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| It's a pretty, pretty game. |
Before we jump into the review I'd like to take a second and make a quick and exciting announcement. Beginning in May, 2012, Mike and I will be starting a regular podcast here on Gaming Cuisine. Tentatively it will be called "The Gaming Cuisine Podcast", original and exciting, I know, but may have a change in name soon. In the podcast we'll discuss games and gaming, as well as interview guests, talk about the industry, game related media (read: movies, comics, books, etc.) and generally have a good time. Keep an eye out for it. We'll also be introducing a new contributor soon, and hosting of tournaments will be finding a more regular schedule. That last bit is really great news for those in Northern Utah.
Without further delay, on to the review!
Trine 2
PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Before I say anything else I have to state that Trine 2 is one of the prettiest looking games I've ever played. From the title screen to the storybook style loading pages, Trine 2 is simply beautiful. Developer Frozenbyte clearly took their time developing the games look, and it shows. Telling you the graphics are pretty doesn't tell you what T2 is though. Trine 2 is a side-scrolling action/platform game with lots of puzzle elements found in each level. What sets T2 apart from the many other games in this genre is the ability to switch between three characters on the fly. Playing as a wizard, a thief and/or a knight, each character has unique abilities and characteristics that can be used to get through each area. The wizard, Amadeus, can levitate objects, and create magic boxes, which can be used as platforms. The thief, Zoya, has a bow and arrows for ranged attacks, and a grappling hook which can be used to climb to hard to reach places. The knight, Pontius, has a strong close range attack, can bust certain objects and has a shield which he can deflect objects with. A pretty straight forward and standard setup for a fantasy based action game.
While most games that use character switching mechanics force the player to use a specific character ability to pass each stage (which drives me crazy), Trine 2 rarely forces the player to use a specific ability or character to solve a puzzle, or overcome an obstacle. While it is certainly easier to use some abilities versus others when trying to navigate a particularly tricky puzzle, I rarely felt the absolute need to use one character over another when it came to the games platforming puzzles. A benefit I didn't expect from this is leveling up the characters is fun, rather than annoyingly strategic. When choosing a new ability to spend my experience points on (gained by gathering flasks found throughout the levels, rather than by number of enemies killed) I didn't have to sit and think what abilities may be of use in upcoming levels, nor did I end up cursing at not having chosen certain abilities later on. No, I simply chose abilities I thought would be cool at the moment, and thought briefly about which character I used the most throughout the game. With only a few abilities to gain, the leveling up is quick and simple, and never a tedious chore as it seems to be in many other games. I have to tip my hat to Frozenbyte for not following a genre trend and making every level accessible with little character switching necessary.
Sound wise Trine 2 is on par with its fantastic graphics. The light semi-classical soundtrack fits the game perfectly, and had enough variety to keep from feeling repetitive. While the music drew me in, and made the game really come to life for me, it's probably not a soundtrack I'll listen to outside of the game, due to its light, "renfair" style flare. Throughout the game there is also a narrator who tells the story between and during levels, via a storybook and poems. Comments from the characters throughout the levels also help move the storyline along, explain small details and help drive character development. It seems that the sound and music received as much attention as the graphics did, and in a game this pretty looking that's impressive.
Control wise the game is very good, but not great. While the keyboard and mouse are some of the best I've used, it still feels a bit awkward for a platforming title. Using an Xbox or PS3 controller I felt I had some improvement, but still felt a little off at times. It could be a lack of hand-eye coordination on my part, but really I felt that getting on to some platforms, guiding levitating objects, and even some of the attacks could have been improved a bit. I'm not saying the controls are bad, but for a game so polished in other areas having only adequate control was kind of a letdown. I also felt the developer could have explained some of the basic game mechanics and puzzles a bit better, as some boss battles were easier than trying to climb to a ledge. For instance trying to reach a hidden chest took me almost half an hour, but I passed the first "boss" (who you don't actually attack) in less than two minutes. Speaking of enemies, they were initially few and far between, and even later in the game, when their numbers increased, they felt sparse, and easily overcome. While I know T2 focuses more on platform puzzles than hack-and-slash action, I was almost desperate to fight at certain points. On top of that many of the enemies took little effort to dispatch using the knight, but were tough kills using the other characters. I found myself regularly switching to Pontius the knight to kill enemies, after my wizard or thief were simply destroyed in a single blow. While balance of abilities is a key part of this game, it seemed out of balance when fighting. As I mentioned earlier many of the platform puzzles could be solved by using any single character, but the majority of combat came down to Pontius, and Pontius alone. I found that somewhat disappointing after leveling up Zora's bow/arrows, and Amadeus's ability to levitate enemies.
Trine 2's focus on puzzle elements also ended up hurting its replay factor for me. After cruising through T2, I didn't feel the need to give it another run through. Remembering most of the solutions for the platforming puzzles, and the overall lack of combat really reduced the desire to give it another go; however downloadable content, including many new levels, will be coming this summer. Definitely something to look forward to.
All in all Trine 2 really is a fantastic game, and again, one of the prettiest and best sounding I've ever played. However, with only adequate controls, and what I find to be a lack of replayability, I don't feel I can give T2 as high a rating as many others seem to have felt it was worth. While it's a great game, and was definitely worth the purchase, don't expect Trine 2 to be one you keep coming back to on a regular basis.
I give Trine 2 3.75 out of 5 stars for its amazing graphics, great use of mechanics, and overall depth of story.
Until next time, game on.
Before I say anything else I have to state that Trine 2 is one of the prettiest looking games I've ever played. From the title screen to the storybook style loading pages, Trine 2 is simply beautiful. Developer Frozenbyte clearly took their time developing the games look, and it shows. Telling you the graphics are pretty doesn't tell you what T2 is though. Trine 2 is a side-scrolling action/platform game with lots of puzzle elements found in each level. What sets T2 apart from the many other games in this genre is the ability to switch between three characters on the fly. Playing as a wizard, a thief and/or a knight, each character has unique abilities and characteristics that can be used to get through each area. The wizard, Amadeus, can levitate objects, and create magic boxes, which can be used as platforms. The thief, Zoya, has a bow and arrows for ranged attacks, and a grappling hook which can be used to climb to hard to reach places. The knight, Pontius, has a strong close range attack, can bust certain objects and has a shield which he can deflect objects with. A pretty straight forward and standard setup for a fantasy based action game.
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| A knight, while encumbered with armor, can jump over a leaf. Thank you Frozenbyte for realizing that, now lets get the rest of the industry on the same page. |
While most games that use character switching mechanics force the player to use a specific character ability to pass each stage (which drives me crazy), Trine 2 rarely forces the player to use a specific ability or character to solve a puzzle, or overcome an obstacle. While it is certainly easier to use some abilities versus others when trying to navigate a particularly tricky puzzle, I rarely felt the absolute need to use one character over another when it came to the games platforming puzzles. A benefit I didn't expect from this is leveling up the characters is fun, rather than annoyingly strategic. When choosing a new ability to spend my experience points on (gained by gathering flasks found throughout the levels, rather than by number of enemies killed) I didn't have to sit and think what abilities may be of use in upcoming levels, nor did I end up cursing at not having chosen certain abilities later on. No, I simply chose abilities I thought would be cool at the moment, and thought briefly about which character I used the most throughout the game. With only a few abilities to gain, the leveling up is quick and simple, and never a tedious chore as it seems to be in many other games. I have to tip my hat to Frozenbyte for not following a genre trend and making every level accessible with little character switching necessary.
Sound wise Trine 2 is on par with its fantastic graphics. The light semi-classical soundtrack fits the game perfectly, and had enough variety to keep from feeling repetitive. While the music drew me in, and made the game really come to life for me, it's probably not a soundtrack I'll listen to outside of the game, due to its light, "renfair" style flare. Throughout the game there is also a narrator who tells the story between and during levels, via a storybook and poems. Comments from the characters throughout the levels also help move the storyline along, explain small details and help drive character development. It seems that the sound and music received as much attention as the graphics did, and in a game this pretty looking that's impressive.
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| One of few enemies encountered throughout the game. |
Control wise the game is very good, but not great. While the keyboard and mouse are some of the best I've used, it still feels a bit awkward for a platforming title. Using an Xbox or PS3 controller I felt I had some improvement, but still felt a little off at times. It could be a lack of hand-eye coordination on my part, but really I felt that getting on to some platforms, guiding levitating objects, and even some of the attacks could have been improved a bit. I'm not saying the controls are bad, but for a game so polished in other areas having only adequate control was kind of a letdown. I also felt the developer could have explained some of the basic game mechanics and puzzles a bit better, as some boss battles were easier than trying to climb to a ledge. For instance trying to reach a hidden chest took me almost half an hour, but I passed the first "boss" (who you don't actually attack) in less than two minutes. Speaking of enemies, they were initially few and far between, and even later in the game, when their numbers increased, they felt sparse, and easily overcome. While I know T2 focuses more on platform puzzles than hack-and-slash action, I was almost desperate to fight at certain points. On top of that many of the enemies took little effort to dispatch using the knight, but were tough kills using the other characters. I found myself regularly switching to Pontius the knight to kill enemies, after my wizard or thief were simply destroyed in a single blow. While balance of abilities is a key part of this game, it seemed out of balance when fighting. As I mentioned earlier many of the platform puzzles could be solved by using any single character, but the majority of combat came down to Pontius, and Pontius alone. I found that somewhat disappointing after leveling up Zora's bow/arrows, and Amadeus's ability to levitate enemies.
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| He reminded me of Smaug, from The Hobbit. He looks tough, but he's apparently has a severe weak spot, and I beat him easily. |
Trine 2's focus on puzzle elements also ended up hurting its replay factor for me. After cruising through T2, I didn't feel the need to give it another run through. Remembering most of the solutions for the platforming puzzles, and the overall lack of combat really reduced the desire to give it another go; however downloadable content, including many new levels, will be coming this summer. Definitely something to look forward to.
All in all Trine 2 really is a fantastic game, and again, one of the prettiest and best sounding I've ever played. However, with only adequate controls, and what I find to be a lack of replayability, I don't feel I can give T2 as high a rating as many others seem to have felt it was worth. While it's a great game, and was definitely worth the purchase, don't expect Trine 2 to be one you keep coming back to on a regular basis.
I give Trine 2 3.75 out of 5 stars for its amazing graphics, great use of mechanics, and overall depth of story.
Until next time, game on.
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