Fifth Time’s Still The Charm
HIGH Great puzzles!
LOW The combat is dull.
WTF Why does it get so difficult in co-op?!?
Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy is the latest installment in the long-running 2D side-scrolling puzzle-platformer series that brings back a trio of linked characters for a new adventure.
The story follows the Heroes of Trine once again as they are framed by an evil queen and her army of robots who are trying to conquer the land. Amadeus the Wizard, Pontius the Knight and Zoya the Thief are all that stand between the evil queen and the fall of their beloved kingdom. There’s not much more to it than that, and to be fair, Trine was never famous for its story. As usual, the script acts as setting for the aspect that really shines — the puzzle solving!
Amadeus, Zoya and Pontius are similar to how they were in Trine 4. Amadeus can lift objects with his magic, Zoya is the long-range specialist with a bow and grappling hook, and Pontius has a deadly sword and shield. As the heroes journey, they unlock new abilities that will allow for more complicated puzzles and combat scenarios. For example, Pontius will learn to throw his sword at wooden walls and use it as a springboard to jump higher, adding more verticality to upcoming challenges.
Trine 5 can be played solo or with up to two friends in co-op, both online and local. With that in mind, the puzzles adjust to the number of players. Playing alone, the challenges are not so difficult, but as the number of players grows, the tasks become significantly more complicated.
Change in the puzzles range from simple escalations like adding more switches or pedestals, all the way up to more complicated situations. For example (when solo) the player needs to hang from a lever that opens a door, and the switch for keeping the door open should be shot from afar. When playing the same area in co-op mode, the switch is replaced with an exploding barrel that requires one player to blow it up with fire while the other keeps the door open by hanging from the lever.
While the puzzles work well for the most part, combat is still Trine’s Achilles’ heel.
Pontius is generally the best option to directly engage with queen’s robotic henchmen, but Amadeus’ magic can’t be used in combat until later stages, and only after upgrading his abilities multiple times. Even then, his combat skills (such as raining ice shards on enemies) are difficult to handle and not so useful. Zoya is the most balanced character, able to shoot airborne targets that Pontius can’t reach with his sword and adding a more dynamic approach to combat than just simply marching forward with a blade swinging in the air.
The adventure has quite a few boss fights, and honestly, I wish all the combat was designed the way these encounters are.
Unlike the general combat sections, boss fights contain puzzle-solving elements. For example, when facing a mechanical dragon, Amadeus can use his magic to lift exploding barrels and throw them at the creature while Pontius deflects its fireballs with his shield. Although not so complex, the creative approach taken during these skirmishes feels like a breath of fresh air and more in line with the clever nature of this puzzle-platformer.
Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy is a welcome addition to the series. While it doesn’t add or change much when it comes to gameplay mechanics, it’s still enjoyable and challenging enough to be worth a look from anyone who likes an old-fashioned fairytale adventure with a twist.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
Disclosures: This game was developed by Frozenbyte and published by THQ Nordic. It is currently available on XBO/X/S, PS4/5, Switch and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PC. Approximately 10 hours of play were devoted to the single-player and local coop mode, and the game was not completed. There are local and online multiplayer modes.
Parents: The game is rated Everyone 10+ by ESRB and contains Fantasy Violence. The official description reads: “This is a puzzle-platforming game in which players control three heroes (e.g., wizard, knight, thief) as they attempt to save their kingdom. From a side-scrolling perspective, players solve puzzles, avoid hazards (e.g., chasms, spike pits), and engage in bursts of combat. Players use swords, arrows, and magic spells to defeat fantastical enemies (e.g., mechanical knights, rat men, skeletons). Fighting can include brief explosions and short cries of pain.”
Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes present.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game offers subtitles. The subtitles can be altered and/or resized. There are no necessary audio cues in the game. The game is fully accessible.
Remappable Controls: Controls can be remapped.
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