Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince

Lore & Background

Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince refines the gameplay of previous installments, returning to strictly 2D movement after Trine 3's experiment with 3D platforming. The player controls three characters—Amadeus, Zoya, and Pontius—switching between them to solve physics puzzles and fight enemies. Amadeus can conjure boxes, spheres, and planks and use telekinesis; Zoya can attach ropes to objects for swinging, immobilizing, or creating bridges, and uses a bow; Pontius wields a shield to deflect projectiles and a sword, and can jump-stomp. Character progression returns, with core abilities unlocked at fixed points and optional abilities purchasable with tokens collected throughout the game, allowing players to replay earlier levels with new abilities.

Reader's Guide

The plot follows Prince Selius, introduced in Nine Parchments, who misused his father's spellbook and released the shadow of his soul, destroying his family's castle. Sent to the Astral Academy, his nightmare magic proved uncontrollable, and he escaped. The three heroes are tasked by the Academy headmaster to bring him back. Selius refuses, revealing the Academy locked him in dungeons, and his unstable shadow magic causes nightmares to manifest physically. The trio helps wilderness creatures fight their nightmares, receiving a potion of light from three nature spirits. The potion helps Selius but also empowers his shadow; the heroes assist Selius in fighting his shadow, and he ultimately seals it back into his soul with light magic, agreeing to return to the Academy. A post-game story, Melody of Mystery, involves students from Nine Parchments rehearsing a play; one student, Cornelius, releases a spirit named Melody from a music box, trapping students in dream worlds. Selius summons the heroes to wake them, and they succeed, though Cornelius must be forcibly awakened.

Did You Know?

• Trine 4 returns to the 2D movement of the first two games after Trine 3 experimented with 3D.
• The game adds character progression, which was missing from Trine 3.
• Prince Selius first appeared in the game Nine Parchments.
• A successor, Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy, was released in 2023.