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Trine

EMAIL PRINT pc

8.5 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 46 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 39 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Nobilis

Developer: Frozenbyte

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Platform

Players: 3

ESRB Rating: RP (Rating Pending)

Release Date: July 2, 2009

Summary

Trine is a physics-based action game where three characters allow clever solutions to challenges created by hazardous puzzles and threatening enemies. The gameplay is based on fully interactive physics - each character's different abilities and tactics can be used to invent new ways to overcome obstacles and save the kingdom! [Frozenbyte]

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Giant Bomb

Trine's got the gameplay and the looks to make it well worth your time and money.

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Worth Playing

Trine is one of the better platformers I've played this year, and it's definitely worth buying.

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Game Over Online

Trine is an extremely well-balanced and clever game. A little combat, a little platforming action, some very well-designed puzzling – the overall effect resulting in a quite enticing game.

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Pelit (Finland)

Trine integrates physics in to a platformer and the result is beautiful, innovative and fun to play. Unfortunately the storyline is far from original and the slaying of enemy hordes isn't as fun as solving the puzzles. [July 2009]

GamingTrend

In conclusion, Trine comes very close to legendary, and while there a few things keeping it from such lofty heights, you should absolutely play this game. It's smart, it's fun, and it's well worth your time.

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YouGamers

Trine proves that if you have an original mix of ideas, even old school gameplay can still work great, especially when paired with incredible visuals and extremely polished code. So, it is a bit short and lacks long-term replayability and gets scored accordingly, but don't let that stop you - Trine is definitely something special.

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GamingXP

Awesome game that nobody wouldn’t like. Try it, love it!

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Absolute Games

A nice reincarnation of The Lost Vikings. But, as opposed to the “lost” runner Erik, archer Baleog, and sturdy Olaf, the three heroes of Trine are imprisoned in one body.

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Vandal Online

Ultimately Trine is a title no fan of adventure and platforming should let escape.

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ZTGameDomain

Overall this is a fantastic title. I loved it from start to finish, the look, charm and old school fusion gameplay made this a welcome treat to the otherwise wasteland that is the summer release months.

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Everyeye.it

Quotation forthcoming.

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Gamer Limit

A beautiful game. From the graphics to the core mechanics, players will be amazed at how well it is designed.

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Gamers.at

Trine is really a pearl of a game. Beautiful level-design, nice puzzles, good voice-acting and a lot of atmosphere. If you are a fan of platformers and liked The Lost Vikings then Trine is definitely a game for you.

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PC Format

Stunning attention to detail throughout and beautifully fluid game mechanics are impossible not to appreciate. [Sept 2009, p.94]

IGN

A lack of enemy variety, disappointing conclusion, and the wonky multiplayer keep Trine from greatness, but this is still a highly recommended puzzle platformer.

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GameStar

This game shows how beautiful two-dimensional games can be. Physics, graphics and music all have been created with affection. Trine could have been a bit more challenging and funny, but if you liked World of Goo, this is a game for you.

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3DJuegos

If you want to have fun with an old-school 2D adventure, Trine is your choice.

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2404.org

Graphics are easily the standout element in Trine.

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ActionTrip

It reminded me a lot of Lost Vikings, which is nice.

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Multiplayer.it

Trine is the game you didn't expect. Funny, fast and simple to play. It has several problems, in particular with the controls, but it's something original that we suggest to all players. More than anything else, it is the perfect game to play this summer with some friends.

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Computer Games Online RO

It would have been a true gem if it had more complex puzzles, extended multiplayer options and a replay value backed up by more than some achievements. The potential is certainly there.

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Eurogamer

Trine is simply an unpretentious and effortlessly lovely adventure, if never quite special enough to nudge into the echelons of 9/10 and above. Immediately likeable, hugely enjoyable and brimming with charming detail every step of the way, your enjoyment may depend on how many friends you can share the journey with, but few would regret time spent in the company of this trio.

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VideoGamer

Trine isn't as new and exciting as current 2D platforming king Braid was on its release, but its combination of tight controls, exiting action and physics-based puzzles makes it easy to recommend to platforming fans. It's a shame the multiplayer isn't more interesting, but when played alone it shouldn't be hard to get many hours of fun out of Frozenbyte's impressive looking title.

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Total PC Gaming

A charming and excellently executed platform game. [Issue#22, p.57]

Teletext GameCentral

An elegantly designed mix of puzzles and platforming that may well be the best Lost Vikings clone yet.

