In 2009, a small and relatively unknown Finnish game developer group, known as Frozenbyte, created a brilliant side-scrolling adventure called Trine. With amazing visuals and unique gameplay, Trine was lauded by game critics as a great game.
Just two years later, Frozenbyte created a sequel to their previous work: Trine 2. Using the same core gameplay designs as Trine, but improving both the graphics and game balance, Trine 2 is a worthy successor to the original.
Stylish Action:
Pontius the knight squares off against an enormous snake
Trine 2 is a side-scrolling action game, with lots of platforming and puzzles thrown in for good measure. The Player takes control of three characters: Amadeus the wizard, Pontius the knight, and Zoya the thief. Each character has a different play-style and repertoire of abilities that the Player can use to advance through the game.
Amadeus has the power to levitate and create a number of different objects, often solving puzzles with his ability to place stepping stones for himself and the other heroes. In combat, Amadeus isn't nearly as prolific; he has to rely on his power to create boxes or planks that fall on top of enemies if he hopes to do any damage to them.
Pontius's powers couldn't be further from his Wizard friend's. Pontius starts the game equipped with a sturdy sword and shield, as well as the powerful Storm Hammer. With the ability to deal out and defend against large amounts of punishment, Pontius is the go-to character for battle. However, unlike the first Trine, Pontius is not completely helpless when it comes to puzzle-solving this time around. With his Charge and Hammer Throwing abilities, Pontius can cross large gaps and has the power to clear paths from any range.
Zoya is the most agile and versatile of the characters. With her grappling hook, multiple arrows, and a new sneaking ability, Zoya can function well in every situation. However, she lacks the prowess that her compatriots show for either combat or puzzle-solving.
Going through each level is a blast as the different characters. Their unique skill-sets make for a wide variety of solutions for any given challenge the Player may face.
Music:
Snake, oh it's a snake
The sounds of Trine 2 are exceptional. Each level has an original song to accompany the trek through it. The enemies too, will change the music when they appear. The massive snake that Pontius is facing above comes complete with a thrilling tune that plays while the heroes are engaging it in battle.
The sound effects are equally dazzling. Picking up experience, levitating objects, or failing to conjure a box will all give distinct sound effects. This can not only deepen the experience, but also provide useful clues for how to navigate through any number of puzzles.
To top it all off, the voice acting is very good. Dialogue between the heroes occurs far more than in the first game, and the voices of the three leads fit the characters very well; the sardonic and greedy Zoya, the hen-pecked and wise Amadeus, and the head-strong, thrill seeking Pontius.
Frozenbyte does a remarkable job of crafting sounds that are nearly as good as their amazing visuals.
Story:
Picking up after the events of the first game, Trine 2 starts off with the peaceful lives of our heroes being interrupted by the mysterious and powerful Trine. Trine 2 doesn't require first hand knowledge of its prequel to understand the story; this is a separate adventure.
After being gathered together by the Trine, Amadeus, Pontius, and Zoya are transported to a distant, beautiful land.
This land, once a great kingdom, seems to have fallen into ruin through a combination of goblins and gigantic wildlife appearing at every turn. In the ruins of this kingdom, the story of two sisters unfolds for our heroes.
A thrilling tale with lots of intrigue and laughs that help to accentuate the common good that the heroes share, despite their differences in appearance and personality. The story of Trine 2 serves its purpose of propelling good people into heroic action for the sake of others.
Challenge:
The sound effects are equally dazzling. Picking up experience, levitating objects, or failing to conjure a box will all give distinct sound effects. This can not only deepen the experience, but also provide useful clues for how to navigate through any number of puzzles.
To top it all off, the voice acting is very good. Dialogue between the heroes occurs far more than in the first game, and the voices of the three leads fit the characters very well; the sardonic and greedy Zoya, the hen-pecked and wise Amadeus, and the head-strong, thrill seeking Pontius.
Frozenbyte does a remarkable job of crafting sounds that are nearly as good as their amazing visuals.
Story:
The heroes gather together for a campfire story
After being gathered together by the Trine, Amadeus, Pontius, and Zoya are transported to a distant, beautiful land.
