Summary of Key Insights

Monument Valley enjoys overwhelmingly positive sentiment, primarily driven by its beautiful visuals, relaxing gameplay, and unique puzzle mechanics. However, a significant portion of users express concerns about the game's short length relative to its price. Issues with purchasing or accessing DLC, as well as sound problems, also detract from the user experience. Many users express a strong desire for more levels and a third installment in the series. There are also recent complaints about the app crashing after an update and some concerns about the developer's labor practices.

Key Strengths:

Stunning visuals and art style
Relaxing and immersive gameplay
Unique puzzle mechanics based on optical illusions
Well-designed soundscape

Key Weaknesses:

Short game length relative to price
Issues with DLC purchase/access
Sound issues
App crashes after recent updates
Lack of a clear storyline for some users

Overall Sentiment: Positive

Quantitative Metrics:

Overall Rating (Implied): High (based on score distribution)
Score Distribution:
- 5-star: 67.4% (337/500)
- 4-star: 11.4% (57/500)
- 3-star: 7% (35/500)
- 2-star: 5.8% (29/500)
- 1-star: 8.4% (42/500)

Data & Methodology Overview

Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but reviews appear to span several years, with some referencing recent updates (December 2023) and older versions.
Analysis Methods:
- Sentiment Analysis: Manually assessed sentiment based on review text.
- Keyword Extraction: Identified frequently mentioned keywords and phrases related to user experience, features, and issues.
- Thematic Analysis: Grouped reviews based on recurring themes and topics.

Key User Pain Points

Short Game Length: Many users feel the game is too short for the price, finishing it in a few hours or even less. This is the most frequent complaint.
DLC Issues: Users report problems purchasing or accessing the "Forgotten Shores" and "Ida's Dream" DLC. Some are confused about whether the DLC requires a separate purchase.
Sound Problems: Some users experience a lack of sound or music within the game, despite having sound enabled on their devices.
App Crashing: A number of recent reviews report the app crashing upon opening, particularly after the December 2023 update.
DLC Price: Some users feel the DLC is too expensive for the amount of content it provides.
Lack of Hints: Some users feel that a hint system would be helpful, particularly for more challenging puzzles.
Unclear Storyline: Some users find the game's storyline vague or difficult to understand.
Anti-Union Practices: Some users have given negative reviews to protest the developer's alleged anti-union practices.

Frequently Requested Features

More Levels: The overwhelming majority of users request more levels and a longer gameplay experience.
Monument Valley 3: Many users explicitly request a third installment in the Monument Valley series.
Level Editor: A few users suggest adding a level editor to allow players to create and share their own puzzles.
Cloud Saves: While iCloud sync is mentioned, some users may still be experiencing issues with save data.
Apple TV Support: Some users request that the game be made available on Apple TV.
Constellation Making Game: One user suggested a separate game based on the constellation-making aspect of each level's ending.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

Beautiful Visuals: The game's art style, graphics, and overall aesthetic are consistently praised as stunning, gorgeous, and visually mesmerizing.
Relaxing Gameplay: Users describe the game as calming, peaceful, and a great way to relax.
Unique Puzzle Mechanics: The optical illusion-based puzzles are considered clever, creative, and engaging.
Sound Design: The game's music and sound effects are praised for being beautiful, soothing, and adding to the immersive experience.
Accessibility: Many users find the game easy to pick up and play, even for non-gamers.
Nostalgia: Many users report playing the game in the past and re-downloading it for nostalgic reasons.
Kid-Friendly: Many users mention enjoying the game with their children or grandchildren.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

Fix App Crashing Issue: Immediately address the app crashing issue reported by recent reviews. This is a critical bug that prevents users from playing the game.
Address DLC Purchase/Access Issues: Investigate and resolve the problems users are experiencing with purchasing and accessing the "Forgotten Shores" and "Ida's Dream" DLC.
Consider Adding More Content: Explore options for adding more levels or gameplay content to address the common complaint about the game's short length. This could include creating new levels, releasing a third installment, or adding a level editor.

Medium Priority:

Investigate and Fix Sound Issues: Determine the cause of the sound problems reported by some users and implement a fix.
Clarify DLC Purchase Process: Make it clearer within the game that the "Forgotten Shores" and "Ida's Dream" are separate purchases.
Implement a Hint System: Consider adding a hint system to provide assistance to players who are stuck on challenging puzzles.
Improve Storyline Clarity: Explore ways to make the game's storyline more accessible and understandable to all players.

Low Priority:

Apple TV Support: Evaluate the feasibility of porting the game to Apple TV.
Level Editor: Consider the development effort required to implement a level editor and weigh it against the potential benefits.
Address Anti-Union Concerns: While this is outside the scope of the app itself, the developer should address these concerns to mitigate reputational damage.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

Mobile Puzzle Game Subscription Service: A subscription service offering a curated selection of high-quality puzzle games, including Monument Valley and similar titles.
Optical Illusion Puzzle Game Creator: A tool that allows users to create and share their own optical illusion-based puzzle games.
Monument Valley Fan Community Platform: A platform for Monument Valley fans to connect, share fan theories, and create custom levels (if a level editor is released).

Trends and Observations

Nostalgia Factor: The game has a strong nostalgic appeal, with many users re-downloading it after playing it years ago.
Price Sensitivity: Users are generally willing to pay for high-quality mobile games, but they expect a reasonable amount of content for the price.
Community Desire for More Content: There's a strong and vocal community of fans eager for more Monument Valley content.
Impact of Updates: Updates can have a significant impact on user experience, as evidenced by the recent reports of app crashes.
Positive Sentiment Despite Short Length: The game's strengths are so compelling that many users still rate it highly even though they acknowledge its short length.

Conclusion

Monument Valley remains a highly regarded mobile game, praised for its stunning visuals, relaxing gameplay, and unique puzzle mechanics. However, the game's short length, DLC issues, and recent stability problems are significant weaknesses that should be addressed. By focusing on adding more content, resolving technical issues, and clarifying the DLC purchase process, the developers can further enhance the user experience and capitalize on the strong community desire for more Monument Valley content. Addressing the concerns about labor practices is also important for the long-term health of the brand. Overall, the recommendation is to prioritize addressing the critical bugs and then focus on expanding the game's content to better meet user expectations.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/monument-valley/id728293409?uo=2

Customer Reviews (500)