Game Info
GAME NAME: Trine Enchanted Edition
DEVELOPER(S): Frozenbyte
PUBLISHER(S): Frozenbyte
PLATFORM(S): Nintendo Wii U
GENRE(S): Action/Adventure
RELEASE DATE(S): March 12th, 2015
When the Wii U first launched back in 2012 one of the graphical show pieces from indie studio Frozenbyte was Trine 2. The game shined (quite literally) with all it’s bloom effects, reflective nature and undeniable great use of color. As the third-party support for Nintendo’s home console has been dwindling, the indie studios have stepped in (rather well I might add) to fill in the gaps between first party games. Even though Trine Enchanted Edition is a prequel to the already available Trine 2, gamers that loved the second will love to go back and discover where the characters they enjoyed so much came from. Plus who likes getting sequels without having the opportunity to play the original?
In Trine Enchanted Edition, you will get to follow Amadeus the Wizard, Pontius the Knight, and Zoya the Thief in their origin story. It is great that many of us Wii U gamers, like myself included, get to see where these characters came from and why they are on a quest together. The game starts off with you with each character individually as it teaches you the basics of how they will control different. Eventually you will all meet up at the Trine in which your lives and stories become connected and you must travel and solve puzzles together.
Amadeus the Wizard
All the characters have the same basic jump and movements but they all feel different in weight and physics. Also each will have their own special moves to help either solve puzzles or fight off enemies. I’m going to explain each character briefly as it makes a difference in the game. Amadeus the Wizard doesn’t really have any combat skills but what he does have is the ability to make boxes and ramps to each help you ascend to those hard to reach places or build up a wall to evade an enemy attack. You have the option to use the touchscreen to be more precise but if you need to get one built in a hurry the right stick is a decent alternative. His jumping also feels a little lighter then the rest of the characters and it makes it easier to reach high ledges.
Pontius the Knight
This warrior is battle tested to the max. Most of your encounters with enemy characters will have you using Pontius and his sword and shield combo to destroy everything in his path. His jump feels heavier then Amadeus’ but makes up for height with the ability to chop down wooden structures as well as use his shield to gravitate items of use to him. I found myself almost exclusively playing as this knight when moving around and not knowing what to expect as with a quick hit of the R button and you are hacking and slashing.
Zoya the Thief
Solving puzzles became almost too easy when playing with Zoya the Thief. One you master this acrobatic character’s rope swing, you can flip yourself almost to any ledge. You simply use the R button to grapple to any wooden surface and then swing back and forth by using the left analog. If you time it just right on the up swing you can catapult yourself above the ledge you are hanging from and land safely. You can also use your bow and arrow combination to attack enemies from a distance. The only drawback to distance attacks is you cant move once you’ve drawn back your bow leaving you susceptible to enemy fire.
One you’ve collected 50 of the green XP viles, you can choose to level up one of your characters. I’d choose wisely as it may be a few more levels to you reach the 50 threshold again. The leveling up will either give you more health, mana or just an enhancement to your special ability. Collecting the viles are what most of the puzzles pertain to and you can also earn these viles from defeating the enemies. One complaint I did have with the enemies are they are mostly just different variations of skeletons with the occasional spider or boss character sprinkled in. There are also treasure chests scattered throughout each level to find that will help upgrade your characters abilities.
Just as in Trine 2 for the Wii U there is off-screen available for the Wii U GamePad. Included as well is a local and online 3 player co-op mode. This was my recommended way of playing as you and your buddies can control all three of the heroes at the same time making for some super fun multiplayer gaming sessions.
The graphics engine has been upgraded to look just as gorgeous as Trine 2; Director’s Cut. All of the beautiful colors that shine and glimmer are present so much so that it may detract you from what you are suppose to be focused on. I found myself many times getting lost into the backgrounds that range from caverns to castles to forest settings. The soundtrack has a decent fantasy genre appeal but nothing that stays fresh enough that you’d want to listen to it on your iPod.
The Recommendation
If you purchased Trine 2: Director’s Cut when the Wii U first launched then expect more of the same but with origin story of the characters that you know and love. If you are new to the series, this is a wonderful place to start as it looks every bit as good as it’s sequel and plays just as well too. Fans of puzzle platformers will eat this game up and you can never pass up a great multiplayer online (especially on the Wii U) or couch co-op title.
