The original Trine was indeed a beautiful game, but it would be foolish to suggest that it didn't have its share of flaws, with somewhat clunky movement and an illogical puzzle here and there, but those things never took away from the overall experience. Those who liked it found the second installment even better in all respects: the graphical fidelity of this game is just awe-inspiring and the gameplay is wonderfully smooth. Puzzles have become harder and the combat grittier, but thankfully the game retains the cheery undertone. That cheerfulness is most prominent in the way the three protagonists deal with certain creatures and puzzles: there's always a witty one-liner waiting to pop out and the goblins are less murderous beasts and more Disney cartoon villains. It's a fantasy game done right, with absolutely gorgeous levels and vibrant colors. Animations don't fall behind, either, and neither does the voice over. Trine 2 is one of those games that will engross you and make you want to play more, even when it's 3 am in the morning and you have to go to work in a couple of hours. The only thing halting your progress are the pesky puzzles, whereas nearly all of them now fall deep into the logical teritory; solving them will usually give you a sense of accomplishment and even might release some endorphins. However, there will be some parts where you might feel the need to pull your hair out. Platformers, amirite? Since its release, Trine 2 has received a rather meaty expansion - The Goblin Menace, where our heroes have to deal with the rising number of goblin incursions into the "safe" human territories. Of course, it's just an excuse to dump them into more beautiful caves and lush jungles, which is far from a problem.
