Innovation is in the eye of the beholder, and whilst Prince of Persia won't be winning any awards for being original (compared to other free-running games such as Mirrors Edge) its still a thoroughly enjoyable game. I played this on the Xbox 360, as such there are some references to certain buttons - they are on the 360 controller.
The game has you controlling the prince (I guess, his name is not given), who begins looking for his donkey. He runs into (or was it the other way around?) a woman by the name of Elika, who is being chased by guards. Obviously a gentleman, the prince must follow her, and save her from pursuers and our adventure begins.
The basic premise of the story (without spoiling much of it) is the idea of gods - Ormazd and Ahrimin . These represent light and darkness, and the key issue comes when Ahrimin (you know, he's bound to be the bad guy!) is released, via a magic tree - how and why are explained throughout the story. Whilst Ormazd is gone, it is up to the fateful duo to save Elikas's homeland and stop Ahrimin from getting out of his tomb by healing "fertile lands" (Changing them from the corrupt darkness to the light - green and grassy.)
Ubisoft have moved away from the angst-ridden festivities that took place in the original Prince of Persia trilogy, widely acclaimed as the best series of the last console generation. This is instantly recognizable in the graphics and art direction. Contrary to most games this Christmas, this is one next-gen game that is not aiming to be realistic. The game is entirely cell-shaded and looks extraordinary. The world is dynamic and edgy, but after the healing process it becomes beautiful. This may be because I have not played a cell-shaded game before, but I know a number of pessimists who predicted this game to fall short of expectations based on this fact, yet I value the art direction as good as, if not better, than Okami.
The world does need to look fantastic, because this is an open-word adventure. You play in one large open area - split into 5 main sections. The sections are then split into 4 main stages, where you take on whatever minion Ahrimin has put in charge of this section of land. A final showdown occurs once you have successfully beaten the boss at all 4 stages. Each section has their own bit of history and all look well produced. The only complaint I have about the worlds art design is how similar the 4 stages in each appear.
If your not looking at the world (and you really shouldn't be when your playing a platformer), your seeing the prince and Elika. The character design is excellent, in my opinion, but a nice feature is the optional skins - which you can gain from pre-ordering the game, entering a code or signing up for an Ubisoft account. I have had previous experience with Ubisoft's games so I already had an account and was rewarded with Altair's (the main protagonist from Assassin's Creed) attire. Elika can also be changed, but the only option I received was Jade from Beyond Good and Evil. In my opinion the original Elika is the best designed character in the game.
As this is a new series, completely separated from the Sands of Time trilogy, the prince does not have time-traveling abilities. This is where Elika comes in. She is effectively a guardian over the prince. She saves him if he's falling, placing him on the last stretch of land he fell from (essentially a really fast checkpoint), allows him to perform double jumps (something that you will constantly be using by the end of the game), and even helping out in combat.
The developers have gone back to the original Prince of Persia for inspiration and decided that; instead of fighting hordes of enemies you should just fight one at a time. This means combat is more like Soul Calibur (with a lot of quick time events) than the usual platform combat. As in Assassins Creed you can block, dodge and attack with your sword. Yet the prince is far more versatile than Altair; he has a special gauntlet he can grab enemies with (and slide down walls), and as previously mentioned - can use Elika in combat. Enemies slowly progress in difficulty, eventually growing shields made from Ahrimin's flesh which blocks all but certain attacks. Elikas's magic is required at this point.
The combat is passable, I'm not saying it's particularly bad - it's just not very well balanced. I figured out an easy, yet deadly combo very early on in the game, which beat every enemy the game threw at me in 3 or 4 hits. Another disappointing thing is the fact enemies all fight very similar, despite their obviously different styles. You have 2 magic users, and two melee-based fighters, each with a cleverly told back-story. Yet their combat styles do not differentiate.
These stories, among other things, are told by Elika throughout the game with a quick press of LT whilst standing still. These moments are terrific, not only is the audio quality excellent but the dialogue is often clever, and actually funny, but still gives the necessary information. The prince is extremely arrogant. He knows Elika finds him attractive, and constantly flirts with her. I would normal disapprove of this sort of thing, but c'mon, two people who could easily be models in their retrospective genders are alone in the middle of the desert. It does fit the mood, but can grow tiresome when the game effectively pushes it into your face and screams "there's a relationship going on here!".
Now at long last, to the heart of the gameplay - the platforming. As I have already established, it is impossible to die in this game. Through falling or combat, Elika will always save you. This does make the game a bit to easy, but none-the-less the game is still fun. The only thing Elika saving you does is wastes time. In combat the enemy gains some health back, or in platforming you just start back where you fell, but there is no real consequence for failure. The platforming itself is easy to get to grips with. A controls almost all aspects of the princes jumps, leaps and vaults. B allows the prince to grab onto rings which forward his momentum, but these moments are quite rare until the end of the game - where it becomes a necessity. The only other button required (besides the analogue stick) is the Y button. This allows Elika to grab you and swing you forward - the double jump.
The platforming is all based on timing, which is fairly easy to grasp. There are a few moments where it seems the game is almost playing itself, but these are not common occurrences.
After defeating a boss and healing a stage light orbs are scatted. You will need to collect around 600 of these throughout the game to advance to the final boss fight. Whilst this does seem a bit of a sad attempt to increase gameplay time, it is a great addition. For once backtracking through the levels is not a chore, as it is interesting to see the new green world that has emerged from the healing.
In conclusion - I suggest you rent this game. It contains an excellent story (although the ending will make you hate yourself). A sequel is obvious with the final achievement being stated as "to be continued"...The campaign took me about 10 hours to beat (I even got an achievement for it), but I have heard reports claiming it has lasted as long as 15 hours - it depends on how much you enjoy collecting the light orbs. After the ending however, there is not much replay value, but there is a hugely epic boss-fight, something not seen in many games these days.
This is a must play game for anyone with a slight interest in platforming, adventure or art.
I bought the game a few days ago and I'm impressed. I didn't thought that it is going to be that good but there are a few things I don't like:
- you can't die in the game (maybe in combat but even that is almost impossible) - I hate how Tor (I call the prince like that. I think that Shadee and Kaileena called the Prince like that in Warrior Within) behaves. He tries to be funny but he fails - the game is more of an plattformer than a fighting game. Depending on what you prefer this is a good or a bad thing. - the fast travelling system destroys the open world concept. It's almost like in Oblivion
Those are my only real complains about the game. Other than that it's a really good game and the graphics are beautiful. Okami is still the best looking game ever IMO but this is probably number 2.
I recently finished the game last night, and I agree with a lot of the review. (Which was nicely done, by the way)
I look at the 'can't die' problem a little differently. First, they really did try something new, and it turned out not too badly. And second, yes it's a game that you can't die in, but if you're going to take the game literally like a storyline/book concept, you can belive that it makes sense if you don't die. It feels like a movie...kinda.
Wow, I don't really know what I'm talking about anymore. XD It made sense in my head. Overall, though, a very well built game, if only it could be longer and have a more satisfying...ending...*twitch*
Hamano Ayumi: if only it could be longer and have a more satisfying...ending...*twitch*
Well, we're talking about Ubisoft here. You probably get an alternate ending if you find all of the spheres/orbs. I haven't played the game yet, though, so I'm not a hundred percent sure.
Hamano Ayumi: if only it could be longer and have a more satisfying...ending...*twitch*
Well, we're talking about Ubisoft here. You probably get an alternate ending if you find all of the spheres/orbs. I haven't played the game yet, though, so I'm not a hundred percent sure.
I just finished this game today, and I have to say I think it was quite brilliant. I admit I was skeptical about it, but it actually blew me away.
About an hour into the game I stopped up and realized I had realized something; (oh yes, I did.) I was actually having FUN. It was great. This game isn't going for realism, it's going for fun, and I loved it.
And I wasn't just having fun, I was having more fun than ever. (At least since... in a while.) I do agree that the boss fights could have been made a lot more varied (and also I was hoping for a jester-like type of boss) and the ending was... =|
But then again, I don't mind trilogies (which this will be, just wait.)
I just finished this game today, and I have to say I think it was quite brilliant. I admit I was skeptical about it, but it actually blew me away.
About an hour into the game I stopped up and realized I had realized something; (oh yes, I did.) I was actually having FUN. It was great. This game isn't going for realism, it's going for fun, and I loved it.
And I wasn't just having fun, I was having more fun than ever. (At least since... in a while.) I do agree that the boss fights could have been made a lot more varied (and also I was hoping for a jester-like type of boss) and the ending was... =|
But then again, I don't mind trilogies (which this will be, just wait.)
Yeah, this is my game of the year - Its the game you will find fun - unlike these massive fancy games that contain lots to do, but are incredibly boring (GTA 4!).
Well when I "resurrected" it, it had only just dropped to the top of the second page. And I agree with your posts on that thread; and add : there are some terrible reviews on this forum which drags down the decent, well written ones. Its a bit irritating to see someone get more posts / views that you (after you've written an essay) who wrote 2 lines and got told off by the entire population of the site!
So I was the only one who thought it felt like a glorified QTE instead of a full game?
Awesome world, awesome graphics, awesome soundtrack... then the game itself feels like Dragon's Lair. It's worth a rent, since it isn't bad experience and the story is decent. But certainly one of the biggest disappointments this year. They had it so close with Sands of Time; only the abundant battles were problematic.
Nice review, though the god's name is Ahriman =P *Stops being annoyingly picky* (The Ahriman of Persian history wasn't a god at all though just the essence of destruction.)
I've been playing this on and off for a couple of days and I agree, it's a fun game. I really like the Prince's humor... though I've only played through the Hunter's area so I haven't heard all his lines yet =P The different bosses are actually interesting. Most games nowadays lack interesting bosses... it's usually more like "Oh, a boss, guess I'll have to kill it..." then when it's dead you just move on and forget about it. Hearing Elika talk about the bosses in this game is fun.
I like Hamano Ayumis's idea of seeing the game more like an interactive novel than a game. What you need to be after to really enjoy the game is the story and the art, though liking a bit of platforming does help =P And speaking of the art, it's awesome! I really like the look of the game. The only cellshaded games I've played before has been Dragonball fighting games and a Naruto game. I'm glad a non-anime game gets this great look.
I've been playing it on PC and for me the quick time events are a bit of a struggle sometimes as they don't tell you to press space when you need to use the jump key for example, they just tell you to press the green button with a jumping prince on it or the gray button with a sword instead of mouse button one. (Going by the buttons on the XBOX controller) I miss most such keystrokes. They never tell you that you have to press the buttons/keys in the same pace as the button on the screen either, I had problems with that in the beginning too as I'm a speedster with buttons/keys ans kept pressing it too fast thinking I was too slow =P
As has been said, if you're looking for a fast paced action game, look elsewhere. But if you want a fun game with a nice artsy look nice story and some puzzles, try this =) [/rant]
MaxRaine: Nice review, though the god's name is Ahriman =P
Oh, I spent about 5 seconds trying to remember how to spell it - looked it up on the Internet and got the spelling in my review, I'll change it - thanks for the heads up!
Woe Is You: So I was the only one who thought it felt like a glorified QTE instead of a full game?
Awesome world, awesome graphics, awesome soundtrack... then the game itself feels like Dragon's Lair. It's worth a rent, since it isn't bad experience and the story is decent. But certainly one of the biggest disappointments this year. They had it so close with Sands of Time; only the abundant battles were problematic.
It comes down to personal preference, I didn't like the Sands of time trilogy that much to be honest, as I hate overly difficult platforming. The combat in this game is pretty spectacular.
I will buy a 360 and that game, ony for that. And DMC4. And Bullet wich. And Bayonetta. And Rock Band. And Geometry wars 2. And Boom Boom Rocket. And...
I will buy a 360 and that game, ony for that. And DMC4. And Bullet wich. And Bayonetta. And Rock Band. And Geometry wars 2. And Boom Boom Rocket. And...
...the new Souija boy game...THATS what you were going to end your sentence on, right?
Innovation is in the eye of the beholder, and whilst Prince of Persia won't be winning any awards for being original (compared to other free-running games such as Mirrors Edge) its still a thoroughly enjoyable game. I played this on the Xbox 360, as such there are some references to certain buttons - they are on the 360 controller.
The game has you controlling the prince (I guess, his name is not given), who begins looking for his donkey. He runs into (or was it the other way around?) a woman by the name of Elika, who is being chased by guards. Obviously a gentleman, the prince must follow her, and save her from pursuers and our adventure begins.
The basic premise of the story (without spoiling much of it) is the idea of gods - Ormazd and Ahrimin . These represent light and darkness, and the key issue comes when Ahrimin (you know, he's bound to be the bad guy!) is released, via a magic tree - how and why are explained throughout the story. Whilst Ormazd is gone, it is up to the fateful duo to save Elikas's homeland and stop Ahrimin from getting out of his tomb by healing "fertile lands" (Changing them from the corrupt darkness to the light - green and grassy.)
Ubisoft have moved away from the angst-ridden festivities that took place in the original Prince of Persia trilogy, widely acclaimed as the best series of the last console generation. This is instantly recognizable in the graphics and art direction. Contrary to most games this Christmas, this is one next-gen game that is not aiming to be realistic. The game is entirely cell-shaded and looks extraordinary. The world is dynamic and edgy, but after the healing process it becomes beautiful. This may be because I have not played a cell-shaded game before, but I know a number of pessimists who predicted this game to fall short of expectations based on this fact, yet I value the art direction as good as, if not better, than Okami.
The world does need to look fantastic, because this is an open-word adventure. You play in one large open area - split into 5 main sections. The sections are then split into 4 main stages, where you take on whatever minion Ahrimin has put in charge of this section of land. A final showdown occurs once you have successfully beaten the boss at all 4 stages. Each section has their own bit of history and all look well produced. The only complaint I have about the worlds art design is how similar the 4 stages in each appear.
If your not looking at the world (and you really shouldn't be when your playing a platformer), your seeing the prince and Elika. The character design is excellent, in my opinion, but a nice feature is the optional skins - which you can gain from pre-ordering the game, entering a code or signing up for an Ubisoft account. I have had previous experience with Ubisoft's games so I already had an account and was rewarded with Altair's (the main protagonist from Assassin's Creed) attire. Elika can also be changed, but the only option I received was Jade from Beyond Good and Evil. In my opinion the original Elika is the best designed character in the game.
As this is a new series, completely separated from the Sands of Time trilogy, the prince does not have time-traveling abilities. This is where Elika comes in. She is effectively a guardian over the prince. She saves him if he's falling, placing him on the last stretch of land he fell from (essentially a really fast checkpoint), allows him to perform double jumps (something that you will constantly be using by the end of the game), and even helping out in combat.
The developers have gone back to the original Prince of Persia for inspiration and decided that; instead of fighting hordes of enemies you should just fight one at a time. This means combat is more like Soul Calibur (with a lot of quick time events) than the usual platform combat. As in Assassins Creed you can block, dodge and attack with your sword. Yet the prince is far more versatile than Altair; he has a special gauntlet he can grab enemies with (and slide down walls), and as previously mentioned - can use Elika in combat. Enemies slowly progress in difficulty, eventually growing shields made from Ahrimin's flesh which blocks all but certain attacks. Elikas's magic is required at this point.
The combat is passable, I'm not saying it's particularly bad - it's just not very well balanced. I figured out an easy, yet deadly combo very early on in the game, which beat every enemy the game threw at me in 3 or 4 hits. Another disappointing thing is the fact enemies all fight very similar, despite their obviously different styles. You have 2 magic users, and two melee-based fighters, each with a cleverly told back-story. Yet their combat styles do not differentiate.
These stories, among other things, are told by Elika throughout the game with a quick press of LT whilst standing still. These moments are terrific, not only is the audio quality excellent but the dialogue is often clever, and actually funny, but still gives the necessary information. The prince is extremely arrogant. He knows Elika finds him attractive, and constantly flirts with her. I would normal disapprove of this sort of thing, but c'mon, two people who could easily be models in their retrospective genders are alone in the middle of the desert. It does fit the mood, but can grow tiresome when the game effectively pushes it into your face and screams "there's a relationship going on here!".
Now at long last, to the heart of the gameplay - the platforming. As I have already established, it is impossible to die in this game. Through falling or combat, Elika will always save you. This does make the game a bit to easy, but none-the-less the game is still fun. The only thing Elika saving you does is wastes time. In combat the enemy gains some health back, or in platforming you just start back where you fell, but there is no real consequence for failure. The platforming itself is easy to get to grips with. A controls almost all aspects of the princes jumps, leaps and vaults. B allows the prince to grab onto rings which forward his momentum, but these moments are quite rare until the end of the game - where it becomes a necessity. The only other button required (besides the analogue stick) is the Y button. This allows Elika to grab you and swing you forward - the double jump.
The platforming is all based on timing, which is fairly easy to grasp. There are a few moments where it seems the game is almost playing itself, but these are not common occurrences.
After defeating a boss and healing a stage light orbs are scatted. You will need to collect around 600 of these throughout the game to advance to the final boss fight. Whilst this does seem a bit of a sad attempt to increase gameplay time, it is a great addition. For once backtracking through the levels is not a chore, as it is interesting to see the new green world that has emerged from the healing.
In conclusion - I suggest you rent this game. It contains an excellent story (although the ending will make you hate yourself). A sequel is obvious with the final achievement being stated as "to be continued"...The campaign took me about 10 hours to beat (I even got an achievement for it), but I have heard reports claiming it has lasted as long as 15 hours - it depends on how much you enjoy collecting the light orbs. After the ending however, there is not much replay value, but there is a hugely epic boss-fight, something not seen in many games these days.
This is a must play game for anyone with a slight interest in platforming, adventure or art.
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