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(See the trailer, embedded up above.) That download is a large one, though – much bulkier than any of the other Day 1 eShop-only releases in Nintendo's newest shop, so if you're planning to take the plunge, prepare to give up a bit more of your time to the downloading and installing process alongside a bigger chunk of your hard drive's free space. Trine 2 on the Wii U is labeled a "Director's Cut," and rightly so – it further expands the adventures of Amadeus the Wizard, Pontius the Knight and Zoya the Thief by integrating the content of the Goblin Menace expansion right into the initial download. I do love the way the bosses are foreshadowed early on in levels, though. Merely crossing a chasm can be a real conundrum, but felling a giant beast is as simple as giving it a few whacks to its weak spots. While visually impressive, they don't require the same thought as the rest of Trine 2. The few boss fights prove slightly disappointing. I find the game becomes easier this way because you've got more than just one brain working on problems and you can multitask, but it's still satisfying. Trine 2 is also very friendly about multiplayer gaming, allowing up to three players to join the adventure either locally or online. In a matter of moments you might slash through some goblins as the knight, switch to the thief to grapple to a high platform, then switch to the wizard to move a heavy block in front of a flamethrower. Play When playing by yourself you switch between the three heroes at will. That's really cool, but it would have been nice to get a heads-up before I found myself stuck at the bottom of an ice slope for a little too long. The wizard's platforms, for instance, can be stuck to swinging spiked maces, resulting in a pendulum conveyance. It does fail to teach the player some important mechanics, though, resulting in slight exasperation when you don't realize a solution is even possible.
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I love it when a game lets me off my leash and tells me "have fun," – and that's the kind of game Trine 2 is. The brilliance of Trine 2 is that it mostly leaves the choice of which hero to use up to you. You have three heroes at your disposal: a wizard that can conjure blocks and platforms, a thief with a bow and grappling hook, and a knight with sword, hammer, and shield. Players run from left to right through fantasy spectacles, surmounting obstacles and slaying a few goblins along the way. If you played the first Trine, you'll find a very familiar game here. Trine 2 easily makes for one of the prettiest games of the year.
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There is always something amazing to distract you. Each scene, from forests to caves to lazy beaches, shines with rich detail and startling lighting effects. The first thing I noticed about Trine 2 is its stunning visuals.
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