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What are the best iOS puzzle games with a focus on optical illusions?

6

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Considered

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Feb 25, 2018

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6 Games Considered

Best iOS puzzle games with a focus on optical illusions	Price	Genre	Co-Op
-- Monument Valley	-	Puzzle	None
-- Gorogoa	$4.99	–	–
-- Back to Bed	-	–	–
-- Shadowmatic	-	–	–
-- Last Voyage	-	–	–

Monument Valley

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Top Pro

The scenery is beautiful and incorporates clever Escher inspired gameplay mechanics

The gameplay for Monument Valley revolves around manipulating the environment in order to let your character proceed to the next level. It's similar to Fez in that it's obviously inspired by Escher paintings, requiring you to manipulate "impossible" architecture. See More

Top Con

The game is too short

The base game only has ten levels that can be completed within 20 minutes. See More

Specs

Controller Support:No

Top Pro

No need for internet connection with offline gameplay

Monument Valley allows for offline gameplay, meaning that the user does not need an internet connection to play once the game has been downloaded onto his/her device. See More

Top Pro

Great soundtrack that helps immerse in the world

The soundtrack really helps illustrate the beautiful surrounding world in which the game is set. See More

Gorogoa

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Top Pro

Captivating puzzle mechanics

Your goal is to create the path for a boy's journey by moving, zooming, connecting, and superimposing pictures on a 2x2 grid. For example, in a picture where the boy stands inside a closet, you can overlap the doorway with the picture of a rooftop exit, allowing the boy to step outside on the roof. It's simple but creative puzzle mechanic, which let's you feel like a reality-bending wizard, making it a really enjoyable experience. See More

Top Con

Really short

A single playthrough will last you a little under 2 hours, which might feel even shorter because of how captivating the game is. There are no hidden bonuses or anything else but the artistic value to make you replay this game. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Top Pro

Simple yet effective storytelling

Instead of using text and dialogue to convey the story, Gorogoa uses moving pictures to show a boy's journey to meet a godly being. Each picture contains various nuances such as paintings, statues, and symbols that shed light on the story. This gives hints about the game's world and even manages to touch upon themes of religion and spirituality. Gorogoa is the prime example when a single picture tells more than a thousand words. See More

Top Pro

Beautiful artwork

Gorogoa feels more like a picture book than a game, containing many colorful hand-drawn stills. From interiors of houses, to foggy cityscapes, to even parks decorated by statues, there's just so much detail everywhere, making your journey through the world of Gorogoa much more enticing. See More

Back to Bed

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Top Pro

Excellent sound design

From its background music to its voice work, the sound design of The Room Two not only fits with the theme but adds to the player's immersion in the game and overall experience. See More

Top Con

Puzzles could be deeper

With such an amazing graphic design, the level of depth to the puzzles feels almost disappointing. See More

Top Pro

Interestingly uses mind bending architecture in the gameplay

Players must figure out how to traverse the architecture in order to get items they need to use to help guide the the main character, who is sleepwalking. It is through this mind bending architecture that the core of the gameplay lies as each level is a puzzle in and of itself to figure out how to gain all the items needed, which is only half the gameplay as once that is figured out they then need to guide the sleepwalker to their goal. See More

Top Pro

Great sound design

From the background music to the voice work the sound in this game not only fits with the theme but adds to the immersion. See More

Top Pro

Surreal graphics

The graphics of Back to Bed are very surreal, as if Dahli and Escher had teamed up to design a game. See More

Shadowmatic

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Relaxing gameplay

Users can take as much time as they like to solve puzzles, so there is no stress as to how or when they are solved. Couple this with the use of ambient music and it is a very low key game that allows for anyone to enjoy the experience stress free. See More

Top Con

Difficulty curve is too low

The game does not ramp up difficulty at a fast enough pace with too many puzzles being too easy for too long. Basically the game is too easy. See More

Top Pro

Striking graphics and use of shadows

Objects in the game put HD textures to use quite well which makes all of the objects look very real and then the lighting system used (which is the main mechanic of the game) to create the shadows on the wall behave as they would in the real world. The game is a pleasure to look at and interact with due to the high level of polish to the graphics and lighting system. See More

Top Pro

Precise touch controls

Swiping the objects on screen in order to rotate them is intuitive and control really well making the game a joy to control. See More

Last Voyage

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Top Pro

Mind bending puzzles that incorporate minimal design

Last Voyage is a unique looking game that uses minimal design to create difficult optical illusion puzzles. By playing up to the games minimal strengths the use of light and dark is key to figuring how a puzzle works. See More

Top Con

No tutorial, no help

Last Voyage leaves everything for the player to figure out, there is no tutorial to teach one how to play and there is no help button if one gets stuck. This may be aggravating for those that are used to more hand holding than this game provides, which is none. See More

Top Pro

5 chapters with different gameplay mechanics for each

Switching up the mechanics of the game in every chapter keeps things fresh for the player. One chapter may deal with puzzle solving through the use of shadow and light while another chapter focuses on a type of endless running. See More

Wonderputt

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Top Pro

Well designed morphing mini golf course

When you start up the game you see one course in its entirety and would not think there is much on offer, but that could not be farther from the truth as the design of the course incorporates many different levels through allowing the course to morph as you progress. See More

Top Con

Penalization for time used

The longer one takes on the course the more one is penalized, which can force players to feel rushed and also does not allow one to enjoy the scenery of the game, which is disappointing. See More

Top Pro

New HD graphics and bigger canvas over Flash web based version

The bigger canvas allows for better touch controls dues to the size of where a player needs to touch and control the ball. The better graphics of course allows the game to look sharp on HD displays. See More

Top Pro

Better controls on touch screen than Flash version

There is a flash version of the game for PC that can be difficult to control due to having to use ones mouse or touchpad, luckily the iOS version of the game allows for a more tactile control due to the touchscreen controls. See More

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