The first thing you'll notice about this game is that it looks magnificent. It takes a super-saturated rainbow as its palette and spatters a fairy tale world with it. But the world of Trine 2 isn't just pretty. It's a clever, amiable puzzle-platformer that won't test a genius but will give a constant warm glow of achievement and progress.
In the single-player mode, you can freely swap between Wizard, Thief and Knight. The Wizard can levitate items and conjure boxes. The Thief can fire arrows and use a grappling hook to reach certain ledges. And the Knight can use brute force on enemies and some of the frailer structures in the world.
Secondly, the Thief is a bit of a spare wheel. The Wizard gets the cleverer puzzles and the Knight gets the combat - all too often leaving the Thief to swing gloomily around in the background. The solution is perfect: just enable unlimited mode, and there's no limit on the characters. When all three players can be whoever they want, the wealth of good-natured satisfaction that Trine 2 has to offer floods right back in.
Three Wizards conjuring planks and floating each other around won't solve any puzzles, but it's a great way to waste a couple of minutes. And during boss battles, the Wizard isn't reduced to loitering by the respawn orb, letting the Knight regenerate.
Trine 2 is a vivid and stunning game that spins the colour wheel on nature. It's completely absorbing as a single-player experience and bawdy puzzle fun with company. Just remember to turn on the unlimited mode and get stuck in.
Trine 2 is yours for 1200 MP. You can queue it up here.