Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy

Perhaps the most underrated series in all of gaming is back and Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy is simply a master class in game design.

Although I did experience some technical issues during cutscenes, like screen-tearing and occasional audio glitches, the rest of the journey went off without a hitch. The comedic story and dialogue are delivered with just the right amount of wit and whimsy, with zany characters that are brought to life with solid vocal performances. While the combat leaves some room for improvement, the dynamic puzzles, inventive hero skills, and visual splendor more than make up for its minor shortcomings. Whether you’re a long-time fan of the Trine series or simply have a penchant for co-op puzzles and are l...

The fifth entry in the Trine franchise is here for the delight of both the hardcore fans of the genre and the newcomers. Embark in another adventure alongside the Heroes of Trine to save the kingdom and your reputations while at it. Does Trine 5 live up to its predecessors?

Packed to the brim with personality, atmosphere, and balls of steel, Trine 5 is prime puzzle-platformer action from start to finish, especially if you bring some friends along for the ride.

Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy is a phenomenal 2.5D platformer that can run really well on the Steam Deck while looking fantastic.

Trine 5 treads the same ground as its predecessors and falls prey to the same shortcomings, but it's a solid co-op puzzler that has some gorgeous visuals and is a great time.

Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy isn’t a bad game by any means. In fact, it’s rather good. We can’t help but feel that it doesn’t do enough to prevent it feeling like another retread of familiar ground, however. If you love the series and simply want more, good news: this will deliver it. But those hoping that the formula might be well and truly shaken up in this sequel will be left sorely disappointed.

My siblings and I ultimately had fun with Trine 5, even through our gripes with the game’s puzzles left us feeling sour on our run. It felt like we were encouraged to skip puzzles than to try and complete them, and I feel that sort of gameplay is simply not encouraging for a player to keep playing, especially if they were to go solo. But we could see ourselves replaying this game or checking out the older titles and I think that says a lot.

Trine 5 offers yet more of the same, and while it's got some great puzzles and beautiful visuals, its obvious setting and overlong runtime start to grate after a while.