Trine 2 Video Review

Bodies and souls bound by the magical Trine, three warriors, a thief, a mage, and a knight set out to save the kingdom once again in this epic side scrolling adventure brought to you by Frozenbyte and Atlus.

So.... pretty...

There is so little negative we have to say about Trine 2, that while writing this review, we fear that it will sound more like a commercial and less like a critical breakdown of the game. But through and through, Trine 2 is a masterpiece. Unfortunately, because of its bite-sized presentation and price tag, it will be overlooked by the majority of gamers.

The original Trine was a work of art, and Trine 2 is no different. Graphically, we can’t think of a game that’s ever looked better. As each new set piece scrolls into view, you will be astounded by the vivid, colorful, and gorgeously designed environments and creatures.

Trine is never afraid to play with color. You will witness lights and darks, reds, blues, greens, oranges and yellows, and all the colors in the spectrum used with digital mastery. At almost any point in the game, you could take a screenshot and use it as your desktop background.

The music is peaceful. It fits the fantasy genre perfectly. And the voice acting and narration will warm your heart.

The near-perfect controls of the original Trine are back in action to help you solve some wonderful physics-based puzzles. Each character responds with Super Meatboy levels of precision as you hop from platform to platform, battling ogres and solving environmental riddles that block your way.

Looks great. Plays perfectly. Sounds amazing. What more do you want?

As the mage, you can conjure boxes and planks that aid your platforming. You can also levitate objects with your mind. But in battle, the mage is very weak and has little in his book of spells to defend himself. He’s primarily used to solve puzzles.

The thief is quick and nimble. She expertly uses a bow imbued with fire and ice to dispatch her foes in 360 degrees. And she has a grappling hook for swinging over danger. She is your primary platformer.

The knight is fearless and willing to charge into battle. He carries a sword, shield and a hammer to defend the other two adventurers bound by the Trine. His shield can deflect enemy attacks from any direction.

And as a single-player adventure, you can instantly switch between these three characters which makes the game incredibly versatile.

Trine also offers a fantastic co-operative experience where three players can join up save the kingdom together. The host has the choice of locking each player to an archetype, or allowing each player to actively play as any member of the Trine, allowing for multiple characters of the same type on screen.

Even the battle animations are superb.

The only real complaint we have about Trine 2 is that the brain buster puzzles never fully reach their potential. Most obstacles can be overcome by sheer force or by the old self-levitation trick (which can be quite difficult to pull off on its own sometimes and is by no means, and end to all situations). The original Trine was a much more difficult experience. But in all other regards, Trine 2 is a much more polished adventure.

Truthfully, this is one of the finest downloadable adventures that can be found on the PS3, Xbox 360, and the PC. We wholeheartedly recommend this title and its predecessor. We happily bestow upon Trine 2 the Elder’s Choice Award.

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Name: Trine 2

Available on: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC

Developed by: Frozenbyte

Published by: Atlus

Release date: December 7, 2011

EG Score: 5 out of 5 / “Worth Buying”