Trine is cheap.
And up until quite recently it would have been very clear which definition of the word "cheap" I was referring to.
I'm talking about enemies who get stuck behind scenery (becoming untouchable) , but still manage to fire homing missiles out at you. I am talking about re spawning countless times only to be spawnkilled because the game decided to restart you on top of a set of massive spikes. I'm talking about getting killed by a skeleton warrior who strikes first and plays the animation for his attack a full second later.
If you aren't familiar with how Trine works, it's basically a three-strikes you're out system involving as many different characters . In some locations you are asked to use a specific character to progress. In other words, if your key character is killed, you may as well commit suicide with the other two - you won't be getting through that section. Once all three have died you are asked to replay from the last checkpoint. That's not usually so bad, but from time to time it means traversing a mind numbingly tedious platforming puzzle involving fireballs that you had completed only a few minutes earlier. To make matters more frustrating, you spawn from the last checkpoint with a smidgen of health remaining from your total health bar. This means that if a skeleton so much as farts in your direction and your key character is killed, it's back to the last checkpoint. rinse and repeat. Often dozens of times in a row.
I can see that some of what's broken is just general bugginess, which makes sense given the game's indie status. But other stuff is just bad design. Why are there giant hanging spike balls which only the knight can get past by raising his shield up? Why can't I just jump over the spiked bit with my rogue? Apparently in the land of side scrolling platformers characters have absolutely no depth perception and are compelled to run headlong into whatever obstacle they can find.
When Trine hits its stride is when you are able to get a flow going and progress through a series of stages using each of your characters' strengths. It's alot of fun to swing around on the rogue's grappling rope and to fire arrows at skeletons from a distance. Unfortunately the Knight feels largely useless by comparison and tends to get used as a damage mop when hordes of skeletons spawn in all around. The wizard is useful in that he can provide stepping stones to allow you to reach hidden goodies, and you can use his physics objects to block fireballs and make advancing less of a chore.
Sadly, there are far far too many times when you find yourself in a cycle of die, spawn, die. And many more situations still when the game's primary strength ( choice ) is thrown to the wind and you are asked to use a single method to proceed. What frustrates me most about Trine is how the lush visuals and soothing audio trick you into believing that it's a casual game, or something you can play with one eye open. In truth , Trine is pretty punishing and seems to be best consumed in small, cautious bits.
Maybe ur just bad ;D
I've only played this with 3 people every time and beat hard mode countless times and very hard but once. There really aren't many parts that you NEED every character or specific ones until the end like you described with the spike balls and of course, the last mission. The game always respawns you on the resurrecting checkpoints with health determined by difficulty (Very Hard mode gives u one hit every time), which, although sucks, gives you the incentive to not get hit, hopefully allowing you to improve in your game.
The thief takes easy street almost every time, the wizard runs and is completely useless on bosses, and the knight is a smasher who's shield can protect him from basically everything, but he becomes far more useful near the end. (Especially once you get the hammer and can do the suicidal hammer jump attack of ultimate death that can one hit bosses)
The game is definitely not without many flaws, but it really was a highly enjoyable game, especially with 2 friends. You sound like you enjoyed the game, but got really flustered on a few of the frustration areas of the game. I can imaging your describing the experience with the last level in a far longer rant then this.
The success of this one only brought something better on the horizon: Gametrailers.com
I was playing SP, not coop.
if you didn't experience and of those bugs, lucky you.
I tried playing it Coop and it was not very fun. Trying to get everyone to do the platforms and having to go back and do it again yourself when someone falls off. And the dieing as you said. It isn't a horrible game, but it seems to be way too contained. I'd much rather play that game if it was more combat orientated.
I dunno if more combat would help that game. I've had times when I've died in a dominoe fashion as a result of being surrounded by enemies.
Skeleton kills me --> respawn next to another skeleton who swings before I can move ---> respawn on top of spikes nearby, or in front of a random fireball.
It's like the most horrifyingly frustrating and pathetic thing to watch. Surely they could have just implemented a few seconds of invincibility when you respawn?