Trinity Trigger review

With a likable cast, quaint towns to visit, and dungeons that are a joy to explore, Trinity Trigger delivers action role-playing gratification with a minimum of frustration. Fans of the Mana, Ys, and Tales franchises won’t want to miss this adventure.

Role-playing had traditionally been a single-player experience, where an individual served as the leader of an adventuring party. But this long-standing convention was amended by the 1993 release of Secret of Mana. Here, the combat played out in real-time, allowing a trio of friends to fight together against an empire fixated on domination. The satisfaction of being able to team up with acquaintances to save the world felt innovative.

Mana scaled down competently, allowing a pair of players or even a soloist to make their way through the campaign. Sure, allowing the CPU to seize control of other characters wasn’t always perfect, but having some control over your AI-driven allies made it easier to overlook any faults. But of all, Mana incorporated many of the signature elements of role-playing, dedicating running time to its pulpy exposition and the banter customarily offered by NPCs.

Almost like Square Before Enix

Seemingly, Secret of Mana had a profound effect on some of the Three Rings staff. With the release of Trinity Trigger, the Kanagawa-based developer reinvigorates the delights of plucky protagonists, fights settled with a few nimble button presses, as well as a ring-based menu system. Yes, even Mana musical maestro Hiroki Kikuta is on hand, delivering harmonies that might cultivate a sense of nostalgia. But this isn’t a shallow imitation of 90s-era gaming; Trigger truly captures the lighthearted enjoyment of the era.

The game’s backstory imagines an age-old struggle between two divine factions. Rather than a simplistic dichotomy between good and evil, The Gods of Order and Chaos embody a tension between tradition and change. Their fight for supremacy grew so tempestuous, powerful weapons rained down from the sky, scattering across the land of Trinitia. These bows, swords, spears, and axes, referred to as “Arma”,  have the potential for a surrogate warrior to ultimately tip the celestial balance.

Stop Flirting with Me, Sis

Following the opening lore drop, we are introduced to the game’s protagonist. Save for the mysterious mark near his eye and occasional heterochromia, Cyan is your customary lead character. He’s a plucky orphan who hungers to learn about his family as he toils away collecting artifacts to provide for his adopted sister. Between his cheerful attitude and the game’s well-written dialog, it’s hard to not like Cyan.

Later, he’s joined by Elise and Zantis, who all share an ability to bond with Triggers. These are cute beings who can shapeshift into different weapons. The Triggers’ transmorphic abilities grow every time they interact with a new Arma, providing the core structure for the game’s 25+ hour campaign. If you relish ARPGs, expect the enthralling journey to seem about half as long.

Compelling Combat Against Cute Creatures

Often, linear is a disparaging descriptor in role-playing genres. But Trinity Trigger’s cycle of in-town interactions, overworld marches, and dungeon exploration helps to sustain a sense of progression. Pleasingly, there are enough NPCs to give each town local flavor, while the city outskirts contain wandering monsters and concealed treasure chests. Be warned that Trigger’s single difficulty level errors on lenience. Not only did I only suffer two deaths across the campaign, but the in-game mini-map announces the location of every optional reward. Come for the charm, rather than a lofty challenge.

Like most modern controller-tossers, Trinity Trigger’s combat is built around a stamina-based Synchro Gauge. But battles are far, far easier than most Soulslikes. Each subsequent combo strike depletes your resource- and when it’s exhausted, your output is ineffective. Fortunately, a well-timed dodge instantly refills the meter, and monsters (including bosses) telegraph their actions far in advance. Instead of elemental advantages, benefits and weaknesses are spread across the eight different weapons each character can acquire. Similarly, Trigger’s design rewards backtracking to the last town. Newly acquired weapons routinely open the path to rewards. But battles are relaxed enough to not make this a necessity. I appreciate that, FuRyu. Mid-dungeon save points and crafting stations ensure there isn’t any unnecessary backtracking, either.

The More, the Merrier

Like Secret of Mana, you can opt to replace your computer-controlled allies with actual people. Doing this brings a significant advantage, as even an inexperienced friend will be better than Trigger’s AI. Unlike Square’s classic, there’s no way to give commands to your CPU-driven partners, meaning they’ll hoard their special attacks. But largely, they’re helpful, needing only the occasional health potion.

Whether you opt for flesh-and-blood or silicon-based assistants, Trigger provides ways to customize your loadout to suit your playstyle. Not only can you tweak your combos, but it’s possible to slot in collectible gems to augment your offensive and defensive slots. With three characters having access to eight weapons outfitted with six slots, maximizing the efficiency of your arsenal will require persistence. But thankfully, the benefits are palpable.

Conclusion

Given the game’s delightfully old-fashioned sensibilities, Trinity Trigger’s main transgression is peculiarly modern. Yes, there’s a $14 DLC bundle that divulges backstory for four characters. Had the collection been limited to cosmetics, the inclusion might be forgivable. But exposition is one of the tenets of a role-playing game, making the proposition of selling extra storytelling rather egregious.

Luckily, it’s not a complete deal killer, scarcely dampening the otherwise agreeable trek. For anyone who finds satisfaction in spirited action/adventure, Trinity Trigger will undoubtedly delight. From feel-good side quests, responsive combat that feels rewarding, to well-designed dungeons that avoid annoyance, the team at FuRyu has crafted another winner.

Trinity Trigger was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.