[360/PS3] Prince of Persia Review

[DoctorFinger]

Prince of Persia Review

Title - Prince of Persia
Platforms - Xbox 360, Playstation 3 & Windows PC (reviewed on 360)
Developer - Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher - Ubisoft
ESRB Rating - T (Teen)
MSRP - $59.95 (360/PS3), $49.99 (PC)
Editor - Michael "DoctorFinger" Chauvet
Light Seed Total as of Publication - 703
Total number of achievement graphics in the game - 1

What's Hot: The graphics and visual design in this game are almost unparalleled. It will be remembered in the same breath as classics like Ico and Okami and sets a new bar in terms of innovative and interesting visuals. The sense of movement and agility is still breathtaking.

What's Not: Too many damn quick time events (QTEs). A new combat system that is touted as 'simplified' but instead feels 'dumbed down.' Repetitive boss battles. You'll be hearing the phrase "heal the fer-tile ground" in your sleep after a while.

I'm too sexy for scarf, too sexy for my scarf, too sexy yeaaah

The Prince is back. But different. Oh, the core elements are still there. The old Middle Eastern milieu. The inhuman agility of the Prince. The beautiful love interest. But there are a lot of differences this time around, too. How does it hold up? Pretty damn good, however not all is good in the principality.

The game begins with the Prince wandering in a sandstorm looking for Farah. But wait, this time around Farah is not the apple of the Prince's eye but his...donkey. Well, his gold-laden donkey to be accurate. While searching a beautiful woman by the name of Elika literally drops into his lap. Pretty soon he's ensnared in a world of secret communities, magic trees and the Mad god Ahriman; and Elika is with him every step of the way, for good or ill.

From the moment you first pop in the disc, you'll be blown away by the visuals in this rebooted Prince of Persia. The absolutely stunning design of everything, from the characters to the environments, will knock your socks off. Those designs are flawlessly executed by a graphics engine that runs smooth as silk, giving everything on screen a sinuous grace which makes most other games seem clunky in comparison. The Prince's scarf seems a bit ridiculous until the first time you find yourself staring at it as The Prince scurries across a chasm. The Prince, as well as all of the other characters, absolutely pop off the screen. The contrast between the characters and the environment give the whole a fabulous sense of depth and perspective The heavy line work around characters gives things an almost cel-shaded feel. Levels change beautifully from darkness to light after they've been cleansed. At times you can just stand there and admire the scenery, which seems to go on forever.

"Come get some!

But let's be honest: you don't buy a Prince of Persia game just for the story; you buy it for the action-platforming. How does this stack up? Well in great part that depends on whether, like me, you've played the games of the Sands trilogy. New gamers will quickly learn just how agile the Prince is as they wallrun, leap and scamper like a rhesus monkey across the various levels. Veterans of the series (or, more precisely the series' predecessor) will begin to notice most things are just a little easier than before. Not necessarily worse, just a little simpler. Right off the bat let me address one major design change that I do think works well, and that's your magical companion/love interest: Elika. Yes if you die - either in combat, falling, or hitting the 'corruption' - she will instantly bring you back to life on the last bit of solid ground you were on. Don't think of this as 'not dying'. Instead see it as the instantaneous loading of a savegame. And really, isn't that something we'd like to see in most games? From the moment you load your save, the only time you'll ever see a loading screen is when you teleport from one 'healed' area to another. Elika will also contribute magical attacks to your combos, (at times you seem to practically grab her by the ankles and use her as a sparkly bludgeon) help you cross wide chasms and generally restore the world to health. You don't at any point control Elika nor do you have to really help her, Ico-esque, get through a level. The platforming is a bit simpler than in the Sands trilogy, but it stands up well in comparison. You still run across walls, shimmy up columns and swing like a gymnast on protruding poles. Added to your repertoire are the ceiling scamper (in which you'll scrabble across the ceiling like a bug for short distances) and the gauntlet drop, where the Prince uses his clawed gauntlet to safely slide down just about any flat vertical surface. The mechanical traps of the old games are also gone, replaced by 'corruption' traps. These are generally a lot less interesting than the diabolic devices you contended with in the Sands trilogy, but generally rely on the same sort of timing to defeat.

