Wait, is that Monument Valley? EVO Explores Review

Alexander Black | 2016-02-05

A puzzle game by Stampede Games



EVO Explores is, to say the least, an interesting game. Not because it’s concept is any bit original; it’s quite the opposite, but rather because of the spin it puts on the game it tries to emulate.

From first glance, you should immediately recognize EVO’s shameless resemblance to Monument Valley. Shameless, indeed, so far that the developers themselves admit it

“was inspired by a beautiful game Monument Valley. We are big fans of the original game but we love EVO Explores even more!”

Therefore, if you’ve played Monument Valley before, you’ve played EVO Explores. You lead your character (a very talkative alien named EVO, rather than the silent Princess Ida) through various three-dimensional puzzles that will question your perception of space. Most all of the mechanics function similarly, but you will find as you progress the developers have added their own spice to the gameplay.

For starters, the level system works differently in EVO Explores. In Monument Valley, the levels are selected in a separate menu, whereas in EVO, the menu is integrated into the game, making for a fluid, unbroken experience as you progress through the game.

I don’t want to spoil any of the puzzles, so I won’t go into detail on the bevy of new, mind-boggling mechanics. It suffices to say you will be very pleased with how this game works if you enjoyed Monument Valley.

Performance on my Microsoft Lumia 640 XL was very good. It performed at least as well as Monument Valley, so if your device can run that, you’re set.

Best yet, is that this game is a Universal app, unlike Monument Valley, which currently is only on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone. If you loved Monument Valley and are looking for more, or just want to try out a new mind-bending game, then EVO Explores is the one for you.

Pick up EVO Explores at the Microsoft Store

