I have to be honest. The Trine series is among my favourite games ever. Trine 2 is in fact my favorite indie game of all time, but how does Trine 3 hold up?
Visuals
Trine 3 is absolutely gorgeous beyond imagining. The look of the game simply has to be seen to be believed, and I understand it has a 3D option for 3D TVs (though I do not have one). The framerate is silky smooth and the textures are all perfectly arranged. This is the best looking game in the series by far.
Audio
The Trine series has had some amazing music and sound effects in all the games, and Trine 3 is no exception. Both the amazing soundtrack and the voiceover work really immerse you into the gaming experience and make you feel a connection to the game. The soundtrack has been built on from previous installments once again and sounds perfect, but if I have one complaint, it is that the sound effects are sometimes off. Whether it be attacking or grappling, sometimes the sound will not register correctly.
Gameplay
Trine 3 brings a major change to the series which have so far been 2.5D physics platformers. Now the series switches to full 3D movement which changes everything about how you play. Swinging from a hook, conjuring up objects and so on, have to be timed perfectly now more than ever. By the same token, however, combat with the knight is better than ever but with Zoya, not so much since her weapons are now awkward to use. In fact, I would argue the dynamic of the series has been thrown off completely. Its not bad per se, but it takes a lot of getting used to. What worked before simply will not work again and now more than ever; this has become a thinking person’s game. Is it a successful transition? Well that’s difficult to answer. Many do not like it, yet some do. Its taken me a while but the game has grown on me and I do like it, but I can recognize its faults.
Final Thoughts
Trine 3 is a radical departure for the series, and I cannot give it a must buy recommendation. My recommendation is to watch some gameplay of it to see what its like. It is not like the first 2 games, but it isn’t bad. It’s just not for everybody. I lean more toward saying to try it, but again, I suggest watching some videos so you don’t have any false ideas about it.