In the beginning the levels felt a little too linear and constrained, but soon enough the design opens up a great deal. In the previous games you'd have to spend time and effort to figure out exactly how to traverse an obstacle, here things are more obvious and straightforward. Early on the challenges are, well not challenging, but as you play through, especially once you begin to activate the 'magic plates' the challenge level begins to ramp up. No, you'll never mistake this for Ninja Gaiden, but you still need you have quick reflexes to pass some of the more difficult passages. The game is constructed around a central hub, with zones branching off of it. Each of the four zones - lorded over by a Boss - contains several fertile grounds which you and Elika must heal to re-imprison Ahriman. As you heal each Fertile Ground the area is cleared of the black, oily corruption which covered much of it, replaced by sunlight and green grass. After you heal an area, Light Seeds spring up around the zone. You have to accumulate a number of these seeds to activate each of the four types of transit plates, which open up more zones. Many of the Light Seeds are easy to get, but the majority will require you to stretch your agility to it's fullest to reach them. At times you'll find yourself backtracking a bit too much for my tastes to get some of them, but overall the search for the Seeds is entertaining.

You think your commute is bad...

Gameplay is strictly divided between combat and platforming puzzles. Combat is always, without exception, one-on-one. Whether it's the level boss or the first henchmen you encounter, every fight is essentially a duel. Thankfully, if you're quick enough you can usually forgo most of the non-boss battles in the game, dispatching the cannon fodder with a quick swipe as they materialize. The bulk of the game's combat is monopolized by boss battles. You'll face off against each of the four lieutenants of the evil god Ahriman - the Concubine, the Hunter, the Alchemist, and the Warrior - multiple times, with each encounter a bit more difficult. They'll eventually gain the ability to shift into different defensive states, in which only one of the four types of attacks will make contact, and that little bit is enough to make you learn at least a few different combos. Combat also includes a bunch of (usually) pointless QTEs, which drag the experience down a bit. If you do happen to "die", Elika revives you instantly, but in the process the enemy gains a chunk of health back. It gives just enough incentive not to die, while still keeping the flow intact. Frankly any way you cut it the combat in Prince of Persia is a bit disappointing. The Warrior is the only one of the sub-bosses who diverges even a little from the standard, and even then, only by a little. The final boss is different, in that his battle is conducted with the agility/platforming system and not the actual combat system.

The Prince himself has also received a personality transplant from the Sands trilogy to this one. And by transplant I mean he's pretty much Han Solo with a sword and a mashadah. Gone is the noble but occasionally brooding Prince from the most recent games, in his place is a money grubbing, slightly lecherous Prince; clearly taken from the 'rogue with a heart of gold' playbook. He's much more of a traditional action hero this time around, rather than the more stoic hero seen before. It's not a really bad change, and as you progress you realize the old Prince wouldn't have fit the story as well as this new Roguish model. The rest of the story is basic, but very well told. You'll get the gist of everything from cut scenes (which for some unknown reason you can't skip), but if you want more you can always strike up a conversation with Elika (with a tap of the left shoulder button) and learn more about what's going on. Both The Prince and Elika sound a bit too much like extras from The Hills at times, but the voice acting is very competent, bordering on good. As you progress the relationship between the Prince and Elika grows and deepens. What begins as a partnership of need and convenience - supported by some good old od fashioned attraction - becomes something deeper by the end. All of those short little conversations with Elika begin to grow on you, and soon enough you're hooked. You begin anticipating the the next step in their relationship, their romance. The ending is one of the better ones you'll see in a game from an emotional and interpersonal point of view.

The real reason you're fighting an evil god.

