Trine (download title)
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It's finally out on the PS3, and I bought it off PSN today. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, because the PC demo didn't really grab me. However, I've now played through 5 levels in one sitting and I had a really good time with the game. It looks fantastic, the framerate seems pretty close to flawless, the graphics are beautiful (basically looks like the highest detail setting I could get on my PC, except my humble PC - which has a 4350 gpu probably half the speed of the RSX - then probably ran at 10fps or less), and the levels are well designed.
The game is simply a lot of fun, and the controls - for me at least - are a lot better than they were with the mouse/keyboard. It was quite a revelation - suddenly I was playing a proper platformer again.
And it is indeed clear that there are a fair number of problems that you can solve in different ways. I've heard from several people on podcasts that the final level sucks, but everything up to that point is bliss.
I've heard a few people compare this to Shadow Complex on XBLA, and I can certainly see where that is coming from (there's even swimming in both of these games ). Still, where Shadow Complex really didn't click with me, this definitely does. The three different characters you can switch between are really different indeed, and are all very fun to play with. It has most of the trappings of a decent platformer, with a Braid-like thinking aspect to it, but then replace time with physics. The skeletons that form the brunt of the enemies are nicely done in that they have nice animation in jumping down and climbing up stuff and are fairly dedicated to get to where you are.
I could go into a lot more detail about what the characters can do and how the levels are designed and setup, but I think that if you suspect you might like this game, you're probably going to and are pretty safe to buy it. Oh, and it has local co-op too.
The game is simply a lot of fun, and the controls - for me at least - are a lot better than they were with the mouse/keyboard. It was quite a revelation - suddenly I was playing a proper platformer again.
And it is indeed clear that there are a fair number of problems that you can solve in different ways. I've heard from several people on podcasts that the final level sucks, but everything up to that point is bliss. I've heard a few people compare this to Shadow Complex on XBLA, and I can certainly see where that is coming from (there's even swimming in both of these games
). Still, where Shadow Complex really didn't click with me, this definitely does. The three different characters you can switch between are really different indeed, and are all very fun to play with. It has most of the trappings of a decent platformer, with a Braid-like thinking aspect to it, but then replace time with physics. The skeletons that form the brunt of the enemies are nicely done in that they have nice animation in jumping down and climbing up stuff and are fairly dedicated to get to where you are. I could go into a lot more detail about what the characters can do and how the levels are designed and setup, but I think that if you suspect you might like this game, you're probably going to and are pretty safe to buy it. Oh, and it has local co-op too.
Sigfried1977
Legend
I bought it yesterday as well. I think it's absolutely brilliant and thankfully not as puzzle heavy as I expected. It's a classic action side scroller with some light physics based puzzle elements. Elements you can often skip entirely if you know how to swing properly with the thief that is - the right momentum gets you almost everywhere in that game. The game doesn't really force you into a specific playing style which is what I'm probably enjoying the most about it. If I want to kill skeletens with arrows instead of the knight's sword I can do that too, and i can actually do it well. The combat in Trine also has an excellent feel to it. It's not particularly deep, but very satisfying. The impacts of the sword and the arrows feel right.
In terms of controls the game feels a bit like Little Big Planet (because of the physics) only a lot tighter, more precise and not as slippery. Pinpointing landing spots after a jump feels just about right and you don't have to worry about catching air just because you are running down a steep hill either.
The visuals are absolutely breathtaking as well. Backgrounds look superb, are full depth and of life and absolutely burst with colour. Similar care went into the character animation - it's all top notch.
20€ well spent. (I think it even has a Platinum Trophy, but I'm not sure)
In terms of controls the game feels a bit like Little Big Planet (because of the physics) only a lot tighter, more precise and not as slippery. Pinpointing landing spots after a jump feels just about right and you don't have to worry about catching air just because you are running down a steep hill either.