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GamePro

In closing, Trine is an excellent downloadable game that will take you roughly four to five hours to complete. The graphics are amazing, the three characters are fun to play, and the fairytale story is cute.

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Eurogamer Italy

Simple and funny, with a solid gameplay and great art. No chance for the plot but even with these problems, the result is really good especially playing with your friends. A little masterpiece.

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DarkZero

While combining three different play styles doesn’t result in three times the game, it does equal into a polished 2D experience that’s well worth your time.

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LEVEL (Czech Republic)

Cute graphics, sound and music make this fairy tale an unforgettable experience. Simple puzzles come with a light RPG system to create fantastic platformer for all kinds of gamers. [Aug 2009]

Eurogamer Spain

This is the perfect example that you can still innovate in this industry, without big budgets and huge development teams.

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AceGamez

It's simple yet challenging, basic yet beautiful and allows a certain creativity many other indie 2D platform games can only merely hint at.

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Armchair Empire

Trine is definitely worth spending some time with. It doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but what it does it does well.

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GameFocus

We have come a long way with side scrollers since the days of Super Mario Brothers and Contra. Trine is a visual treat; the puzzles are a challenge and the characters all have fun elements to their play. While it might be a little overpriced on PC, if you own a Playstation 3 it would be a great addition to your downloadable games collection!

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GameTrailers

Yes, it's fairly light on content, skimps a bit on frills, and doesn't break much new ground. But for a solid few hours of enjoyment, this ingenious reconstruction of a forgotten genre is definitely worth a try.

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PC Gamer

A tactile, inventive and lovely platform adventure.

GamerNode

Trine is a blend of AAA concepts and design, underdeveloped gameplay architecture, and bits and pieces of whatever might fall in between, all presented on a beautiful 2D/3D canvas. Despite it's flaws, it is an enjoyable game, and is definitely worth checking out.

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Destructoid

Trine has a fantastic core concept and occasional flashes of true brilliance, but it just doesn't go far enough in exploring its own mechanics. It delivers a perfectly entertaining few hours of gameplay -- much more time than I was expecting from an indie game, honestly -- but I could never shake the feeling that it just plain wasn't as good as it could have been.

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GameSpot

This gorgeous, overpriced action platformer is fun on your own or with a couple of friends.

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Gaming Nexus

A neat little fantasy-themed side-scroller with a clever three-characters-in-one twist. A bit short, but the puzzles are clever, the graphics are gorgeous, and the gameplay is solid.

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SpazioGames

A long awaited and well assembled platform revival. It's lacking a bit more variety in its gameplay, and online cooperative, but platform fans will love it.

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PC Zone UK

Trine deserves recognition for bringing the Lost Vikings template back to our PCs, but it isn't a classic. [Oct 2009, p.66]

Edge Magazine

A charming jaunt. [Sept 2009, p.94]

games(TM)

In contrast to an industry dominated by the posturing of 70-hour epics, its geniality makes for a nice alternative afternoon of gaming. [Sept 2009, p.115]

Boomtown

As good as Trine is it left me slightly wanting due in part to its length-at about 6 hours maximum it’s very short for its price tag. If it’s a higher price, it should be full length.

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PC PowerPlay

Pricey, but five hours well spent. [Oct 2009, p.80]

Level7.nu

At first glance one might think of Trine as a visually appealing 2D side-scrolling adventure, and while that impression certainly is correct, the real gist of the matter lies withing the physics and puzzle based gameplay elements. In order make your way through the game, either by yourself or with up to two friends, you'll have to utilize the individual abilities of the three main character classes in order to succeed.The concept doesn't stay fresh all the way through, but this is still a great 2D adventure and co-op experience we recommend to one and all.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 39 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Eric O gave it an8:
Even if on PC, it steps up to a platforming style that hasn't got my attention since the Rockman games...well, at least how they USED to be. Trine possesses amazing graphical detail and extremely fun game play. Working with that, it also has a nice chunk of puzzles or situational moments that make you actually think, which yeah, I don't want to think all the time when I'm blowing crap up but I like to work the ole noodle every now and again. Although it seemed short the different modes of play test your different skill levels and with steam you get the achievements which usually keep you occupied tying to get them all and keeping the point of playing the game open. I know I'm being rather lenient with my score because I really enjoyed the game, the look, the puzzles and the different characters , the game just seems short enough to not score more than an 8 with me. I wish there would have been just ever so slightly more things to do but, I hope there are more games that take this approach in the future.

