Trine gets a new flavor added to the mix.
The Trine franchise has been a thing of beauty. A side scrolling adventure game with great co-op moments, fantastic visuals, and interesting puzzles. After the success of Trine 1 and 2, it was a no brainer that a Trine 3 would likely appear. More of a good thing is never bad, but did things change too much for the franchise?
Trine 3 sees our three heroes back in action once again as the Trine interrupts them on their daily escapades. A Brave knight, an acrobatic thief, and a nervous mage. It’s quite the trio to behold on screen, and what starts off as another adventure they are called upon turns into a disaster as the trine is shattered and they must figure out how to return it to normal. Trine’s story is told via cut scenes and dialog between chapters, and it’s done well enough to keep players invested, but Trine isn’t a game that’s played for story, it’s the gameplay.
MSRP: $19.99
Platforms: PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
Multiplayer: 1-3
How long to beat: 5+ hours
Trine 1 and 2 were side scrolling adventure puzzle games, and Trine 3 is no different in that regard. Where things get mixed up a bit is that now Trine offers 3D movement in the levels. Sometimes this is used for puzzles, other times to give a cinematic flair to the camera work and allow players to see some amazing views. While this added gameplay style is a pretty significant change to the side scrolling formula of the past, it works extremely well and gives Trine an even better style of presentation and gameplay. Players will be reminded of both 2D and 3D action games of days past, yet combined almost perfectly in synch with each other.
Players will switch between the 3 characters in order to get past various puzzles or fight menacing creatures. The knight handles the actions, the mage can levitate objects for use and the thief can swing with her grapple or pull environmental objects down. These are elements from the prior game but that 3D depth gives some of these familiar abilities and moments a whole new spin in unique ways at times.
Visuals here look even better than past games with vibrant colors, beautiful backdrops, swaying camera angles, and more. Players will be hard pressed to not find themselves amazed at each location. Trine 3 is a game of pure awe and beauty at times. The soundtrack is typical fantasy in style but composed well, and mixed with the visuals push Trine 3 high on the list unforgettable presentation. Voice narration for the story and the three characters is also excellent, and from a visual and audio experience this is pure eye candy.
Trine 3 does have its few moments of disappointment though. Puzzles can sometimes seem obscure or not seem to work properly, with platforms getting stuck underneath another platform for example. Other times it seemed as if the game wanted players to do one thing, but jumping erratically or pushing the character into a part of the geometry of the level forced the character over the boundary. When the puzzles and gameplay work, they work great, but when these moments happen, it really feels add odds or off. In addition the game can be finished in around 5 or 6 hours and the ending is a cliffhanger, and while it wasn’t a bother personally, these are gripes some players will have.
Trine 3 is an absolutely charming and wonderful game. If you have two other friends and want to play this together, it’s absolutely a must. Even with its shorter game time, the amount of fun and charm you’ll have with friends can’t be beat. If players love fun platforming, visually jaw dropping fantasy worlds, and puzzles, this would also be a solid recommendation to solo adventures. I feel the developers had a little bit of a struggle getting the 3D aspects to work in conjunction with the puzzles, but I hope they don’t give up because otherwise this was an amazing combination and transition between the two styles of gameplay. Trine 3 has a few little issues here and there, but otherwise it’s a platforming game not to be missed.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
