Name of the Game: Monument Valley
Creator: ustwo Games Ltd.
Target Audience: Players who like relaxing puzzle games
Game Platform: iOS
Playing Monument Valley was a very fun and interesting experience for me considering the fact that I haven’t played a game like this before. This game is one that captures beauty through its graphics and spatial navigation which was satisfying when playing the game. Even though Monument Valley doesn’t claim a feminist agenda, the aesthetic and mechanics of the game do a good job of adding an emotional presence and gentleness to the game. However, it is important to note that the game could’ve done a better job of expanding its vision instead of being silent on topics related to race and identity for example.
In this game, Princess Ida is guided by players through an architectural landscape that includes very abstract geometry and perspectives. One thing I noticed about Monument Valley that many puzzle games don’t have is how the game asked players to slow down and pay attention and this stood out to me because most puzzle games are dependent on fast speed I’ve personally analyzed. In Monument Valley, I also noticed that Ida never speaks but that is seen as a strength rather than a weakness which I also find abnormal.
In Play Like A Feminist, the author argues that gameplay doesn’t 100% need to have overt political content in order for it to be considered feminist play. On the other hand, feminist play can occur when it is a challenge for those who play it and that it can take on multiple forms. Playing Monument Valley made me realize that Ida is the perfect embodiment of this since she is not a combative player. It’s not necessary for her to fight her way through levels to prove her worth in a traditional manner. Instead, this game corrects past wrongs which can refer to metaphor towards emotional labor which definitely resonates with feminism.
I also noticed that Monument Valley’s design choices also reinforce this idea in many ways. For example, the game’s color palette in my opinion, gives off an ethereal vibe and the background music choice evokes feelings of relaxation, giving off a meditative vibe. I also saw that this game had no timers and penalties which I personally enjoyed. When playing Monument Valley, I also observed that I was contemplating alot which made me realize how this game values gentle play as a meaningful aspect.
However, I can say that this game is nowhere near perfect after I noticed some shortcomings. One shortcoming of Monument Valley is how Ida doesn’t have an identity showcasing that there is a lack of narrative depth in this game. Because of Ida’s lack of individuality, she is also in a position where she could easily become a point of erasure. For example, I don’t know what Ida’s motivations are and don’t quite understand her emotions. Her position in the game slightly reminds me of European minimalism where her silence would be seen as more sterile than empowering for players looking for a representative figure to play with. If Monument Valley more explicitly addressed Ida’s identity, I feel like it would offer a better feminist experience in the game. For example, letting players see more of a glimpse of how she views the world could definitely contribute to this experience.
Looking at the MDA framework, Monument Valley does a really good job in adding an aesthetic appeal along with narrative minimalism to the game. Some of the game’s core mechanics are navigating through life as a silent protagonist along with rotating structures and shifting gravity. With these mechanics incorporated into the game, players feel invited to engage in a kind of emotional spatial reasoning, which correlates to an argument made in Play Like a Feminist saying that we must expand the definition of what counts as a game.
In one scene that is shown below, Ida walks through a path that has to be built by rotating a staircase. With this, I noticed how this game lacks violence and focuses more on disorientation which I feel like is a more
refreshing dynamic that I’m not used to when I play games such as action. I also feel like this dynamic makes it easier for players to see the world in a different way.
