Definitely good, but not nearly as much as the others. Feels too easy at times, while certain parts feel too difficult. Uneven is probably the best descriptor. It did introduce some things that were obviously brought over to Trine 4, like stronger characterization, some gameplay mechanics (Zoya hooking onto rings instead of wooden surfaces, Amadeus being able to move while levitating objects, etc.), and vastly updated graphics including some really nice-looking vistas. So it's obvious the team learned a lot and honed their skills, but this feels like the test run for the next title instead of a really strong title on its own. I still enjoyed it, though, and think they could revisit fully-3D Trine in an offshoot series or something.

Certain other things, however, are entirely absent that are standard in every other title, such as upgrades. You start out with all the mechanics each character will have, with no collectibles (other than points found in each level which allow you to progress), skill trees, or other upgrades. That said, there is a certain "pick up and play" feel that would make it a great co-op party game, as the minor RPG mechanics the series has were scaled back in favor of emphasizing the platforming and combat. The puzzles are pretty simple, and unlike Trine 4, you're not going to be scratching your head for ages on any of them once you understand the mechanics.

It's also the first time we see the characters up close and personal, with fully animated faces, and, well, faces at all. Due to the zoomed-out 2.5D perspective of 1 and 2, the characters were always somewhat obfuscated, with the story told in layered, 2D storybook-style segments, with a few exceptions. It's a massive upgrade in graphical fidelity and personality both, something kept up for 4 and 5, despite minor revisions here and there. There's also a very fun chapter presented as though you're inside a storybook, with each screen transition having a brilliant page-turn effect. It's a bit of a throwback to the 2.5D presentation we know and love (while still having some Z axis movement), and likely isn't a coincidence that (to me, at least) it was one of the most fun levels.

I'd probably recommend this slightly more to people who aren't already seasoned Trine fans, even though I'm a big Trine fan and still quite enjoyed it as a sort of novelty. The only problem is that if you end up really liking the gameplay, there's no DLC, the fully-3D movement was only this title (all the others are 2.5D), and it ends on a cliffhanger that would normally get resolved in an expansion or sequel, but never was, possibly due to the poor reception. Absolutely worth playing, but perhaps on sale.

Really fantastic, takes the Trine 4 engine and re-balances the characters a bit. Fairy rope is gone, which made Zoya kind of OP, but there are a few very neat abilities to make up for it in creative ways. Pontius is mostly the same, and Amadeus gets more interesting ways to use summoned objects in both defensive and offensive ways, albeit mostly the latter. Still, as with most Trine games, I used Amadeus more for puzzles, and Zoya and Pontius roughly evenly for fights. On that subject, gone are the boxed-in SSB-style arenas whenever the enemies spawn in, although you do get locked in certain places until the fight is over, but you're granted far more room to maneuver and get creative. You even come up on many of them unaware, able to take your time in setting up a creative opener before the attack puts them on alert and more enemies appear.

One of the best abilities to return (in my opinion) is the wall jump, albeit it's exclusive to Zoya (but it makes sense that she'd be the only one with such an athletic ability). Unfortunately, just like 4, there are a lot of hand rails — and you *still* can't grapple to them, which bugs me to no end. It makes a lot more sense that a grappling hook would easily latch onto a hand rail close to a wall than a ring, but oh well. There are plenty of rings from which to grapple, as well as objects to pull around and attach. Trine 3, despite its low reputation amongst the series, introduced many mechanics that were used in 4 and continued in 5.

The story probably has the most dire consequences — this only spoils the first ~4 chapters, if it wasn't incredibly obvious from the villain's first appearance.