Quick Look – Trine 2 (Gameplay Video Included)

I really liked the original Trine title from Frozenbyte, largely because it required not just keen puzzle solving and platforming skills, but also split-second reactions and changes between the three different characters, the wizard, Amadeus, the knight, Pontius, or the thief (or shall we say entrepreneur) Zoya.

Now, the Finnish studio has delivered Trine 2, the sequel to its 2009 game, which promises to refine its gameplay while adding a much more visually impressive style.
After a beta stage and some very impressive screenshots, the final game has now been released on the PC and Mac, via Steam, while other editions, for platforms like the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 or Linux, are coming soon.

So, is Trine 2 a worthy successor or should it fall from its platform? Let’s have a quick look.

The first thing that impresses with Trine 2 is the stunning visual style, with gorgeous graphics and colors filling the screen and, sometimes, it even makes it hard to stay focused on your character. The environments are so detailed and filled with all sorts of colors that you can even forget you’re exploring them with an actual character.

After you get used to the great graphics, you’ll find pretty much the same classic Trine experience, although you don’t really need to have played the original in order to get into its sequel.

Basically, the power of the Trine, an ancient artifact, allows the three characters to seamlessly swap in and out of view, in order to help with the actual gameplay. You’ll need the wizard to conjure up boxes or ledges, the warrior to easily fight off enemies, and the thief to reach hidden places thanks to her grappling hook.

A major difference is that you no longer have a mana gauge, so you can use the special powers of your characters, from the wizard’s spells to the warrior’s power attacks, without worrying that you’ll waste your energy and get stuck.

The combat is also a bit more refined, as opposed to its predecessor, but, at least at first, you’ll be focused just on navigating through the environment and spotting vials of power that, when collected in large enough numbers, allows you to level up the powers of your character.

Overall, Trine 2 is looking quite sharp and is no doubt going to entertain plenty of people. Check out the video below that shows off the first three segments of the game, each focusing on one of the characters in the title.