Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power

Similar to its predecessors, Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power is a three-dimensional platformer, action with role-playing and logical elements, in which the player, controlling three game characters (the thief Zoe, the wizard Amadeus and the knight Pontius), solves physical puzzles and fights with enemies . Abilities are different among the characters. Pontius is a knight with a sword and shield that protects himself and others from enemies. Zoya is a thief who is equipped with arrows and a hook, while Amadeus is a master mage who has the ability to create and levitate objects. Players are free to switch between characters during the campaign. Trine 3 is the first game in the series with 3D graphics while also using an aerial perspective , as in previous games. The game also includes a cooperative for 3 people, special levels for joint passage and level editor.

The game was announced by Frozenbyte on March 2, 2015, along with the announcement came the debut trailer. A nine-minute gameplay trailer was released on April 9, 2015, demonstrating the game for three characters, and their ways of interacting in a three-dimensional world. The game was released in early access on April 21, 2015, so the player received feedback from the company regarding new gameplay elements. Only two maps were included in early access, the developers said that the game will be in the public domain for much longer. As promised, the game remained at an early stage of access for “several months,” and was released on August 20, 2015, initially for Microsoft Windows. Ari Pulkkinen, music composer of the original Trine and Trine 2, has returned to compose music for Trine 3. The game’s budget was $ 5.4 million, three times more than Trine 2.

The game developer calls the introduction of 3D graphics “complex and time-consuming”, as the skills and abilities of three playable characters had to be reworked and changed without changing the characteristics. As a result, they spent $ 5.4 million to release Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power on August 20, 2015 for Microsoft Windows . In December 2015, the version for the PlayStation 4 was announced, in July 2019 for the Nintendo Switch ^[1] .

In general, the game Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power received positive reviews, but there were some weighty criticisms. Representatives of the gaming press and the players themselves unanimously praise the stylistic and artistic components of the sequel. According to reviewers, Trine 3 is in no way inferior to the previous parts of the game in a non-trivial and fabulous setting ^[3] . High-quality adaptation of the platform in 3D is also emphasized.

Critics point out that the short storyline is delayed by the compulsory collection of crystal pyramids. Other shortcomings of the game include an inconvenient cooperative mode and problems with displaying heroes if they are on different parts of the map ^[4] .

After the release, the players complained that the game was short. Frozenbyte later replied that if they extended the game, the budget would be $ 15 million, which they could not afford. Joel Kinnunen, vice president of Frozenbyte, added that they were trying to do something very ambitious, and it became financially impossible. While the developer is proud of the game he created, the future of the franchise is “in doubt."

• Official game site (English)
• Trine 3 at frozenbyte