The old saying of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ applies quite well to Fronzenbyte’s Trine series. The fantasy-based 2.5D puzzle-platformer has always been best when it’s largely stuck to its guns (Trine 3‘s shift to 3D did not work out all that well). Sure, that’s not a great long-term plan for remaining relevant, but Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince shows that a bit of tweaking and polishing can do wonders to a well-used formula.
For Trine 4, the original three heroes return, called to rescue a young prince who has unlocked some dark magic that unleashes monsters from his nightmares, and these now threaten the realm as he flees them. As a result, increasingly threatening purple-hued nasties crop up as the heroes chase after the panicked prince.
To get to the prince, physics-based puzzles must be overcome, utilizing the unique skills each hero possesses. You can switch between the three at will if you’re playing alone, or assign a particular character each in a co-op game. Depending on whether you play alone or not, the puzzles can alter to suit, which is a nice touch.
The wizard can conjure boxes and use magic to move certain objects in the game world. The assassin can fire elemental arrows and ones that create pulleys and bridges with rope, and the knight can use his shield to deflect light, water, and projectiles, plus he’s the most attack-based character with his sword.
Puzzles have changed little from earlier games. They involve stacking blocks, hitting switches, redirecting light and water sources, and creating bridges. The beauty of them is how they’re combined and executed. Frozenbyte has a real knack for creating satisfying puzzles. They’re not always particularly tough to crack, but there are some doozies that made me grin when I finally solved them. Given that the focus is on the puzzles, it’s great to see them so strong and interesting.
If only the combat was as refined. Only one character (the knight) really has an effective attacking strategy in solo play and even then it’s fairly clunky, swiping away haphazardly at threats. The assassin can freeze or set fire to enemies, but as combat encounters always take place in walled-off environments, it gets incredibly fiddly to get off shots accurately. The wizard is largely useless in these encounters unless you can use his box-conjuring power to knock an enemy off a ledge and into a spiked pit, but that’s not always an option.
It’s not really until the boss fights happen that each character really comes into their own in combat, but that’s because they usually involve solving some sort of puzzle to help vanquish them, whereas the regular battles are just straight fights in small arenas. It’s a good thing the majority of the game is about solving puzzles because too much more of the drab combat would probably sour the whole experience.
It’d have to try pretty hard to put you off though as Trine 4 is mesmerizing to look at and listen to. The visuals have always been a strong suit in this series and Trine 4 takes its fairytale fantasy look to new heights. the backgrounds are lavishly detailed and rich in vivid color. Design work on the bosses is inventive and varied, although the lesser beasts are somewhat ordinary.
The twinkly musical score is a perfect fit for the visual style too, giving off a strong aura of a land of magic and fairytales. The voice talent is decent, and again, in keeping with the overall tone. There’s nothing too mean-spirited, and the jokes, while tame, are pleasant and can raise a mild chuckle or two. The narration adds to the storybook feel too. Trine 4 is a big warm blanket of a game on a rainy Sunday afternoon. There’s monsters, and challenges, sure, but it doesn’t stop this being an enchanting experience.
Trine 4 isn’t a reinvention then, rather a return to that which made the series work in the first place. That alone was absolutely necessary after the misstep of the previous entry. There are times I wished there was a teensy bit more ambition with combat and platforming, but the meat of Trine 4 is the puzzles, and that is some pretty succulent meat.
Trine 4 review code provided by the publisher for PS4.
Trine 4 is out October 8 on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.