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Looks can deceive very easily, the old saying goes, and in the case of Trident's Tale, the looks will give you the initial impression that this game is just one more of those childish adventures you won't be able to digest because you're a grown man and all that.
Seriously, once you load up the game for the first time, the visual presentation reminiscent of a cheap cartoon even the children wouldn't be interested in will most certainly make you think, Well, this game definitely isn't for me.
However, the other more popular saying says, "Do not judge a book by its cover," and Trident's Tale is a prime example of this claim. Underneath all the cheap-looking layers dwells a game that will give you tonnes of fun, a decent amount of challenge, and no shortage of cringy yet very charming humour.
Let's start with the story. As generic as any pirate game story is, this one will firstly put the smile on your face, and secondly, it will be revealed in the right doses to make you engaged all the time while playing this cute little adventure.
The main character, Ocean (yes, very convenient name), is an adventurous girl who lives on a small pirate island craving a real adventure. One day, she stumbles upon an ancient artefact that sets some very strange things in motion. The undead started to appear; her village is destroyed, and she finds out the truth about the legend of the ancient trident that has some unthinkable powers.
Of course, that artefact Ocean found is one piece of that trident, which will put a big target on her back, setting very powerful enemies on her tail. For the rest of the game, Ocean will gather allies, explore the seas, and do whatever she can to find all the pieces of the trident and save the world by preventing this unlimited power from falling into the hands of the wrong, evil people.
As I said, the story is nothing but a classic pirate cliché, but it holds certain charm, and the way it has been told is interesting and unusual, making it very intriguing and even contagious to the very end.
Regarding gameplay, Trident's Tale falls under the category of open-world action adventure featuring light RPG elements. The combat is quite generic, without any significant depth; however, different weapons can produce different status effects, and in this regard, it can lean towards an RPG style and can be interesting to some point.
Ocean will wield a classic pirate cutlass, and throughout the game, you'll find different iterations of this weapon featuring different stats. Each weapon will be upgradable, and apart from weapons, Ocean will carry different pieces of armour as well, which will be upgradable too, and those represent RPG elements embedded into this game.
In the title of this review, I mentioned that this game is heavily inspired by another, more serious pirate title, Assassin's Creed: Black Flag, and it really looks and feels like you're playing Black Flag, only a pocket version. The game is designed in open-world style; you'll be using a ship to traverse over the open seas. The naval combat is almost identical to the one from Black Flag; everything is too similar to ignore and to not mention.
However, apart from those obvious similarities, Trident's Tale has its own characteristics, and one of the most important ones is the companion mechanic. In this game, as it progresses, you'll meet different characters who will become your companions, and each of them will have some sort of special powers you'll be able to use during combat or during solving some platforming challenges.
Speaking of platforming, apart from the open-world design, Trident's Tale features platforming as well, especially inside dungeons and places dedicated to such activities. Platforming isn't the best ever but can be fun at times and even pose a bit of a challenge.
Visually speaking, Trident's Tale's graphics lean more towards a cartoonish style with the characters and the environments designed in the more unserious tone, exactly like modern cartoons. The world can be very pretty, especially the open seas, but to say that the visuals will take your breath away would be an overstatement.
I like the colours, which are very vivid and sharp, giving an impression of happiness, because that's exactly how you'll feel while playing this game. For me, a game doesn't have to be the most beautiful ever to appeal to us; all it has to do is to wake that special feeling inside us, and that's how I felt while playing Trident's Tale.
The sounds, along with the soundtrack, elevate the atmosphere in this game to a whole different level, and sound designers deserve every praise here. All the time while playing the game, those famous pirate songs will play in the background, but unlike, for example, in Black Flag, where those songs were sung in the form of chants, here, they have a real music background, and it all sounds just perfect.
Conclusion
Even though Trident's Tale looks like a game that doesn't have the capacity to win your heart due to a cheap look and presentation in general, underneath that facade lies a game with very serious mechanics and a story that will intrigue you to the very end.
With a very good exploration, naval combat, and some other very commendable elements, you'll find a lot to enjoy in this game, and if you're a fan of the pirate themes, this game will provide a lot of fun for you, and in the absence of any more serious pirate games, it has the capacity to scratch that particular pirate itch just perfectly.
The Good
Charming and engaging story- Fun open-world exploration and naval combat
- Strong soundtrack and sound design
The Bad
Shallow combat mechanics- Initially off-putting visual style
