Trine may have skipped you by, if you only play on the Xbox that is. The original game was released on PC and PS3 to critical acclaim, so much so that it spawned a sequel. This time 360 owners finally get to jump into a world full of wonder and discover a fantastic game.
Trine 2 is a side-scrolling action adventure title, that uses puzzle and physics elements as a main part of the gameplay, it is essentially more of the same. The three main characters from the original title all return as players must make use of their unique skills to navigate the world.
Amadeus is a wizard who can manipulate objects around him. He can move objects around and 'draw' new objects that can be used to solve the various puzzles throughout each level. Amadeus cannot directly attack enemies and is mainly useful for puzzle solving, although it is possible to use drawn boxes against the enemy.
Zoya is a thief and is the most nimble of trio, she can use her grappling hook to reach areas that are unobtainable by other characters, which becomes especially useful during some areas. She can also use her bow and arrow as a ranged attack on the enemy.
Pontius is the knight and the muscles of the team. He can essentially smash things and engage the enemy up close. He can use his sword as a main attack and block with the shield, which is ideal for getting past falling objects, or flames. He also has a sledgehammer that can be used to break things open, or used as a heavy attack on enemies.
The trio are reunited by the Trine after their last adventure, some more reluctantly than others (don't worry if you missed the first game, as things are kind of explained). The Trine takes them to a mysterious place, where they are given a quest to rid Crown Princess Rosabel's kingdom of the bad things that have taken over. The story then develops from there and has a couple of twists along the way. It isn't overly deep, but it does a good job of setting the scene and does engage you into the story.
All three characters can have their skills levelled up throughout the game, so Zoya for example can get arrows that freeze the enemies, Amadeus can manipulate more than just inanimate objects and Pontius can improve his shield, amongst various other things. It is using each characters unique abilities at the right time that make the game play so very rewarding.
As players navigate the world they will come across various puzzle elements that must be overcome to move on. Each puzzle encountered doesn't have a set way of solving it, whilst the most obvious way may be to use Amadeus' skills, it may be possible to by pass the puzzle altogether with Zoya, by using the grappling hook and going another way. This all works as players only control one character at a time, switching between them with LB or RB. It makes it very rewarding once you have worked out the best way through.
The physics in the game are really well done, jumping onto large leaves will see them start to give way under your weight. Swinging from platforms that are suspended and can move will see them sway with your momentum. All of this can also be used as tools to navigate the world too.
As players progress they collect bottles which add to a central XP, that allows them to level up the skills of the characters. Having a central XP across all three characters means that players must also manage how they spend the skill points earned. Whilst there may be a temptation to put it all on one character, that may not help when trying to progress. It adds a nice level of strategy to the game.
It is hard not to talk about Trine 2 without mentioning just how beautiful the game looks. Characters are really well rendered, as are the enemies, but the levels themselves are truly stunning, yet another game that shows just how much 2D has a place in today's gaming world. The backdrops are like works of art, the sound too is amazing, with a wonderful score to accompany the game.
It is a shame that the original game never found it's way to XBLA, the sequel is one that should be played by everyone, it looks amazing, it has challenging, yet not frustrating puzzle elements and is so satisfying to play.