I won't deny the game's flaws. I also won't deny that even taking those flaws into account, the game is a ton of fun. The platforming is entertaining, and you really want to see all of the beautiful sights the world has to show. I know it seems like I'm griping about the game a lot, and if you peek up you'll see that the review I gave it may not be commensurate with these complaints. Simply put the game is fun enough that I enjoyed the ride, warts and all. But playing it I do get a sense of unrealized potential. And unlike most games for which I say that, the technical side is completely rock solid. No, this time all of the complaints stem from design decisions made by the development team. A little more variety in the bosses, a few more kinks in the platforming and you'd have an all-time classic. As is, it's still a worthy addition to any gamer's library.

Score: 4 out of 5 CoGs


Michael says: It's a flawed game, but even with those imperfections it's still an tremendous experience, and one of the most visually beautiful games you'll see this year.

- Review this title yourself over at Play It Review It, part of the CoG Network

[Wilkz07]

Great Review. I picked up the game when ToysRUs had the buy2 get1 free. I am having fun with it trying to master the wall runs and jumps and get to places in one continous motion but I have found that the camera angles sometimes cause the Prince to fall to his death (trust me, I ain't getting the 'elika saves you less than 100 times' acheivement). Other hinderances I can't stand is how Elika is constantly in your way. I was trying to run across a T-beam to the wall and all the Prince and Elika did was change positions over and over. It looked like they were dancing. Finally after 5 tries i was able to get to the wall.

The biggest problem i have with this game is the pokemon collecting. Having to return to levels is fine but not when you are required to collect the light seeds in order to have enough to access the new power and advance the game. I need another 106 (to make 540) and its getting pretty frustating. Also the achievements are a joke. You get 10pts for starting the adventure, LT to talk to Elika nets you another 10, Running from one area to another etc etc.

It is a fun game for a PoP first/reimagining of the series on 360 but I should have rented it instead of buy.

[Lon Lon Rabbit]

Good review, sums up my feelings on the game nicely (although I'm only about halfway through).

I thought the new prince was an annoying jerk at first, but as his and Elika's relationship grows he grows on you too.

It's weird, as a gamer who has played a lot of platformers, this one's simplification really does feel like a dumbing down, but it's actually kind of refreshing; you no longer have to carefully align the camera and angle of every jump before every leap, like I do in a lot of other platformers which require you to be precise if you don't want to fall to your doom.

You don't even really have to think about angles or even much in the way of timing at all, it's more like basic shape recognition (ring > gauntlet, wall > run, chasm > Elika etc) and you find yourself hardly pressing any buttons at all as you traverse some pretty epic environments at a really good speed. I still like the skill and precision required of other platformers, but this one is a good change of pace from that, and not having to stare closely at your character to ensure you make the jump at just the right angle and time means you have more time to ogle this game's impressive environments as you move about.

I don't think the game will be for everyone; it's almost like the game itself is one long QTE at times. I personally don't hate QTEs as much as most people do (they let you do cool stuff that you couldn't really do with the regular moveset, I like it), so maybe that's why I'm enjoying this game a lot, as you end up doing and seeing some very impressive things, without the frustration of lots of dying and reloading.

[agentgray]

This is a great review and my favorite game of the year.

However it is one big QTE. The entire thing.

I also think it does it well.

Calling a game flawed...shouldn't that be on almost every game?

Also, one should get a pony instead of an apocalypse for their daughter.

[Purple Santa]

I'm barely into the beginning section of the game but the review is dead on. I'm glad you gave it a 4 of 5. Hopefully that will have those sitting on the fence worried about it being to "easy" might take a look. It's not the old school platforming where you are fiddling with buttons doing most of the work. That doesn't mean it's not challenging. If you are a platformer fan and playing this, then most likely you are a "collector". Try getting all the seeds. That should be challenging enough. It's not going to tax you like the old Tomb Raider's but I also don't want every game to be that taxing. I think the to easy label is unfair. I think the platforming is polished in that respect and I think we are conditioned after so many years of pushing buttons in some form of a combination. I know that is what is still throwing me off in this game is the want to press another button because that's what i've been trained to do in these games all these years. Streamlined doesn't make it necessarily easier...just my 2 cents. And i've liked the combat so far. Although I admit i'm not big on long list of complex combos to for combat. I never use more than a handful anyway. I'm only renting this but I may have to buy it from GF to add to my collection. Besides, it's going to take me a while to find all the seeds...if I can anyway. Welcome to Crackdown PoP version...

