I never thought voxel MMO Trove could get anymore brighter or cuter but Trion Worlds has proven me wrong announcing Trove Geode and Bomber Royale last month, releasing both updates on the Public Test Shard shortly after. Yours truly has been on there taking it all in and this is what I have discovered.
Geode Sanctuary is, like staring into the sun! So, before you port there from the hub grab a pair of sunglasses to save your eyes! After you get use to the dazzle also be prepared to get lost. There’s this new way of levitating between levels but the levels themselves don’t quite make sense with crafting and portals spread out to seemingly fill in space more than provide a convenient way to find everything. So far it also seems that craft tables specific to the Geode are only available there and won’t be craftable via your cornerstone or club.
Crystallology was at the top of my “must do” list, along with the caves that provide all the precious minerals to craft. What would make mining so interesting I’d enjoy it in a mode that has no combat? What am I gaining here?
Moonglow Grotto, Sunken Sunvault and Verdant Veins provide moonstone geminite, blazine and gleamstone along with crystals and building recipes. Each cave is timed and there are lairs to find and gather more voxel minerals to build your items or create your companions and dragons.
Right now, there are four stunning dragons and I love them all along with all the overload of cuteness companions! The key to farming efficiently is gathering the materials you need to fuel your Gas, Omni-Tool or N-Charge so you can do more, over longer periods of time.
Everything currently on the PTS is subject to change so it will be interesting if developers evolve beyond Geodes current state which is that nothing on current Trove servers effect Geode however Geode Mastery may end up affecting current servers.
You don’t use mounts in caves or jump abilities, grappling (or claw as it’s called on Geode) is the mode of transport outside portal jumping so what lingers in the air is this sense of wondering why you would play here and not on full servers other than to collect which to many is enough of a reason to do anything! Is it enough of a reason for you?
A KIWI BIRDS EYE VIEW ON GEODE
I personally would enjoy Geode as a Nintendo Switch port at this stage in my Trove game but if I consider the Trove road from Alpha to now Geode feels to me like what I had hoped it would be from the beginning. Over the years there has been a lot of objectives or content added that often made no sense or felt incomplete. Geode feels complete but also like a completely different game. Back at the hub and traveling around other clubs and jumping into piñata parties everything looks crisper, even more vibrant which is always adding a long overdue freshness.
What I don’t enjoy though is the time consumption. Everything seems slower even mining itself, getting to the places you want to in caves and crafting.
What made it exciting on PTS is that Bomber Royale was also available and this is where I got my sense of speed back that I have always enjoyed in Trove.
BOMBER ROYALE
The current mode of Royale in Trove is just as you might imagine. Blow the voxel out of everything and everyone! While on PTS I had the chance to partake in three developer test sessions and I have to admit. I didn't think I would have as much fun as I did.
Bomber Royale is the bomb!
We tested 4 maps, 20 on the map and yes over time the map disintegrates. Straight forward so far. What isn’t straight forward is how layers affect lava flow and where you land. Again, grappling is a very important part of game play along with getting familiar with your map as always.
It does not matter what class you are in Bomber Royale as grapple is the only ability you have outside bombs (now that I think about it, it doesn’t matter what class you are in geode mode either you can swap around as you please for pure cosmetic value.) Yes, there are buffs on that map lessening grapple cool down or increasing energy, as well healing. Jump pads are also around the map but all I did was made sure I stayed away from folks. I enjoyed the terrains of each map and have one I hate already (yes, it’s the garden map.) The current version of Bomber Royale is running really smoothly, no performance issues on my side. If I were to encourage anything it would be mini games or a disco in the lobby to compliment that nice new barbershop UI coming that I saw there in the lobby!
At the end of all matches I didn't win but it sure was satisfying receiving trophies for those I killed! Very curious to see how Bomber Royale evolves and other modes created.
There is no current release date for Bomber Royale but Trove Geode is coming to us on June 26th. Individually both updates might not please everybody but together they become a full package game and the best advice I can give anyone to make the most of these updates? Master your Lunar Lancer grapple now so you are ready to dominate!
