Plot: What’s it about?
Kaos has campaigned to take over Skylands for years, but his latest plan has perhaps gone too far, even for him. Kaos has destroyed Cloudcracker Prison, which was home to Skylands’ most notorious villains, including the infamous Doom Raiders. While Kaos was the one who released these villains, they’ve decided his evil plans aren’t evil enough. So they pursue their own plan to control Skylands, leaving Kaos out in the cold. The Skylanders face a veritable militia of powerful villains, but luckily they have some help from the Trap Masters. These imposing warriors wield giant traptanium weapons and reveal that using special traptanium traps, the villains can be captured. Not just imprisoned, but rehabilitated and turned into good guys. So if the Skylanders can defeat these villains, they will gain their services in the adventure. As Kaos continues to be mistreated by the Doom Raiders, he decides to do what he never expected to do, help the Skylanders. So a shaky union is formed and Kaos provides information on where the Doom Raiders are and how to stop their assault. But has Kaos truly turned over a new leaf, or is he simply using the Skylanders to help him get the Doom Raiders out of his way?
This franchise is a massive success, with insane sales and a rabid, dedicated fan base. While some complain about the high cost of collecting, the truth is you can pick and choose your favorites, as you only need a small ensemble to unlock all the content. But most fans will delight in picking up all the unique characters, which have expanded to include playable mini Skylanders and a selection of traps to capture the villains in. You only need one trap of each element in order to get all the villains, but you can also purchase additional traps, in case you want each villain in a dedicated trap. Otherwise, simply visit the villain vault between levels and switch your villains around. This villain capture mechanic is no gimmick, it basically adds 40 playable characters, each with a unique style and personality. Broccoli Guy is a personal favorite of mine, but you’re bound to find a host of villains that you won’t want to enter a level without. You can only use the villains for a limited time, but the gauge refills quickly, so you will get ample chances to break out the bad guys. You can’t upgrade them in the usual fashion, but if you track down each villain’s unique redemption quest, they gain enhanced power and a new look. In short, this villain capture addition is a dynamic, incredibly fun mechanic that fans will simply adore.
As far as the rest of Skylanders: Trap Team, the basics remain about the same. The levels are shorter than in Swap Force, but still pack plenty of action, exploration, and puzzles. The elemental gates can only be opened by Trap Masters this time however, which is a disappointment. So if you’re limited in how many Skylanders you can add to your collection, the Trap Masters have the most value, between elemental gates and special crystals only they can demolish. You can track down collectibles as always, with new hats, trinkets, and legendary treasures waiting to be uncovered. I think the exploration is one reason Skylanders has done so well, so while the areas are smaller this time around, it is still nice to have some places to explore. The level cap remains at 20 however, so your older characters won’t be given even more power. The time trial, score attack, and player vs. player combat has been removed, but arena survival battles are back. A very cool tower defense mode has also been included here, which lets you take on 100 waves of Kaos’ minions and traps. It proves to be both quite fun and a great way to level up your characters, not to mention earn gold for upgrades or other goodies. In the end, while the basic experience is more of the same (which is great news), plenty of new bells & whistles have been tacked on. The tower defense mode and villain capture mechanic are leaps forward for the series, so Skylanders: Trap Team is highly recommended.
Video: How’s it look?
This is the best looking game in the series, with visuals that have a cartoon feel, but show impressive detail. The character designs are excellent, with so much attention to detail. Little touches like fabric texture or how metallic elements shine abound, so there is a lot to soak in. The villains even show a remarkable amount of detail, so there is nothing that feels rushed or skipped over in terms of visuals. The levels each have a unique visual feel, so there is great variety in sights to take in, all rendered in the usual Skylanders style. This is just a visual design that makes you want to explore, just so you can see all the characters and environments to be found.
Audio: How’s it sound?
It seems like most of the voice cast has returned, which is good news. I’ve always enjoyed the voice actors in this series, so it is good to know that once again, the talent is up to the task. The music also features some classic Skylanders tunes, as well as new music that fits like a glove. Never annoying in the least, which is rare for a game with such broad age demographic appeal. The sound effects are wacky and off the wall, just as they should be. I want to draw special attention to the villains that you’ve trapped, as they can vocalize from within the trap. This is just cool and something that younger players will love. A small, but very effective touch that enhances the experience.