The visuals are absolutely breathtaking as well. Backgrounds look superb, are full depth and of life and absolutely burst with colour. Similar care went into the character animation - it's all top notch.
20€ well spent. (I think it even has a Platinum Trophy, but I'm not sure)
Has anyone tried coop yet? It looks nice in theory, but I recall reading that you could solve everything with the mage, breaking any cooperation and instead just being (the usual) 'multiplayer players on the screen doing their own thing' gameplay.
specwarGP2
Regular
I would like to play this game, but it's not out on US PSN yet.
Bought this last night and we player it 3 player local coop. Left us scratching our heads a lot. Has the patch changed the gameplay since the reviews? Because some areas prove next to impossible. Once the mage runs out of juice, there is no way to get everyone across. The theif is generally okay, and the mage can move the fighter across, but ends up left behind with no way to progress. There's no solution, as there is no way to recover mana, except to die.
And that was the principle gameplay element for us - strategic suicides. Trying to get past areas, we'd decide when it was better to just die and respawn! That camera doesn't help, averaging the view between players and often having one or more players off-screen, or a bit of scenery obscuring much of the view. There's also no way for the mage to combat close enemies, so if he's left alone, the other two having died, his best bet is to just run for it. Though in theory you can whack skeletons with boxes, they are too cumbersome to move. This makes for good cooperative gameplay, when each play has a role, but the platforming is so dubious, we can't guarantee all three players remain together to cooperate!
And that was the principle gameplay element for us - strategic suicides. Trying to get past areas, we'd decide when it was better to just die and respawn! That camera doesn't help, averaging the view between players and often having one or more players off-screen, or a bit of scenery obscuring much of the view. There's also no way for the mage to combat close enemies, so if he's left alone, the other two having died, his best bet is to just run for it. Though in theory you can whack skeletons with boxes, they are too cumbersome to move. This makes for good cooperative gameplay, when each play has a role, but the platforming is so dubious, we can't guarantee all three players remain together to cooperate!
tongue_of_colicab
Veteran
I played this game for 1.5 hours straight just to find out there is no way to save your game. I think it will only save at the end of each level but unlike the person who decided on this save system, I do have a life which means I cant spend 2 freakin hours or more just to get to a point where I can save my game. I thought it would just do a auto save on those revival points or do a auto save on exit or whatever but no. Probably the first and last 1.5 hours I spend on this game because I really cant live with devs usings such major fail save systems anno 2009. I mean, I never get my head around it. They are smart enough to build a whole game and everything so they cant be complete idiots but still they decide on a save system that if you bother to think about it 0.0001 seconds you know is just the most stupid idea ever.
You dont have any lives so it doesnt matter how often you die so there is also no reason not to use save points. There is only one time when you can say you have to finish to level to save and that is when you have a certain amount of lives to finish a level like in the old days.
It just frustrates me even thinking about it, why do people do such things? It frustrates me even more because I now wasted 1.5 hours of my life on something I will never finish.
edit: It gets even better. Google tells me the game should save on exit. Well it doesnt. And it seems it doesnt for a lot of people. So now they dont have a stupid design, they just fail at their job and sell something that just doesnt work. Oh, the game also doesnt remember your control and gfx settings btw.
Dont buy it.
You dont have any lives so it doesnt matter how often you die so there is also no reason not to use save points. There is only one time when you can say you have to finish to level to save and that is when you have a certain amount of lives to finish a level like in the old days.
It just frustrates me even thinking about it, why do people do such things? It frustrates me even more because I now wasted 1.5 hours of my life on something I will never finish.
edit: It gets even better. Google tells me the game should save on exit. Well it doesnt. And it seems it doesnt for a lot of people. So now they dont have a stupid design, they just fail at their job and sell something that just doesnt work. Oh, the game also doesnt remember your control and gfx settings btw.
Dont buy it.
Hmm. Saved on exit for me. Only the level, so you can't quit mid-level and return to the last checkpoint, but it works none-the-less.
