Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy Review Summary

Fun, addictive co-op with stunning visuals and clever ability-driven puzzle solutions is marred by broken online play, weak repetitive combat and a step down from earlier entries.

Fun and addictive co-op: Cooperative play is frequently described as enjoyable and addictive, with friends or partners. Local and online co-op both receive high praise.

Stunning and gorgeous visuals: Many reviewers praise the game's beautiful graphics, detailed environments, and atmospheric art style. Visual splendor is consistently highlighted as a major strength.

Diverse puzzle solutions with abilities: Players appreciate the many ways to solve puzzles using character abilities and upgrades. This flexibility adds replay value and creativity.

Best Trine game in series: Many consider this the best or most ambitious Trine game, improving on Trine 4 in various aspects. It is seen as a full new game rather than an expansion.

Polished and clever puzzles: Puzzles are often called beautiful, clever, and top-notch. The puzzle design is a standout feature for many reviewers.

Online multiplayer broken: Online multiplayer is fundamentally broken, with persistent connectivity failures, severe lag, and frequent disconnections. Players report being unable to complete sessions, losing progress, and experiencing crashes.

Combat weak and repetitive: Combat is widely criticized as the weakest element: repetitive, boring, unsatisfying, and often unnecessary. Mechanics feel tedious and fail to reach the quality of earlier entries.

Worse than previous entries: The game is often compared unfavorably to earlier titles, especially Trine 4, feeling like a downgrade. Combat, puzzles, and overall fun are seen as inferior to previous installments.

Story disappointing and weak: The narrative is frequently described as weak, forgettable, and lacking substance. Players find the story unengaging and the ending particularly unsatisfying.

Puzzles illogical and frustrating: Many puzzles are criticized as illogical, incomprehensible, and overly difficult. Some solutions feel bizarre or lack novelty, leading to frustration and tedium.

Co-op supports up to four players: Many reviewers highlight that the game offers co-op play for 2-4 players, both locally and online. This includes couch co-op and online multiplayer, allowing friends to play together.

Puzzle-focused gameplay with multiple solutions: The game is heavily puzzle-oriented, with many puzzles having multiple possible solutions, including unintended ones. Reviewers appreciate the flexibility and creativity this allows.

Three characters with unique abilities: Each of the three characters has distinct skills and abilities that are used for puzzle-solving and combat. Reviewers note the synergy between characters.

Physics-based puzzle platforming with combat: The game blends physics-based puzzles with platforming and light combat. Reviewers highlight the physics interactions and combat sections.

Three-player co-op puzzle platformer: The game is designed as a side-scrolling co-op puzzle platformer for three players, each controlling a character with unique skills. Cooperation is required to solve puzzles.

Frequent online disconnections: Players report frequent disconnections and failures to enter games, especially during online play. Issues persist even with boosters, and one player disconnects about once an hour, reverting to a checkpoint.

Multiplayer crashes and freezes: Constant crashes occur during multiplayer, including when joining a game, when the whole group dies, and at every death or level end. These crashes can force a restart.

Random crashes and freezes: Players experience frequent crashes and freezes, including during saving and when restarting after all characters die. Many bugs require reloading from the map.

Co-op connectivity broken: Co-op connections are janky and often broken, with players unable to connect to each other. Online co-op also causes rubberbanding and teleporting.

Performance issues and poor optimization: Optimization problems cause high GPU load (95-100%) from special effects like the wizard's double jump. FPS drops below 30 randomly, and system requirements are much higher despite similar visuals.

Best with friends or partner: The largest cluster emphasizes that the game is highly recommended for playing with a partner, friend, or in local co-op. It is considered a must-have for couch co-op sessions.

Appeals to Trine series fans: Fans of previous Trine games, particularly those who enjoyed Trine 1-4, are likely to appreciate this entry as a continuation of the series.

Strong co-op recommendation: Many reviewers specifically recommend the game for co-op play with up to three players, especially for those who enjoy cooperative games. Online co-op with friends is frequently highlighted.

Generally highly recommended: Overall sentiment is strongly positive, with many reviewers giving a full recommendation and describing the game as very good.

Worth buying on sale: Several reviewers suggest purchasing the game during a sale, considering it good value at a discounted price.

Community fair range: $19.99 - $24.99.

Game completion: 20.0h.

Story completion: 20.0h.

Session length: 3.0h.

Trine 5 is reported as immediately fun in co-op with friends, thanks to creative puzzles and visuals. Solo play and multiplayer technical issues are the main friction, with some players finding the game tedious.

Friction: solo puzzles feel clunky; solo play can feel tedious; co-op connectivity jankiness; multiplayer black screens and crashes.

Unlock drivers: playing co-op with friends; stable local or online co-op sessions.

Couch Co-op Socializer: Local/couch co-op with 2-3 players, chaotic experimentation, switching characters when someone struggles, and laughing at failures. Motivation: Shared fun, laughter, and social bonding through solving physics puzzles together with friends or a partner. Stance: buy.

Relaxing Casual Puzzle Solver: Short, low-stress sessions, often solo or light co-op, enjoying the visuals and creativity at an easygoing pace. Motivation: Unwinding after work or a busy day with approachable, beautiful puzzles that feel satisfying without being stressful. Stance: buy.

Trine Series Veteran: Full playthroughs, collectathon backtracking, and completionist achievement hunting, in either single-player or co-op. Motivation: Continuing the familiar Trine formula with new environments, powers, and puzzles while comparing each entry against the series' history. Stance: buy.

The cohort mostly reports smooth performance, stable frame rates, and few bugs, with one exception involving crashes during save or restart scenarios.

Windows 8-11GB VRAM: positive. Most users report fluid performance, stable frame rates, and minimal bugs, though one user reports crashes when saving or restarting after a party wipe.

Steam Deck: Deck-specific feedback is strongly positive: Trine 5 runs well, controller and menus work immediately without tinkering, and users recommend it for couch play. Friction is limited to some controller imprecision in puzzles and a multiplayer stability caveat that is not explicitly tied to Steam Deck. No evidence of Proton toggles, external launchers, unreadable text, anti-cheat failures, or battery drain.

Belongs to Trine series: Many reviewers note that this game is part of the Trine series, with some specifying it is the fifth entry or the concluding chapter of a pentalogy. This context is frequently used as a reference point for expectations and comparisons.

Considered best Trine game: Several reviewers regard this entry as the best in the Trine series, praising it as a standout title. This sentiment is echoed by long-time fans and those who have played all previous games.

Favorable comparisons to Trine 4: A significant portion of feedback compares the game to Trine 4, often noting improvements in story, puzzles, and visuals. Some reviewers consider it a step up, while a few mention it is slightly lesser but still good.

Compared unfavorably to Trine 4: A subset of reviewers find this entry lacking compared to Trine 4, citing fewer memorable moments, shorter campaign, and worse performance. Some also mention Trine 4's DLC as superior.

Longest game in series: Reviewers frequently mention that this is the longest Trine game so far, with some citing nearly 30 hours of content. It is also noted as the hardest in the series.