Monument Valley 3 is perfect for Netflix Games

Of the many titles in Netflix’s ever-growing gaming catalogue, Monument Valley 3 has been the one that’s appealed to me the most. For one, I’ve heard nothing but great things about the previous two entries in developer Ustwo’s indie puzzle series, and for another, I always appreciate when games are developed specifically for mobile platforms, rather than (sometimes awkwardly) being ported to them.

It’s for these reasons, and several others, that I’ve found myself thoroughly enjoying Monument Valley 3. Its beautifully minimalist art style and storytelling makes it easy to pick up and play, as does its standalone story about a lighthouse keeper’s apprentice. Thankfully, that approachability extends to Monument Valley 3‘s compelling gameplay. If you’re largely unfamiliar with Monument Valley as I was, the threequel retains the series’ signature isometric puzzle gameplay that has you playing with perspective. Using the touchscreen, you’ll have to rotate multi-dimensional platforms and other optical illusions to create paths for your character.

It’s a wonderfully elegant gameplay system that works perfectly on mobile, where you can manipulate objects and direct your character with simple screen swipes and taps. Monument Valley 3 also builds on these mechanics with the inclusion of a boat that you’ll use to navigate certain areas. It’s a smart way to expand the scope of the puzzle design, as you’ll sometimes have to sail between islets to activate a switch that will affect different parts of the level. Sometimes, you’ll even have to rescue an NPC and bring them on your boat to the right area so they can stand on an adjoining switch. Admittedly, I found steering the boat a bit clunky at times, but I think that’s more so because of fat and imprecise thumbs than the handling of the vessel itself.

The only real downside to Monument Valley 3 is that it’s not necessarily “finished” right now. To be clear, the game is still complete, but there are several additional levels that will be added at no cost in the coming months. On the one hand, I like the idea that Ustwo will build upon Monument Valley 3 with more free updates, but it also means that the base game’s ending is a bit unsatisfying. That said, this also isn’t a game you’re playing for a big narrative, so I’m ultimately fine with having a staggered release for additional levels.

Because at its core, Monument Valley 3‘s tightly designed puzzles mean it’s perfect to pick up and play in little bursts. Given that many of the top games of the year are meaty RPGs that take dozens upon dozens of hours to complete, I like something that’s on the short and sweet end. And with Monument Valley 3 is included at no additional cost with Netflix, a service that many of us already own for movies and TV shows, it will be easy — not to mention well worth your time — to keep coming back.

Monument Valley 3 launches exclusively on Netflix Games on December 10th. Pre-registration is now available on iOS and Android. The first two games are also now available on the platform.

Image credit: Netflix