As for playing the game, having played a good lot of solo just now, and watched some example vids on the official site, I understand it much better. We missed a lot of the secret items playing coop that are imperative to energy management for the mage. Of course the lack of camera mess makes single player far easier. It's hard to judge jumps near the edge of the screen in multiplayer due to perspective.
Still, I have high hopes that next time we're playing coop, we'll actually progress okay.
As for playing the game, having played a good lot of solo just now, and watched some example vids on the official site, I understand it much better. We missed a lot of the secret items playing coop that are imperative to energy management for the mage. Of course the lack of camera mess makes single player far easier. It's hard to judge jumps near the edge of the screen in multiplayer due to perspective.
Still, I have high hopes that next time we're playing coop, we'll actually progress okay.
It saves the experience you gain, too, so if you go out of your way to grab the vials then have to start, you don't have to bother next time. Levels are sorta large, though.
As to coop, most of what I've heard wasn't kind to coop. More along the lines of: it works, but you're probably better off using the Trine solo.
As to coop, most of what I've heard wasn't kind to coop. More along the lines of: it works, but you're probably better off using the Trine solo.
I tried the PC version recently via Gametap.
Strike 1: controller bindings cannot be altered.
Strike 2. The controller bindings are set up for the X360, and do not map well to other controllers.
Strike 3. Controls very poorly with keyboard mouse.
Strike 4. It's just fucking boring. I can't really say anything else about the gameplay itself.
It's not a horrible game, per se, but it's still one I'd not waste time on.
Strike 1: controller bindings cannot be altered.
Strike 2. The controller bindings are set up for the X360, and do not map well to other controllers.
Strike 3. Controls very poorly with keyboard mouse.
Strike 4. It's just fucking boring. I can't really say anything else about the gameplay itself.
It's not a horrible game, per se, but it's still one I'd not waste time on.
It's hard and awkward, the controls especially. It's next to impossible to draw a plank with the camera moving all over the shop. But it was fun and we laughed a lot.
I'm enjoying solo too. Okay, it may not be an action-packed extravaganza, but it looks swish and is fun. I'm finding enough scope to switch characters and try things out, and it's satisfying to see my abilities improve so I can make more of the skills. The thief's rope is by far the most frustrating skill and it's easy to mess up. The best rope I've experienced was in the Amiga game "Fury of the Furries". It's steep for a shortish solo game, but if your friends are in for a laugh, it's very good as a solo and coop title. Given how few games support multiplayer coop in the same box, it's worth it just for that!
Another small reason to buy this if you're into PSN Ranking points - the trophies are mostly Silvers and are easy to pick up! Compared to some games that require hours and hours to get a bronze, this game is practically giving the points away. If you're into that sort of thing.
(resurrection)
Postmortem: Frozenbyte's Trine
We gamers are very lucky to have Trine game available, it sounds like it was 70/30 to not see it published.
Postmortem: Frozenbyte's Trine
We gamers are very lucky to have Trine game available, it sounds like it was 70/30 to not see it published.
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Excellent read. Gamasutra's post-mortem's are essential material for learning from others mistakes. Makes me want to fire Trine up again.
Billy Idol
Legend
Astounding to me that they are so open about their development!!
Great read! It seems to me that this development process had the motto: what could go wrong, went wrong ...
Now, on a side effect, I feel guilty that I am not interested in Trine...
Sigfried1977
Legend
I really enjoyed the final level. The game's difficulty up that point was just non-existent, making for a relaxing and certainly enjoyable, but also not very exciting experience that didn't really change a great deal over the course of the game. There's something wrong when a platformer never ever has me cursing at my tv.
Still, I think they did a great job. Especially in terms of visuals, Trine kicks plenty of full priced games right in the nuts.
Still, I think they did a great job. Especially in terms of visuals, Trine kicks plenty of full priced games right in the nuts.
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