What it’s like it play the new sequel to one of the most beautiful games of all time

Few mobile games have been as successful as “Monument Valley,” which was first released in 2014 for the iPhone.

Since then, the gorgeous title has netted London game studio Ustwo over $14 million, spawned countless knockoffs, and has even been featured on Netflix’s “House of Cards.”

Ustwo surprised everyone when it unexpectedly released its long-awaited sequel, “Monument Valley 2,” earlier this week. The new installment takes the same striking visual and audio design and builds on it with new characters and levels.

Here’s what it’s like to play “Monument Valley 2:”

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Like its predecessor, “Monument Valley 2” is a puzzler game, which means you progress by solving each level’s architectural quirks and puzzles.

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The biggest difference in the sequel is that you play as two characters, rather than one: Ro and her child. Navigating both characters (by tapping where you want them to go) through each level adds a new layer of complexity.

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“Monument Valley 2” has a story, but it’s not immediately obvious. You’re prompted to make your own inferences about the main characters and other creatures you interact with along the way.

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The levels get progressively harder, but each is distinctly striking. Some feel like works of art you could use as your phone’s wallpaper (a built-in screenshot tool encourages this).

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Sound is also an important part of the game — each level has its own soundtrack. We recommend playing with headphones.

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“Monument Valley 2” costs $5 in the App Store and works on most iPhones and iPads. It will likely be made available on Android phones and other devices in the near future. Here’s a trailer that shows the game in action:

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And here's a behind-the-scenes video with the game's designers explaining the concept behind the sequel: