Trine 2 Review

Despite being one of the oldest video game genres, platforms manage to survive the test of time. The popularity of this particular genre is largely fueled by the efforts of numerous indie development studios. When Trine first appeared , it dazzled us with its pleasingly simple approach, both in terms of design and gameplay. Frozenbyte's game Trine was essentially a well-thought-out mix of puzzle-based physics and clear-cut platformesque gameplay mechanics. After two years, they bring us a sequel, complete with improved graphics, more puzzles, more challenges and a wide variety of unique levels to go through.

Someone will always be there to ruin a good dream.

No problem, err, we'll just go the other way around.

Trine 2 follows the story of three heroes, Amadeus the Wizard, Pontius the Knight and Zoya the Thief. The Wizard is a rather ordinary guy, as it happens. He spends a lot of time in his laboratory, although he is also devoted to his children and wife. He vouched to finally master the Fireball spell, only he never got around to it (even though, everyone in his family knows how to cast it). Instead, his main talent is to levitate objects and conjure small planks and boxes, which are mighty useful when our heroes need to circumvent physical obstacles. Pontius is a warrior and very much focused on combat and smashing enemies with his sword and powerful hammer. He remains, shall we say, the 'tank' of the company, physically capable of withstand against even the toughest opponents. The final character is the seductively clad female Thief Zoya. Unlike the first two heroes, she's more interested in fortune and adventure. She skillfully wields a bow and arrow, but treasure hunting is one of her biggest hobbies.

Once again, the heroes have been sought after by a powerful artifact called the Trine, which transports them into a new and mysterious land where they have to do their best to survive.

As the heroes get together, the player immediately falls onto familiar ground. In single-player mode, gamers can change characters at any time, depending on what type of challenge they are currently facing. When the Knight and Thief can't reach a high platform or are unable to cross due to some vast obstacle that lies ahead, the Wizard may use his ability to move certain objects or create boxes or planks to climb higher. The best part is that all three characters feel useful throughout the entire game. The Wizard is usually the best at solving puzzles and getting the company out of jam thanks to his magic. Mind you, the Thief is nimble and quick and can reach certain areas by shooting out arrows with ropes in order to swing from platform to platform (a lot like Spider-Man, actually). The Knight is the best for defense and offense when facing enemies like Goblins, Lizards, Orcs and so on.

Still, since there are a lot of difficult situations, there's no doubt that The Wizard will probably be the best choice when you wish to overcome obstacles and get out of a tight spot by scratching your head a bit and creating a way out yourself. Trine 2 allows players to solve problems in various ways, sometimes by combining the skills of all three characters or by using the abilities of one character and then quickly changing to another in order to move on.