Bite-sized Review: Trifox

By Chris Picone, 15 October, 2022

Trifox is a cute 3D platformer with twinstick shooter elements. It features four worlds to beat, with four levels each, but the levels are a very decent size so there’s plenty of game to play.

Aesthetics

Super colourful, cute but detailed low-poly graphics that are (I assume deliberately) reminiscent of the original Crash Bandicoot games, although cleaner and more modern and full of special effects. The graphics are probably aimed at a slightly younger player than myself but platformers are frequently cartoony and I kinda like that about Trifox.

Gameplay

I think Trifox is primarily a platformer at heart; the core gameplay involves you leaping from platform to platform over gaps and traps, solving activation puzzles, exploring for secret areas, collecting coins, the usual. There’s no bouncing on enemy’s heads in this one though. Instead, combat plays out like a twinstick shooter. Your attacks are based on upgrades purchased with your coins between levels. The upgrades are derived from the three core classes of the game (warrior, mage, engineer), although you can mix and match. I played as an engineer, which meant a helicopter mode replaced my dash ability, my main attack is a machine gun, and I can shoot rockets and deploy flamethrower turrets. There’s a good range of different abilities to play with and you can load your character up with four at any given time and swap between levels at will. There’s also an excellent range of enemies, all with different attack styles and abilities, and I found them refreshingly original for the genre. And the boss battles are super fun too. Interestingly, while the maps make excellent use of the three dimensions, the combat is predominantly set up in 2D arenas with the odd raised platform.

Verdict

I found it thoroughly enjoyable; while I think it’s probably aimed at a younger audience, I think it’s really fun for all ages. Trifox is a great game for casual gamers and platformer fans alike, and your kids will love it too.

Links: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1211240/Trifox/