Trine is a visually beautiful game that asks the player to make use of three resources – a knight, a thief and a mage – to progress through levels and solve puzzles.

In a throwback to older days of gaming, Trine is a 2D platformer that side scrolls its way through each level.

Set in lush, mystical forests and disintegrating castles, Trine appeals to the eye for the whole of its five hours of gameplay.

As you make your way through the magical landscape, you need to make full use of the different skills each of your three avatars have to offer.

The thief has a grappling hook to swing over chasms and to retrieve distant objects, the knight is great for bashing down enemies and moving heavy boxes, and the mage can create boxes out of thin air and command parts of the environment to move.

As the game progresses you will be able to level up each of the avatars, and it is important to level them evenly so that you can take full advantage of their necessary skills on the harder levels.

Aside from taking down enemies – primarily skeletons and bats – you will be faced with regular physics dilemmas to overcome. For example, a certain number of platforms may need to be rotated in order for you to progress or you may need to get the mage to mentally move a floating platform to a far away destination.

Indeed, the little puzzles are probably the most enjoyable part of the game, and they get harder as the game moves on.

There are a couple of annoyances to deal with, however. One of the key problems is the respawning of enemies while you are trying to complete a puzzle. This isn’t too bad, but if you constantly have to redo puzzles because a baddie gets in the way it can get very frustrating.

Also, sometimes the components needed for a puzzle won’t move in the way you want them to. Because the mage has limited spell power available, you can run out of mana in the midst of an attempt at a crucial puzzle. This means you have to return to a previous checkpoint and start again. Annoying!

The multiplayer element of the game is very fun. Up to three local players can play and, not surprisingly, each gets the role of one of the three avatars. In many ways, the multiplayer part of the game actually makes it more challenging, because there are more X factors that come into play when you are trying to progress.

A disappointment is that the developer did not include the multiplayer function in the main menu. Rather it is hidden right down in the controller options menu – a bizarre setup that will mean many players don’t realise the multiplayer potential of this game.

On the whole Trine is a very good game, with fun gameplay and wonderful scenery. It is a little on the expensive side, but if you love fantasy and platform games then this could be a great pickup.

Related Articles

• Trine hits PlayStation Store – Virgin.net: Gamasutra Trine hits PlayStation Store Virgin.net Finnish game developer Frozenbyte and French publisher Nobilis Publishing have announced the European release of Trine for the PlayStation 3 on the ... ...
• Puzzle Quest: Galactrix: Perhaps the ultimate puzzle/RPG crossover, Puzzle Quest established a loyal base of fans who were enthralled by the game’s simple but enjoyable layout. Now the sequel to that excellent game, ...
• Halo 3: ODST: Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. If you are a fan of Halo, you should be more than familiar with these soldiers, who are commonly and simply referred to as ODSTs. We’ve ...
• Rooms: The Main Building: Puzzles Puzzles Puzzles!!! Yes, even in a world where we are invaded by high tech, updated and digitally mastered video games, there is still room for games which are all ...
• Trine Delayed a Bit Longer on the PlayStation 3 – Co-Optimus.com: Co-Optimus.com Trine Delayed a Bit Longer on the PlayStation 3 Co-Optimus.com PlayStation 3 owners are chomping at the bit to get their hands on the physics based platformer, and ...
• Rocket Riot: Remember Worms? Since that classic PC game came out more than a decade ago, rivals have been clamoring to create a gaming experience that had the same level of fun, ...
• Trine Dated for PlayStation Network – Electronic Theatre: Trine Dated for PlayStation Network Electronic Theatre Finnish game developer Frozenbyte and French publisher Nobilis Publishing have today revealed the European release date for Trine on the PlayStation 3, ...