Trinity Fusion Review

Multiverses are all the rage in pop culture right now. From the up and down exploits of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the adventures of Liu Kang and company in Mortal Kombat 1, the idea of multiple universes has been in the spotlight a lot recently. It's easy to see why, as the idea allows storytellers to deliver unique versions of well-known characters. Trinity Fusion isn't based around an existing property but uses the storytelling mechanic all the same. Instead of taking a familiar face and seeing how different they can be, Angry Mob Games uses it in an attempt to flesh out their own unique universe.

Within the world of Trinity Fusion, humanity has crafted three distinct universes. The Underworld, Overworld and Hyperworld were all crafted for different purposes, and there is a caste system between them. Underworld is more nature-like, and is situated on the bottom rung of the multiverse, while Overworld is more industrial, and is below Hyperworld, which is the ideal future world. Unfortunately, beings called the Ewers are causing chaos across all three worlds, and now threaten to bring the system down entirely. To stop this threat, Maya, who resides in the area that links the multiverses, has called upon her counterparts in all three universes to fight back and repurpose the Harmonisers, which are pieces of scientific equipment, in their respective worlds. Failure to do so will result in all of reality being destroyed.

Seeing it written out like that, I will say that the plot sounds more complicated than it really is. It helps that each of the variants of Maya – Altara, Kera and Naira – are introduced separately. You get individual runs with them that help set-up who they are. Once one of them is finished with their run, and called back to the main hub, you also get additional information on Maya and the rest of the people in charge of stopping the Ewers. Strangely, I think the title does a better job of fleshing out these side-characters than the variants of Maya you play as. As mentioned, you get some backing information on them, but I wish you learned more as you run through their specific universes. The plot overall is fine enough, if nothing more than standard multiverse shenanigans. But it would have benefitted from spending more time on the core trio of Maya variants.

Upon hopping into Trinity Fusion for the first time, you can see the influence of the likes of Dead Cells and Hades immediately. As a new 2D rougelite, it only makes sense that the title pulls from the best of the best. No matter which character you choose, you begin each run with bare bones equipment to work with. As you explore each level and take out enemies, you'll uncover better weapons, modifiers and assorted other upgrades to improve your character. The key to this system is to equip amplifiers and weapons that work off each other. For example, one amplifier gives you a health boost when dealing critical damage to an enemy. You can then match that with a weapon that deals critical damage when you strike an enemy from behind. It's a system that plenty of games have utilized, but this one does it well. There are countless combinations to use, and I found multiple options that worked for me.

Like many of its contemporaries, the game is ultimately based around undertaking multiple runs. There are three paths to complete, with ultimate completion based around defeating the boss guarding the Harmoniser of each universe. Whether you win or lose, though, you are still getting opportunities to improve your characters. During each run, you'll collect currency that can be used to unlock benefits and augment your innate abilities. These include being able to start each run with more health or having a store pop-up prior to fighting a boss. The amount of this currency you can get on a run can seem meager at times, but I was largely able to get everything unlocked by the time I ultimately completed the main campaign.

I wish the title did a better job of mapping out how to get around the different worlds, though. As far as I can tell, there's no map for you to use for pathfinding. With three different paths to explore, as well as ways to cross between them, it can be frustrating to get to a specific area. Even though I have completed the game, there's still one area in the game I wasn't able to figure out how to reach. Compounding matters is having the option to visit the In-Between in lieu of advancing to the next traditional level. This bonus area lets you unlock additional weapons and modifiers by either completing enemy arenas or platforming challenges. Instead of being spit back out to the next level in line though, when you leave the In-Between, you are deposited into a boss level. If you're a stickler for 100%ing a game, you'll need to train yourself to more or less avoid this area.

The option to deviate from your original path is done when your chosen character merges with one of the other playable versions of Maya. This can be done during the first level of your specific run, and you are given the option to select which character you want to fuse with. Altara, Kera and Naira each have their own unique agility skills and weapon loadouts. One character can double jump, while another has a grappling hook; one can use magic attacks as a side-weapon, while another has assorted firearms. Certain enemies are easier to take out with specific attacks, and specific areas in a level can only be reached by designated movement skills. There are positives and negatives to picking which character to merge with.

Between the different characters and multitude of unlockable amplifiers and weapons to find, Trinity Fusion is enjoyable to play. Movement is fast and fluid and attacking feels equally great. It's remarkably easy to switch between your different attacks and chain together combos. However, I do think it lacks some of the depth found in its contemporaries. The level design isn't great, and there isn't a ton of deviation from one run to another. It makes repeating the first level in a new run feel an awful lot like the last run. There isn't a lot of enemy variety either, with most of the same enemies popping up across every level. Even the bosses tend to reuse the same style of attacks. When looking back at the base version of the game, even Dead Cells offered up more variety than this.

Visually, the title is fine, if a little bland. I do think it does a great job of differentiating between the three main characters. Their individual starting points fit their respective universes, and their character designs are varied enough to stand out from one another. There are some cool enemy designs as well, but again, a lot of them are repeated from level to level. In general, there is a lack of detail in the visuals though. There is little life to the levels, with no backing detail found within them. In cutscenes, there's also no mouth movement on the character models to accompany dialogue. I know this is an indie game, but it gives off a low budget vibe in this instance.

Trinity Fusion is a decent game, but it never fully reaches its high level of potential. The gameplay feels great, and the different ways you can build up a character during a run help each run stand out from the last. With a campaign that ends up being on the short side, the game doesn't overstay its welcome. However, it's the areas outside of the gameplay where I feel the title struggles. The plot fails to flesh out its characters, and a mid-game twist is bafflingly underbaked. It's also lacking in visual pizzazz, and the repeated use of certain enemy designs and attacks was disappointing to see. If you're someone steeped in the rougelite genre, and have conquered the classics, this may not blow you away, but you'll probably still have a good time with it. Newcomers to the genre may want to look elsewhere for their fix, though.