It has been a very good year for PlayStation Network titles, proved by the amount of consumers now downloading them plus the increase in quality and overall appeal. Not only does the service provide users with the classic arcade-style games they would expect from a downloadable market, but also unique yet bite-sized experiences such as Flower and Fat Princess. Created by Finnish developers Frozenbyte, TRINE is a classic-style side-scrolling adventure that has been around on the PC for a short while, and is now available via the PlayStation Network. However, will its unique combination of action gameplay, puzzles and RPG elements take it to the top?
TRINE's gameplay is very loyal to the classic side-scrolling formula, though it adds a few twists here and there. You will be taking on the roles of three characters: a wizard, a thief, and a knight, who each have specific traits and abilities which will aid you in advancing through all 15 levels the game has to offer. It may not sound like much, but a level can last up to around 30 minutes, especially if you are the sort of gamer who likes to search for collectables and hidden secrets. The objective of each level is identical: all you are required to do is to get from the start to the finish, without any timers or a set number of lives. Checkpoints are spread frequently throughout the level to bring downed characters back to life.
You control each one at a time by switching between them either when prompted or when preferred. Though all three are able to perform simple tasks such as jumping, swimming and pushing objects, each has a specific role in completing levels. The thief is the most agile of the three, with the ability to use a bow, as well as her grappling hook that can allow players to navigate perilous drops; the wizard can manipulate objects with telekinetic spells as well as conjuring up his own objects in order to climb walls or solve puzzles; lastly, the knight is primarily used to mow down hordes of enemies, and though he is the strongest of the three, he is handicapped in both speed and weight.
Each character has their own energy and health bars, though when a health or energy item is picked up, it will affect all characters. Energy is consumed whenever a character uses a special action such as the wizard’s telekinesis or the thief’s fire bow. Experience and levelling are also present in the game, though in primitive form; every time you collect 50 green vials you will gain a level. With the points earned from ranking up, you can develop each character’s abilities, such as increasing energy or the amount of projectiles fired. Another RPG-esque feature of the game is the inventory and array of in-game items. There will often be two or so chests scattered on every level, each containing gear can which be equipped, for example a necklace that allows the character in question to swim with an infinite breath bar.
Though this may sound pretty solid, the game does have some downfalls. Level design does vary, I always felt I was playing the same segment over and over, despite the change in colour palette and enemy types. Also, you cannot leave the game and then come back to a checkpoint; instead you will be forced to play the entire level again, which can be frustrating. However, as far as glitches go, the game has very few, and the use of physics makes sure players have to do some critical thinking to solve puzzles.
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