Trine Review

Trine has been available on the PC a number of weeks before its PS3 counterpart ever appeared. For whatever the reason of the delay, the game recently appeared on the PlayStation store with a high price tag for downloadable game. But is the game worth the cost, or is it just another passable addition in downloadable games?

For those who haven't heard much of Trine, it's a physics-based puzzle-filled platform-action game... which is a hell of a lot of descriptors. You play the game by taking control of one of three characters, each with their own abilities and benefits, to navigate each of the levels and overcome obstacles ranging from fiery pits, spiked walls and an endless army of the undead. The game is played on a 2D plane for 3D characters and objects. The physics of the game interacts well with this plane, never really feeling like a 2D game. An easier analogy would be to call it The Lost Vikings, but with a fantasy setting - but that would be lazy of me.

For those who find these things important, it should be noted that Trine comes with its very own platinum trophy and, like WipeOut HD before it, if a downloadable game touts one of those it's expected to have a bunch of content to back it up - and it's hard not to be disappointed with Trine. The game begins with a quick introduction to each character and their skills. The thief, who is agile and quick, wielding a bow for ranged attack and a grappling hook for swinging across gaps. The wizard; with an inability to cast the fireball spell, but can conjure boxes and planks instead - useful for many of the games hindrances. Then there's the knight, who's burly and slow but carries a sword and shield for bashing those nasty undead.

The story of the game involves the Trine, a mystical object which forces our hapless heroes into adventure together. The levels are introduced with a voiceover, as the level loads, so it's told in a basic manner. It's nonetheless an entertaining tale, and does well enough to link each of the levels together. Each of the characters are given voices too, and are enough to add a little characterisation to the game. There is a charm to the games storytelling, but it's in the gameplay where Trine's successes lie.

As already mentioned, each character has differing abilities. Usually, when a game offers a similar idea, that game challenges you with puzzles that can be solved in only one way. In a refreshing change, Trine offers the player the choice of how they go about overcoming these obstacles. Naturally, in some cases there is only one solution, but it's nice to be given the chance to play a game how you like rather than be ushered into a set answer. As an example, I played much of the game with the thief, enjoying the agility of her and the bow to take out enemies from a distance. Others may prefer using the wizard to conjure objects on top of the skeletons, or the knight to pick up the puzzles and rearrange them himself.

Throughout the game you'll come across vials of experience, or treasure cheats. Each time you collect fifty points of experience each of your characters will gain a point which they can use to unlock upgrades for their abilities. Don't get excited - action RPG this is not, however, it does add more to the game and give you a reason to hunt down those vials. Then there are the treasure chests. Often, you'll find some which are in plain view, and these usually provide your heroes with a new ability to make use of. However, there are those that are far more hidden, and require a little work to get to. These yield special objects which can be transferred between characters and provide a variety of bonuses, from extra health or energy regain, to increased damage or additional conjured items. Again, this provides the player a little more reason to search harder beyond the main ‘route' of the level.

An important note, for those to whom these things matter, is the controls of the PS3 version. I had previously played the PC demo, when it first arrived on Steam, and was dubious of the controls being ported to the PS3 version. Naturally, the PC commands more accuracy for the abilities, but never did the PS3 play awkwardly. It's testament to the hard work of the developers to have ported a PC point-and-click control scheme to a console with such diligence. Rarely was there a struggle where the controls were at fault.

All in all, Trine is an enjoyable game. It's a well-crafted and enjoyable tale, and it's good looking too. The difficulty of the game ramps up evenly enough, but harder modes only affects the combat which isn't really troublesome since you have unlimited checkpoint restarts. The game could be seen as a little short, with around fourteen levels - some of decent size - it could be over too quickly for the asking price. However, if you're the type of gamer who has to seek every object and upturn every stone in the name of 100%, then you'll have a good amount of play time out of Trine. Nonetheless, it's an enjoyable game and one worth trying, especially if you like those shiny trophies.