Last week, developer Frozenbyte was finally able to release it’s game Trine onto the Playstation Network. Many of you may have already played this game on the PC as it was made available there last summer. However, for those who didn’t have a gaming PC, or those simply waiting for the console version to lay down some cash, we’ve got a nice PSN review for you.

Now, I’m going to be very direct: Trine is a damn good platformer wrapped in one of the most enchanting stories I’ve ever seen in a game. This is the kind of stuff that feels so classic fantasy and yet so engaging at the same time. I’d liken it to the old Disney stories of Sleeping Beauty and the like but with a much more mature storyline and without all the romance. All of this is blended with a fantastic platformer that is challenging, yet satisfying at the same time.

Bottomline, Trine is not a game you want to pass up.

Gameplay

Trine is a traditional 2D platformer at heart. Sure it mixes in some RPG elements, and you definitely won’t be jumping on your enemies to kill them, but what Trine does best is platforming. Everythng any die-hard platforming fan could want is in Trine and, with it, adds a sense of elegancy that’s not found in the Super Mario Bros.-clones of the world.

Of course, in addition to the platforming, Trine also comes with some slight RPG elements to it. Each of the three characters has three skills. For example the Thief can shoot arrows at enemies. Upon levelling up your characters gain skill points which allow them to upgrade their various skills. Revisiting our example, upon upgrading the Thief’s skill you’ll be able to shoot two and then three arrows at once instead of the just the one. It’s a simple system but one that enhances the gameplay slightly to allow you to overcome obstacles that’d otherwise be impossible.

Across the world of Trine you’ll also find plenty of items. These items enhance your characters and will tack on various affects. A number of items I found, for example, added to my Wizard’s energy. Other such items allow for under water breathing and other such effects. None of these items were needed to complete the game, but they were a nice addition to the game. In fact, finding them is half the battle as Frozenbyte hid the majority of them across the levels.

One thing about Trine that really impressed me was the way you could really improvise how you came across certain obstacles. The game gives you three characters to switch between, but at no specific time did I feel like I absolutely needed a specific character to overcome an obstacle. I could use the Thief to go over the obstacle, I could use the Wizard to move the obstacle, or I could use the Knight to destroy the obstacle. To say the least it was an absolutely brilliant gameplay device.

The one thing I had a problem with, and I compared this to the PC version, was the awkward controls of the PSN version. I wasn’t quite sure about the motive behind it but in order to attack you’d press the R2 button (triggers) and in order to switch characters you’d press the R1, L1 buttons (shoulders). Now this may just be my own inability to adapt to different control schemes easily (I admit it) but I found myself switching between the characters more often than I’d wanted and attacking when I’d rather be switching characters.

The game clocks in at around 6-8 hours so it’s a bit on the short side. However, when you factor in the game’s uniqueness, storyline, and the fact that there are $60 games that average the same amount of playtime you’ll realize that Trine is actually a steal. Its a unique experience that has yet to really be done and that kind of experience is damn near priceless.

Style

Trine is a mixture of vibrant colors and hi-rez graphics that truly make you want to stop and look at everything you can possibly see before moving on to the next level. Each level is very unique and provides it’s own set of eye-candy. From the backgrounds to the characters, Trine is drop-dead gorgeous.

The music and voice work in Trine are also masterfully created. The music never gets old, isn’t invasive, and provides a sort of serene mood for each level, like you would expect from a fairy tale. Likewise the voice work was done very well and provides the story with the necessary character acting it requires. Above and beyond even the characters, however, is the narrator who does such a splendid job at telling the story that I now want every book I read to be in his voice… seriously.

Story

I “hinted” at this above so it’s a little needless to say, but Trine has an absolutely brilliant storyline attached to it. It’s engaging, enchanting, and enthralling all at the same time (yes, I purposefully added enthralling in there to complete the trio). To say the least; Trine is almost worth the price solely for the story, especially if your into high fantasy type of stuff.

Everything Else

The only real negative I have about Trine is the lack of replayability. Sure, for $20 I got a damn good gameplay experience combined with an awesome story, but, like always, I want more dammit! Give me an extra mode, add multiplayer, anything that would give me a reason to play the game for a second time because, unfortunately as it stands right now, I can’t find one.

In the end, I had an amazing time with Trine. It’s been my personal favorite PSN game so far and there was very little to complain about. If you do own a Playstation 3 and are looking for a new game to satisfy your needs, especially if it’s a platforming game you desire, then look no further than Trine. It may have taken a little while longer to get to Sony’s home console, but the wait was more than worth it.