![]() ![]() Each level introduces new hazards and obstacles – like portals or running water – that distinguish them from what came before and, in some way, demand that you use your characters’ abilities in ways you might not have thought of before. Though these movesets prove to be rather simple, it’s impressive how the developers have managed to do so much with relatively so little. Just about every stage in Trine 4’s twelve-hour campaign is really just a series of single-room environmental puzzles that demand you think outside the box (ahem) to figure out how to combine your characters’ distinct abilities into an actionable plan to reach a high ledge or open a locked door of some sort.Īmadeus can conjure up boxes and other objects which can be used as props or weights, Zoya can use ropes to create bridges and cross large gaps, and Pontius can smash things and use his shield to redirect beams. ![]() Probably ninety percent of your experience with Trine will be spent with its bread and butter: the puzzles, which luckily prove to be consistently engaging. Trine 4 is quite spellbinding in this respect, as it conveys to you a world that you almost don’t want to leave, populated by equally optimistic and mysterious characters. There’s real heart to the writing and voice acting on offer here, creating a sense of wonder and curiosity in the player that all but forces you to push on and discover more about this world and its characters. Between the narrator on the world map, banter between the three main characters, and interactions with other residents of this curious world, Trine 4 presents itself to you in a storybook-like manner. Those of you looking for a deep or involved story won’t find anything of the sort here, but you also just may be surprised at how easily the plot can draw you in. Their journey takes them through dozens of dreamlike locations each more gorgeous than the last, and all of which are somehow plagued by a bottomless number of movable boxes and rope attach-points. Thus, our three heroes – Zoya the Thief, Sir Pontius the Knight, and Amadeus the Wizard – are called upon to unite once more and combine their extraordinary capabilities to track down the runaway prince and neutralize the threat. The central conflict of the story revolves around the titular nightmare prince, Selius, as his nighttime mischief leads to him receiving a magical curse that sees his darkest nightmares – and those of others around him – manifested in the real world. Though fans of the series may find things a little over-familiar, Trine 4 proves to be the fullest realization of the series’ core concept thus far. It’s a move that has paid off handsomely. Not ones to be kept down, Frozenbyte went back to the drawing board for the next iteration, Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince, and doubled down on the tried and tested 2.5D gameplay that made the series so popular to begin with. Things took a turn for the worse, however, when Frozenbyte bit off more it could chew with Trine 3 – marking the series’ jump from 2.5D to 3D – which failed to live up to expectations and brought the future of the whole franchise into question. The initial title was lauded for its fantastic puzzle design and aesthetics, which were honed and improved even further by the sequel that launched two years later. ![]() It’s been rather fascinating to follow the development of the Trine series since its debut in 2009.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |