Trine: Enchanted Edition for the Wii U is a remake of the original Trine game blended with the mechanics and graphical strength of its sequel Trine 2. I have never experienced the original personally, but if this edition is any indication of its quality, then it is a testament to the ingenuity of its developer FrozenByte. The investment in offline co-operative play is a not often trod route in today’s industry. The focus of developers in recent years is very much trying to capitalize on the expansive online multi-player market.
It’s important to remember that certain gamers want more straightforward experiences with friends. Nintendo having Trine on its console is a perfect pairing. The poster console for co-op multi-player games at this moment in time is the Wii U and you would be hard pressed to find a more addictive, engaging experience on your couch than Trine.
Trine: Enchanted Edition slots you into the role of three playable characters; a wizard, a thief and a knight.
To progress you must utilize the different strengths of these three skilled classes in terms of puzzles and combat scenarios:
- Amadeus the Wizard can move objects with his mind and he can create constructs within reason.
- Pontius the Knight is equipped with a sword and shield for defensive and offensive purposes.
- Zoya the Thief has proficient agility for quick dispatching of enemies with her bow and arrow, in addition to her useful grappling hook to swing away from unfavorable situations.
These are the initial functions of your party but as the story progresses you unlock new abilities and skills to aid in your journey. As previously mentioned, this is a multi-player game at its core. The most exciting times are with friends as you endeavour to compete over killing enemies or solving a puzzle first. It fuels the narrative to have two people playing who are budding rivals. An unfortunate side effect of its stellar multi-player is that it feels slow and by comparison is less entertaining in single player. Switching between the characters can be a bit of a pain when you have taken a shine to using one in particular. This is by no means a hindrance to the game merely a personal gripe. I would probably recommend playing alone before playing with a friend so you can appreciate the campaign at face value.
Graphically, Trine: Enchanted Edition borrows from the aforementioned Trine 2. The sights you will see in this 2D platformer are visual paintings. Each screen worthy of being exhibited in a museum for study. A watercolour effect compliments the palette of a world that eludes to a lot more lore behind it. Dare I say, it’s enchanting to cast your eyes upon.
This did cause a slight problem in the game where it appeared like certain objects were woven into the background and it gives the illusion that they are not at the forefront and as a result non-interactive
. This is a minor qualm in what amounts to a sea of positives I have about this game.
The accompanying soundtrack is tailored to these artistic visuals in regards to the whimsical feel of the music that flows through each stage as if heard from afar.
The excellent blending of both visuals and audio will see you immersed nearly completely in the fairytale setting on many occasions.
A simple story hook tells us that we are three who are bound by an object known as Trine and we must smite the evil plaguing the world. I would take umbrage with the lack of depth in this narrative, if this was not a heavily mechanic orientated game. Trine is a platformer for brainboxes who like to test their knowledge against their friends and occasionally have a little down time smashing skeletons. It is delightfully magical in its delivery and unlike many puzzle games of the same variety, it fluidly integrates different solutions for each puzzle without expecting you to have the exact answer that the developer wanted you to have.
This is to say, a puzzle is not confined to one answer. Use the tools at your disposal to discover new ways to complete sections. It adds re-playability and involves the player on another level.
Trine: Enchanted Edition is a thoroughly worthwhile purchase that will stand alongside the best of the Wii U’s top eShop downloads. It will not be a full priced game, but honestly from this reviewers point of view, it’s well worth every penny you could give to it.
Superb visuals and music. Simplistic and addictive multi-player. 9/10
