Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power review: colourful puzzling

I’ve been through a load of “serious” games of late, which left me sweaty running from zombies, shooting things in the face while skydiving through space and time, and picking up as many radioactive coffee mugs as I can find.

So when developer Frozenbyte decided to bring Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power to the PlayStation 4, I took damn good notice, and sighed at the thought of playing a light-hearted puzzler for a change.

Don’t get me wrong, just because it’s a bit more whimsical than recent titles doesn’t mean that it’s not for the so-called “hardcore gamer.”

For those who aren’t familiar with Trine‘s mechanics (the game’s been out on PC since August 2015), the gamer alternates between three primary characters, with each boasting their own set of skills, skills needed to complete puzzles strewn across the various levels. The key really is choosing the right character for the puzzle at hand.

For instance, Pontius attacks foes using his sword, brute strength and shield, while Zoya is an archer and can swing across ledges and platforms. Amadeus can move objects through telekinesis and spawn boxes, which is particularly helpful for ledges that are just a little too tall.

It might sound a bit bland, but you’ll quickly get the hang of the gameplay, and swapping between the characters. This mechanic does slow the game down a bit, and platforming takes an entirely new dimension when factoring in these puzzles. And the aim of this? Well, obviously to get to the end of each level, but you’re also tasked with collecting the crystals dotted around each level.

As you might’ve gathered by now, the game’s set in fantastical landscapes which includes caverns, what seems like forgotten tombs, and other environments like the ocean. There aren’t many levels though, and you could easily complete this game in a day well before the sun rises again.

Notably, this is the first game in the Trine series that features 3D graphics, but the camera keep a distant, unmovable perspective. It really works though, and it makes the game look gorgeous on the PlayStation 4.

Gameplay itself is smooth and predictably similar to real world physics, with a few issues creeping in — like miss-jumping on platforms entirely — thanks to the side-on view point. This rather adds to the puzzle element though. Frustrating would be a word you could use here, but I’d use challenging instead.

And speaking of the PlayStation 4, it’s the only console the game’s available on. For the most part, it’s a beautiful fit. It runs at 1080p/60fps, and bursts with colours practically everywhere. It’s a visually enthralling game.

While I do generally like the game, there are a few issues. It’s horribly short for one, and can be destroyed in less than an afternoon. And while this is bad in terms of value-for-time, that doesn’t matter too much, especially since it’s a great game for families and avid gamers alike.

Game information

Release Date: 22 December 2015 (PlayStation 4)
Developer: Frozenbyte
Publisher: Frozenbyte
Genre: Platform puzzler
Platform(s): Linux, Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 (review platform)
Industry average score: 68/100 (PC)

Verdict: It’s terribly brief, but it’s packed with a spectacle of design brilliance and puzzling entertainment that will have gamers of all ages taking in the sights and sounds. We’re pretty glad Frozenbyte re-developed the game for the PS4, because it does seem like a wonderful home.

Score: 7.5/10