climate change.
“Monument Valley 3 is a good representation of sea-change,” says game director Jennifer Estaris. “While it’s not a full on paradigm shift—it’s still a third person isometric puzzle game full of minimalist, architectural illusions—we wanted to gently but firmly transition our dedicated fans (a decade of dedicated fans!) to something novel. Sailing to get players off grid, more representation of nature via two dimensional elements, and a taste of respectful liveops.”
From a visual standpoint, the ever-moving graphics of lapping water surrounding Monument Valley 3’s levels offer it a more organic look than the comparatively staid environments in its first two iterations.
As Noor journeys across the ocean and through semi-submerged villages, a wide palette of pastel sunset hues and saturated jewel tones mark each new milestone. The soundtrack and movement of natural elements around Noor also slowly build tension as each level progresses, which contributes to the more cinematic and high-stakes feel of this installment.
The game’s expanded world parallels a storyline that emphasizes community over isolation. In an interview with The Verge, several of the game’s designers shared that their statuses as migrants to the U.K. partially inspired the game’s theme of found family.
“It’s about bringing people together,” lead designer Emily Brown told the publication.
The move to Netflix
For those without a Netflix plan, Monument Valley 3’s partnership with the streamer might be a pretty major disappointment, especially given that the game never existed behind a subscription barrier in the past. The reality, though, is that the game likely wouldn’t have been made without Netflix’s support.
It’s been a pretty rough few years for the video game industry. After a massive period of growth during the pandemic, video game companies are struggling to maintain momentum and make good on earlier investments. According to a report from research firm New Zoo, video game sales are growing sluggishly, at just 2.1% year-over-year projected growth this year. The slowdown has had widespread consequences: In January of this year, gaming giants including Microsoft, Riot Games, Twitch, and Unity dolled out significant layoffs. Then, of course, there’s the looming fear that AI job displacement may be on the near horizon.
When Monument Valley first debuted back in 2014, mobile games were still in their heyday. Now, though, the landscape is much rockier. In an interview with Eurogamer, Monument Valley 3 Estaris gestured at this new reality for game designers: “I think this is a question about how the premium mobile industry is doing,” she said, adding, “It’s doing not so well.”
Aside from Netflix’s role in the launch, another major change has been made to Monument Valley’s rollout. On top of Monument Valley 3’s core storyline, Ustwo will use a live-service method to deliver new levels of Monument Valley 3 for at least a year, keeping users engaged with the game and, presumably, logging back into Netflix every once in a while. The bonus content will include some of the more form-breaking, unusual concepts dreamed up by the game’s fresh design team.
“Expect an ongoing world, a continuing story, a rhythm of village life, heartbeats,” Estaris says. “Yes, it’s slow-drip downloadable content, but with something more. What does a sustainable future look like, what is caring for the world mean, how can we portray that hope is an ongoing action, not a one-and-done hero’s journey experience?”