When we began working on Monument Valley 3 at ustwo games, our goal was to push the boundaries of what game audio could be. We didn’t want the soundtrack to simply sit alongside the visuals: it needed to be deeply embedded in the storytelling and gameplay, emotionally connected to every move the player makes. That approach has led to the sound design, audio direction and soundtrack being nominated at the D.I.C.E Awards, Mobile Game Awards, and more.

For Monument Valley 3, I worked closely with co-composer Lucie Treacher to blur the line between traditional composition and interactive sound design. Together, we crafted an audio experience that’s meant to be fully immersive – one that I believe is best appreciated with headphones when the game launches on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One on July 22.

A Fresh, Experimental Approach to Sound

While Monument Valley and its sequel were celebrated for their serene, ambient soundscapes, I deliberately chose not to revisit those soundtracks during production as an attempt to break away from the formula of the previous games. I wanted to keep my perspective fresh and allow new ideas to take root without being overly influenced by what had come before. This decision gave me and my co-composer Lucie Treacher a blank canvas, and with it, the freedom to experiment.

Each level in Monument Valley 3 became its own miniature sound world. Instead of scoring the game with one overarching musical theme, we approached every chapter as a self-contained sound installation. This allowed us to tailor the sonic experience to the emotion, visual design, and narrative beats of each environment.

It also opened the door to incorporating global musical influences, from the breathy tones of the Bansuri to the resonant chimes of Gamelan and the earthy plucks of the Kora, which is a harp from West Africa. These instruments weren’t chosen for novelty, but because they brought texture, cultural richness, and emotional resonance to the world of Noor, the game’s heroine. All on top of a 17-piece string section as our solid base.

A Living, Responsive Soundscape & Water As A Musical Element

Crucially, Lucie and I wanted sound to be interactive. One of the game’s core themes is transformation, so it felt natural to create an audio system that could morph in real-time based on how players move and manipulate the world. I leaned heavily on granular synthesis and virtual instrument design to achieve this. In certain levels, the architecture becomes an instrument itself: as you shift blocks, rotate towers, or guide Noor through a puzzle, the music responds and evolves. It’s like you’re composing as you’re playing.

This idea of interactivity also extended to our approach to environmental audio. Water is a central motif in Monument Valley 3, symbolizing both destruction and renewal. To do it justice, I recorded and processed a vast library of water sounds, including rivers, lakes, pouring taps, underwater ambiances, and used them as both musical and textural elements. In some moments, the water provides gentle ambience; in others, it becomes part of the melodic structure. Every drip, ripple, and splash were considered.

A Tactile and Cinematic Score

The game’s tactile nature was also key to the audio experience. We wanted each interaction to feel musical, like a note being played in a larger composition. This meant designing detailed, layered feedback for every touchpoint. The sound of turning a gear isn’t just a mechanical click; it’s tuned, rhythmic, and harmonically in key with the scene’s ambient music. Lucie and I often thought of the entire soundscape as a living instrument, with players improvising a unique performance each time they played.

Of course, this level of detail requires collaboration. Lucie and I worked closely with level designers and narrative leads throughout the production. Sound was never an afterthought as it had to be there from the very beginning, woven into the narrative arcs, spatial design, and even the puzzles themselves. We often built music and mechanics together, ensuring that one enhanced the other.

One of my favorite examples is a level inspired by paper and origami. Visually, it unfolds like a print coming to life, and we wanted the music to feel equally handmade. We used crinkling paper textures, lo-fi tape hiss, and analogue synths to create an intimate, tactile feel that matched the level’s delicate visual aesthetic.

What I’m most proud of, though, is how the audio in Monument Valley 3 supports the game’s emotional journey. Noor’s story is one of grief, growth, and hope. The music gently guides players through that emotional arc, rising and falling with the character’s internal struggles and triumphs. In more reflective moments, sparse strings and breathy flutes leave space for introspection. During climactic puzzles, the soundtrack swells, bringing a sense of momentum and catharsis.

We’ve designed Monument Valley 3 to be best experienced with headphones, where the full detail and nuance of the soundscape can be appreciated. It’s a game that rewards careful listening, and I hope players on Xbox will feel immersed not just visually, but sonically.

I’m excited for even more people to hear the story we’ve told: not just through dialogue or art, but through sound.

Monument Valley 3, developed and published by BAFTA-winning independent studio ustwo games, will be released globally for Xbox Series X|S and  Xbox One on July 22, fully optimized for widescreen displays, Xbox controllers and, of course, high fidelity audio. MV3 follows in the footsteps of Monument Valley 1 & 2, which were released for Xbox for the first time in April.

In addition, the Monument Valley 3 Original Game Soundtrack is now available to stream on all major music streaming platforms. It is also available as a limited edition vinyl exclusively from iam8bit.