[LarsenNET]

Hopefully this doesn't degrade into a fanboy argument but is there any reason to get one version over the other (PS3 or 360)? Are they basically the exact same?

[Spigot]

Compared to the flaws I've had to deal with in a lot of the other games this fall, the fact that this game skews towards the easier side of the spectrum isn't what I would call a flaw. Even the sheer abundance of QTEs isn't what I concider a flaw unless you've adopted the popular mindset that QTEs are evil just for existing. Yes, there are a few times (usually during boss fights) where I wish they'd tone down the QTEs, but I have no problem with them masking most of them as gameplay mechanics.

I adore the interpersonal banter between Elika and the Prince and think that while he is a little more selfish (at least at the beginning) he's a lot closer to the Prince from Sands Of Time than a lot of people would like to admit.

If they were to do a sequel to this game, I'd like them to do what they should have done in Mirror's Edge and just drop combat altogether. It's pretty pointless in both games, but at least it doesn't make me want to hurl my controller through the screen in PoP.

I don't know if I'd like it as much if I just tried to plow through it in a day or two, but this is a nice relaxing game that should be played in chunks as a respite from other games.

LarsenNET, from all accounts the games are the same. I'm not sure if there are trophies in the PS3 version, but that would be the only thing I'd concider as being different between the two.

[KidCactus]

Originally Posted by Spigot

I'm not sure if there are trophies in the PS3 version, but that would be the only thing I'd concider as being different between the two.

I can confirm that there are trophies in the PS3 version.

[Spigot]

Originally Posted by KidCactus

I can confirm that there are trophies in the PS3 version.

Bah. Why did you have to go and do that? Now the air of mystery is gone forever...

[Kelegacy]

Originally Posted by agentgray

This is a great review and my favorite game of the year.

However it is one big QTE. The entire thing.

I also think it does it well.

Calling a game flawed...shouldn't that be on almost every game?

Also, one should get a pony instead of an apocalypse for their daughter.

Haha, I agree on the QTE thing. And even when you're not "platforming", the combat is so QTE heavy that my hands were killing me last night from jabbing on the X button as fast as I could against the bosses.

Great game, very fun and beautiful, it just has some real issues to go along with its good. The game got redundant since you basically are doing the same thing all the time. The platforming rarely mixes it up, though there are a couple puzzles in the game. I wish there were more than the 2 or 3, just to mix it up a bit.

Also, why is it called Prince of Persia? There is no prince. As far as I know, this isn't Persia (though it could be, but it still wouldn't make sense). They could have named this as a new IP and I never would have known the difference. Doesn't detract from how good the game is though. But the "prince" or whatever you want to call him is annoying. I think I would have liked him more if he was a bit more serious, but he's more like a cartoon character in a serious world. Even Elika thinks he's a moron. On the other hand, I find her character perfect.

I'd score it the exact same as Dr. Finger. I was commenting on an overall 8 out of 10 in the Monday Blues thread. 8 or 9/10 for sound, 9/10 for graphics, but 7/10 for gameplay.

Oh, and I think I now have a crush on Elika.

[crazyD]

Originally Posted by Kelegacy

Also, why is it called Prince of Persia?

To capitalize off of the success of the previous Prince of Persia games.

[LiquidRain]

Doc: You gotta work on your writing style a lot. I'm at work so I can't spend the time to go through it with a fine-toothed comb, but here's some examples:

- "Principality", "sinuous." I don't have a masters in English, but I like to think I have a good command of the English vocabulary. I had to look these words up. If you want to appeal to a wide audience, don't use words they won't know.
- So many semi-colons! Why? My incomplete knowledge of grammar suggests you are using them correctly, but there's no reason to use them all the time. In some instances a comma or period could have sufficed. Compare the following 2 sentences for pacing:

But let's be honest: you don't buy a Prince of Persia game just for the story; you buy it for the action-platforming.

But let's be honest, you don't buy a Prince of Persia game just for the story. You buy it for the action-platforming.

- Holy run on paragraphs, Batman. If you're going for a long review that's fine, but try to condense your points into smaller paragraphs so they aren't a wall of text. View your review on a 1024x768 window and see what I mean. It's hard to read when it's that long.
- Your excessive use of adjectives or specific/detailed noun usage (not sure how to word it) in your writing is a bit much sometimes and works against you. "...as they wallrun, leap and scamper like a rhesus monkey..." falls completely flat because you ruined a little guffaw moment by adding the word rhesus. Did we really need that?
- Because of the fancy word usage and very elaborate nouns (such as "rhesus monkey"), the pacing of your writing is off. It feels as if you went back and used a thesaurus everywhere. To me, it doesn't feel natural. It feels as if you're trying too hard.

I just think you need a little more brevity in your writing. Speak your review out loud to yourself when editing and see if that aids you.

[Spacetronaut]

I agree with the review for the most part. My only disagreement is that I found the voice acting to be excellent. It's rare that you get a lighted-hearted character voiced with any real emotion, Nolan North (I think that's who it is) did a great job.

[DoctorFinger]

Originally Posted by LiquidRain

Doc: You gotta work on your writing style a lot. I'm at work so I can't spend the time to go through it with a fine-toothed comb, but here's some examples:

- "Principality", "sinuous." I don't have a masters in English, but I like to think I have a good command of the English vocabulary. I had to look these words up. If you want to appeal to a wide audience, don't use words they won't know.
- So many semi-colons! Why? My incomplete knowledge of grammar suggests you are using them correctly, but there's no reason to use them all the time. In some instances a comma or period could have sufficed. Compare the following 2 sentences for pacing:



- Holy run on paragraphs, Batman. If you're going for a long review that's fine, but try to condense your points into smaller paragraphs so they aren't a wall of text. View your review on a 1024x768 window and see what I mean. It's hard to read when it's that long.
- Your excessive use of adjectives or specific/detailed noun usage (not sure how to word it) in your writing is a bit much sometimes and works against you. "...as they wallrun, leap and scamper like a rhesus monkey..." falls completely flat because you ruined a little guffaw moment by adding the word rhesus. Did we really need that?
- Because of the fancy word usage and very elaborate nouns (such as "rhesus monkey"), the pacing of your writing is off. It feels as if you went back and used a thesaurus everywhere. To me, it doesn't feel natural. It feels as if you're trying too hard.

I just think you need a little more brevity in your writing. Speak your review out loud to yourself when editing and see if that aids you.

I was a science major, I'm grateful I can form a coherent sentence! And trust me, for me, this is brevity.

[LiquidRain]

Originally Posted by DoctorFinger

I was a science major, I'm grateful I can form a coherent sentence! And trust me, for me, this is brevity.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with a long review. Just break it down into more manageable chunks and work on your pacing. Instead of working on making things sound exquisite and detailed, work on condensing your points. Sharpen that sword!

[AboveAvgCharles]

This is on my Christmas list. I've found that flawed games with great vision are some of my most memorable gaming experiences. Here's hoping this one is included.

[Lon Lon Rabbit]

Did anyone else think they took a little dig at a certain other popular platformer?

I can't remember now exactly what was said, but Elika chides the prince at one stage for his "Tomb Raiding", calling it something like crude and reprehensible.

I think it was at the temple, after I got the first power.

In every other instance where they discuss this topic they call it something else like grave robbing.

[Spigot]

The biggest problem with having Nolan North do the voice acting for the Prince is that once I realized he did the voice of Nathan Drake, I couldn't get that character out of my head whenever he spoke. AH!

[Xerxes]

Farah? His donkey?

PICARD WTF IS THIS SHIT!

[Spigot]

Originally Posted by Xerxes

Farah? His donkey?

PICARD WTF IS THIS SHIT!

That part of the game was pure awesome.

Chasing ass always gets people in trouble.