This land, once a great kingdom, seems to have fallen into ruin through a combination of goblins and gigantic wildlife appearing at every turn. In the ruins of this kingdom, the story of two sisters unfolds for our heroes.
A thrilling tale with lots of intrigue and laughs that help to accentuate the common good that the heroes share, despite their differences in appearance and personality. The story of Trine 2 serves its purpose of propelling good people into heroic action for the sake of others.
Challenge:
Three players experience the new co-op "Unlimited" mode
Trine 2 isn't a challenging game for any gamer with some platforming under their belts. The puzzles can be somewhat tricky and the combat can be dangerous, but Frozenbyte won't let that stop anybody that just wants to finish the game.
Players can choose from three difficulty levels and have the option of getting a helpful hint after being stopped by a particularly difficult puzzle. All of this adds up to a game that has enough training wheels to let players of every skill level enjoy it.
This ease of use does not translate as well into the multiplayer.
And it is here where the real challenge comes. Forced to navigate the level as individuals, the heroes must combine all of their skills to create a path for everyone. By herself, Zoya may be able climb a wall with ease using her grappling hook, but Amadeus and Pontius will be left stranded without some help.
With multiplayer mode, the otherwise easy game takes a sharp difficulty curve as Players have to navigate through the expansive levels, as well as each others particular styles of play.
Replayability:
Trine 2 is somewhat short, with only 12-15 hours needed for a complete playthrough of the single player campaign. This small play time is offset by the sheer amount of collectible experience and various extras hidden throughout each and every level.
Even after beating the game, it's entirely possible that you will be missing a great number of experience points hidden cleverly within the levels. And collecting these is as simple as replaying a previous level, with all of the power that has been gained since the first time you passed through.
Then there is the possibilty of both local and online co-op. Up to 3 players can traverse through the game together, helping each other overcome the many pitfalls with their combined effort. With the wide variety of puzzle-solutions and free form combat, multiplayer helps to add considerable replayability to a simple, straight-forward quest.
Overall:
Trine 2 manages to build upon the successes of Trine while simultaneously fixing some problems present the first time around. That's why I give this game a Thumbs Up and recommend that everybody check it out, even if they haven't played through the first game.
Trine 2 can be purchased through Steam, Xbox Live Arcade, the PlayStation Network, or from a retail store. And for such a small asking price, it's hard to say no to such a great adventure.
Players can choose from three difficulty levels and have the option of getting a helpful hint after being stopped by a particularly difficult puzzle. All of this adds up to a game that has enough training wheels to let players of every skill level enjoy it.
This ease of use does not translate as well into the multiplayer.
And it is here where the real challenge comes. Forced to navigate the level as individuals, the heroes must combine all of their skills to create a path for everyone. By herself, Zoya may be able climb a wall with ease using her grappling hook, but Amadeus and Pontius will be left stranded without some help.
With multiplayer mode, the otherwise easy game takes a sharp difficulty curve as Players have to navigate through the expansive levels, as well as each others particular styles of play.
Replayability:
Trine 2 is somewhat short, with only 12-15 hours needed for a complete playthrough of the single player campaign. This small play time is offset by the sheer amount of collectible experience and various extras hidden throughout each and every level.
Even after beating the game, it's entirely possible that you will be missing a great number of experience points hidden cleverly within the levels. And collecting these is as simple as replaying a previous level, with all of the power that has been gained since the first time you passed through.
Then there is the possibilty of both local and online co-op. Up to 3 players can traverse through the game together, helping each other overcome the many pitfalls with their combined effort. With the wide variety of puzzle-solutions and free form combat, multiplayer helps to add considerable replayability to a simple, straight-forward quest.
Overall:
Trine 2 manages to build upon the successes of Trine while simultaneously fixing some problems present the first time around. That's why I give this game a Thumbs Up and recommend that everybody check it out, even if they haven't played through the first game.
Trine 2 can be purchased through Steam, Xbox Live Arcade, the PlayStation Network, or from a retail store. And for such a small asking price, it's hard to say no to such a great adventure.
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