Bob DS gave it an8:
Trine is a fun game, although I believe that it might have been a bit overpriced. Its gameplay is pretty good and I didn't even notice the issues Koos King is complaining about. The animation is very good and a lot of the action has a tangible quality to it. I never had any problem with precision jumping. In fact, Zoya the thief is very capable at jumping from one tiny ledge to another. I've almost never been smacked around by heavy boxes, and the few times it happened it was actually quite hilarious and completely my own plan backfiring on me. It's true that the game is a bit of a one trick pony, though. This isn't Braid, but the game still manages to be very fun, especially in coop mode. (You'll need to go to the controller configuration to assign multiple gamepads.) The levels are gorgeous, although the voice acting ranges from mediocre to bad. In response to Koos King again, the resolutions the game offers are plenty.

Koos King gave it a3:
Trine is a beautiful looking game - the artists have really poured heart and soul into it. Unfortunately it's gameplay and programming where it falls flat. There's a few small issues that I'll mention first before I get to the real problem. There's no saving mid-way through a level. If you quit it's restart time. Controller configuration isn't saved so you'll need to reset that everytime too. You can't pick a resolution and aspect ratio. You must choose from the arbitrary ones offered. The voice acting ranges from good to really bad. Bad none of those are show stoppers. The problem is that using a physics engine to drive a character in a platform game is a BAD IDEA. There's a fair bit of precision jumping which you will fail time and again as your characters inertia slides them off the edge. Add to that that you're getting smacked around by heavy boxes etc... and you never really feel like you're controlling your character. The other issue with a physics based game is that it's a bit of a one trick pony. By the end of the second stage you'll have solved every puzzle varaint. The rest is tedium. Not even the enemies change.

Ryan B gave it an8:
I really enjoy this game, lots of action nice puzzles. But I gave it an 8 because of the repetition later in the game. At the start puzzles are challenging because your limited by the amount of things you can do. Namely the Wizards boxes and later planks. At the start you get a few but later you have so many plus some more spells that make spells much too easy. You don't really need to think anymore just place boxes and you can get anywhere. Aside from that the game turns out really well with a nice slick story and an absolute perfect ending. The last level is incredible, very memorable.

Sean G. gave it a9:
Trine is an instantly accessible joy of a game. Anyone who earned their wings playing through platformers in the nineties will feel instantly at home. The basic gameplay mechanics are rock solid. You progress through a traditional fairy-tale land thinking and jumping through physics laden levels choosing between a knight, wizard and thief to overcome obstacles. The character animations feel fluid, natural and appropriate to the character model whilst the level designs offer enough of a challenge for the game to roll on without making you feeling patronised or frustrated. You'll find yourself employing each of the three characters individual skills throughout each level but it's the Thief character that shines the brightest. The archery system is satisfying and intuitive. The in game graphics are wonderfully over the top; reminiscent of the first d3d games where colour and lighting were splashed around with gusto as the designers played with the nascent lighting tech. The consistency of the quality in the graphics is outstanding reflecting a sense the designers real enjoyed colouring each pixel. The game engine offers reasonable scalability (no doubt held back by the strain the physics processing lays down on the CPU) meaning even most laptop gamers will be able to enjoy Trine's charm albeit on a very low res. Disappointments are few but most notably the enemy AI could do with a re visit as they hone on your character often to their destruction by one of the numerous physics based environmental traps. Xbox controllers are fully supported but the game doesn't seem to save your preference for it, requiring a trip to the options screen at every start and I haven't decided whether the ropey cut-scenes and the shocking load screen add or detract from the overall charm of the experience. All in all one of the best simplest and most enjoyable games I've ever played. Thoroughly recommendable.

Roger I gave it a9:
Probably the most charming and endearing game this year. A genuine joy to play. It is a tad on the short side though and you'll either love or hate the final level, but if you enjoy hunting out secrets and collecting achievements, then you'll definitely get your ££ worth.

Gabriel R gave it a9:
I was quite surprised with this game! The mechanics are simple but it's so much fun to advance through the beautifully crafted levels. The puzzles aren't that challenging but they do their job never making the game feel clogged. Graphically, the game is very competent but the art is what really stand out in this one, they are beautiful. Trine is not very long, 15 levels, but if you care to get all the treasure and experience it should be about 9 hours to beat one time.

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