Once upon a time, the Trine series was heralded as some of the most visually impressive indie games around. Developer Frozenbyte had released the game in 2009 to rave reviews and fan reception in an era when downloadable games were just starting to take form. This was a fully realized 2D platformer in the vein of something Nintendo would make. It may have been a little rough around the edges, but it incorporated ragdoll physics into its puzzle designs in a manner that was truly engaging.
While Trine’s first sequel improved on everything that made the original good, Trine 3 is where things went south. Either because of a lack of experience or a slim budget, the final release of Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power ended up being a dud. It seems the ambitions its developer had were too vast for what it could afford, leading to a game many people weren’t happy with. It also nearly bankrupted the company.
It’s really a sad story and something you’d never wish to see happen to a talented company. Thankfully, Frozenbyte didn’t throw in the towel. After regaining confidence with some smaller-scale releases, the team is returning to the series that made it a household name. Yes, Trine is back with Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince and this game is anything but a nightmare.
Source: Destructoid Review: Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince