2023 has been filled with many fantastic games in the platforming genre. From Hi-Fi Rush to Bomb Rush Cyberfunk, there are plenty of choices for players seeking their next platforming fill. Another one of these choices is the upcoming Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy, a game that continues the adventures of the Heroes of Trine with a new set of puzzle platforming challenges that can be taken solo or with a bunch of friends.
Before we dive into the game, I think my preamble should also clarify my background with the series. Unfortunately, Trine 5 was my first incursion with this series despite my ample background with 2D platformers. I quickly learned that the player base had a soft spot for the second game and really hated the third entry due to its pseudo-3D mechanics.
I went into Trine 5 expecting an Action Adventure platforming game alongside a few partners in crime. Did I get what I was expecting? Well, that's what the review is for. So, let's get right to it.
Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy starts off with the titular heroes of Trine as they are entangled in a conspiracy involving the newly established Clockwork Knights after the Astral Academy (led by Lady Sunshine Crownsdale) puts a hit on the beloved heroes in an attempt to confiscate the powers they have acquired and take over the kingdom.
Unfortunately, it's a rather simplistic plot stretched far too long. While the witty dialogue and cutscenes carry the fantastic tone, the game also wears out its welcome with its attempts at character arcs and tiring narrative beats. I guess this is a plus in a day and age where a game's value is determined by the time spent. However, I think it'd be better if the game cast the narrative aside in favor of a shorter story that would make for a digestible experience for multiplayer.
The story is carried by the game's beautiful visuals, which are a delight to see in action. While the soundtrack doesn't really hit that much and more often feels like white noise to me, the visuals are just impressive. In a 2.5D adventure like this, you will often pay attention to the elements in the background. Thankfully, the developers were aware of this and brought many beautiful locales to life, making the adventure worthwhile if only to see what other beautiful vistas would be unraveled before our eyes.
Moving onto the gameplay elements, Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy is a game in which players are bound to solve platforming puzzles through the abilities offered by Zoya the Thief, Amadeus the Wizard, and Pontius the Knight. Each of them has specific abilities that will also aid in puzzle solving that only get improved as the game goes on. You can also have two other players join you to take the roles of each of the heroes and go on a medieval puzzling adventure of your own.
I will say that the puzzles certainly are clever in some areas. Some of the solutions aren't going to be obvious from the get-go, and you need to grind your collective gears as a team to be able to go to the next segment. However, in some other cases, you almost feel like you have stumbled across the solution with janky physics, and I cannot shake the feeling that this was exactly what the developers intended.
Each of the abilities offered by the trio is unique in their own way. However, I still feel like the characters are a little bit simplistic when it comes to their abilities. Trine 2's Amadeus allowed players to conjure blocks by drawing shapes, for example. Heroes will gain unique abilities such as clones and gravitational alteration, but you end up feeling like you could use them for more than puzzle solutions.
Yes, Trine 5 does have combat. Unfortunately, it's clunky and feels like a button masher, especially early on. I played Amadeus in the lobbies I set up with my friends for multiplayer sessions, and I was forced to watch as my friends slashed away or shot at enemies while I was conjuring boxes and maybe angrily waving my fists. Once you get the stronger abilities, combat changes a bit, but it still feels like you're trying to win a war of attrition rather than actually fighting your enemies.
Another issue plaguing Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy is the frustrating design of some of these puzzles. While I praised the design of some of the puzzles earlier on, I also will be the first to say that the low points are exceptional, and they made my friends burn out quite easily.
As I said before, the game is dragging its feet through its story beats. While playing co-op, the narrative went in the background. Once the group encountered some of the more frustrating puzzles, we started feeling more burnt out, especially because we didn't know what the developers wanted us to do to solve some of them. At some points, we just brute-forced the problem away.
Yes, it's a solution. But it certainly isn't going to be satisfying, and it will contribute toward burnout and eventually lead to hanging up the game. We needed multiple sessions to get to the end. While the experience had a lot of highs, the lows were rather noticeable and only were amplified once the cooler skills were introduced because they were constantly met with the phrase: "Man, that sure would've been very useful 20 minutes ago!"
Despite those gripes, Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy is still a worthwhile investment for players seeking a break from the other highlights offered by the gaming industry thus far. Some highlights make it worth playing at the end of the day, chiefly the visuals, beautiful enough to see what's next. This game is supposed to be the culmination of the series, so I'd say it went off on a rather high note.
Reviewed on PC (codes provided by the publisher).
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