Trident’s Tale is a magical type of game. It may have a few wrinkles in its gameplay, but at its heart, there’s a fun adventure to be had. It’s simplified combat and exploration makes it enjoyable. Throw in some puzzles, a colourful cast of characters, and a sense of freedom to explore makes it worthwhile. I got to preview it recently, and watching the developers talk with such love and admiration got me excited. Now, after playing, I see why they’re so proud of it. There are some technical issues, and combat and movement is a little clunky, but the adventure you’ll go on gives you all the more reason to keep on swashbuckling and plundering.
You play as Ocean, a young captain who sets sail after an attack on your home to find the legendary Storm Trident. One thing Trident’s Tale does from the beginning is give you some fundamental mechanics and builds on them as the story continues. Everything feels streamlined, but little tweaks help to improve the gameplay as you progress. Ocean can use their sword to attack enemies, and while each hit feels weighty. Locking on and trying to dodge can be a touch frustrating at times, though. Enemy attacks aren’t always obvious and can be tricky to evade. Swinging your sword isn’t swift, and the clunkyness can take a bit of time to get used to. However, when you’ve got it down, it becomes much easier to telegraph enemy attacks.
Your trusty sidearm can be used to shoot at enemies and solve puzzles. Then, there’s magic. This is one of the coolest features of Trident’s Tale. New abilities unlock the more you play once finding new characters to join your crew. They help substantially in battle, and can definitely give you the edge in a boss fight. These characters also have their own individual personalities, and I always looked forward to adding to my crew. The layout on the controller helps to make things easier, and you’re never thrown too much to do. It’s simplified approach to combat helps to make encounters less stressful, especially when surrounded by a few enemies at a time.
Trident’s Tale gives you plenty of things to do. You can craft new potions, weapons, and parts for your ship. There are also a range of puzzles to solve that are layered and engaging. Side quests offer you a chance to break from the main campaign and do something a little different. It features such a colourful world with some superb water animation. Whether on land or on sea, there’s always something pretty to look at. Before I continue about the things I liked, I have to mention that the movement, especially when jumping, could do with being more fluid. Jumping from platform to platform can sometimes leave you falling off an edge, and getting the balance takes a bit of time, especially when jumping from moving ledges or smaller platforms.
The ocean is vast in Trident’s Tale. Sailing in your ship is such a joy. I loved the seamlessness of wandering around on different islands to then getting on your ship and sailing away. To pick up speed, you can raise your sails in three different stages for three different speeds. Combat on the waves is exciting, whether facing an enemy ship or a creature from the deep. Some quest markers are thousands of metres away, but journeying never gets boring. There are definite Sea of Thieves vibes, but 3DClouds has more than made its pirate adventure its own. This is a game that will appeal a lot to a younger audience as the mechanics are stripped back enough for them to enjoy, but it will also appeal to older gamers thanks to its chilled out approach to gameplay.
Embracing the pirate life gives you access to plenty of secrets, dungeons, and treasure. Going off the beaten path is encouraged as you never know what you’re likely to find. Firing off your canons in naval combat is a lot of fun, even if it can be tricky to avoid taking damage. Upgrading your ship and seeing all the new parts take shape, as well as crafting new weapons for your character makes the adventure more exciting. It’s a great escape from the mundanity of daily life. It will make you smile at just how charming it can be, feeling like an animated film you loved as a kid, with plenty of lovely characters to meet along the way.
If you’re looking for a pirate game that allows you to explore to your heart’s content, Trident’s Tale is it. The story is entertaining, and the characters are plenty of fun. Land combat can feel clunky and challenging when trying to focus on one character, despite the auto-lock feature. Movement is also a touch frustrating at times, but the adventure you go on is exciting, with plenty of puzzles and fights to get stuck into along the way. If you are looking for something to spend an hour here and there in, with a colourful world and great sense of freedom, you can’t go far wrong with this one. 3DClouds has done a great job here, and it’s great to play with your family.
