Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a great example of how to revitalize a struggling brand. Ubisoft Montpellier has gifted us a great game here that simultaneously brings the series back to its roots, includes some elements big or small from the history of the franchise, and brings it to new heights with Metroidvania elements and more.
Surprisingly, you don't play as the Prince of Persia himself. Instead you are Sargon, one of the legendary Persian warriors known as an Immortal, and you are tasked with saving the Prince after he's abducted and taken to Mount Qaf. Mount Qaf, the legendary place where kings of Persia are chosen by the Simurgh bird, isn't so simple though, weaving in and out of itself as well as time.
The biggest thing to note here, and something I think most will notice very quickly, is how tight and smooth this game plays. Every jump, slash, parry, etc. feels accurate and snappy. It's one of the most satisfying games to just press the buttons and play that I've experienced in a while. It made it really easy too to see when I made a mistake in combat or tricky platforming and nothing ever felt like it was the game's fault.
Combat is a snappy slashy affair that requires you to be aggressive with enemies but know when to parry or dodge to keep yourself safe. This simple base gets augmented further as you gain new abilities, weapons, and power ups that can also be used for traversal. Enemy variety is awesome too, slowly adding to the armies set out against you as you discover and explore new areas. I had a blast trying to figure out each varied enemy's tells and attack patterns and learning how to counter each one. They're not easy either, as even basic enemies from the start can put on the hurt if you're reckless.
This all extends to the boss fights as well which are tough but super entertaining. They test your different abilities really well and come with their own powers that can really throw you for a loop at first. I had a blast butting my head against these foes and figuring out strategies for each, especially because the game generously lets you start right back at the fight if you die.
The rest of the time, you'll be hopping around, platforming across Mount Qaf and its various areas. Exploration feels awesome as you slowly unveil the map and can even buy area maps wholesale like in Hollow Knight. There's actually a couple borrowed elements from Hollow Knight such as the map buying but also attachable accessories you can use to bolster abilities and attacks or create new effects. It does add a bit of something new though, letting you take in-game pictures of any area and posting them on the map, allowing you to easily document obstacles you'll need to come back to with a new powerup later.
The platforming itself is tight like I said, and you'll frequently come across dangerous traps and obstacles both on the mandatory path and in side areas. These are a blast to work through and some were so creative they really had me thinking outside the box on how to combine the many abilities I'd gained to get to safety. My favorite challenges were the optional Xerxes coins which are tucked away in side pockets or rooms that require a deft hand and knowledge of your abilities to retrieve. Like Celeste's strawberries, you need to grab them and return to safety to actually collect them which can be easier said than done.
As you dash, leap, and slash your way across Mount Qaf, you'll be accompanied as well by a wonderful score composed by Mentrix and Gareth Coker. It's a cool blend of traditional orchestral music and Middle Eastern elements. Mentrix in fact is actually Iranian herself, so the elements she brings end up sounding very authentic. The score as a whole does a wonderful job of adding atmosphere where needed while pumping up the hype levels in big fights and boss battles.
The rest of the presentation is unfortunately a bit lackluster. Starting with the least offensive, the story is fun and has some nice beats, but isn't anything to write home about. Also don't think about the timey-wimey bits too much or they'll fall apart. The graphics though are easily the worst offender. From a technical level, it just looks really rough. This was most likely to get it to run really well on Switch (which I've heard it does!), but I wish they'd have upped the quality a bit for the other platforms. As it is, you're gonna notice some rough textures and lower poly parts, especially in custscenes where it zooms in. The art design doesn't always help either, with plenty of areas just adding drab browns or greys. There are exceptions, and those did impress me a bit as they look great relative to the other areas, but just know this isn't going to be a looker. It will run well and had a consistently smooth framerate throughout my playthrough.
I will give credit though to one visual element that was well done: the animation. Both just regular animations while playing and special ones for cutscenes, special attacks, and special counters look awesome! There's a clear anime influence and it's all highlighted nicely by some cool color splashes and slashes.
Overall, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a great 2.5D Metroidvania experience. It does the formula well with great combat, fun platforming, and immersive exploration. Definitely a strong start to the year in terms of new releases and one I recommend to pretty much any gamer out there.
Surprisingly, you don't play as the Prince of Persia himself. Instead you are Sargon, one of the legendary Persian warriors known as an Immortal, and you are tasked with saving the Prince after he's abducted and taken to Mount Qaf. Mount Qaf, the legendary place where kings of Persia are chosen by the Simurgh bird, isn't so simple though, weaving in and out of itself as well as time.
The biggest thing to note here, and something I think most will notice very quickly, is how tight and smooth this game plays. Every jump, slash, parry, etc. feels accurate and snappy. It's one of the most satisfying games to just press the buttons and play that I've experienced in a while. It made it really easy too to see when I made a mistake in combat or tricky platforming and nothing ever felt like it was the game's fault.
Combat is a snappy slashy affair that requires you to be aggressive with enemies but know when to parry or dodge to keep yourself safe. This simple base gets augmented further as you gain new abilities, weapons, and power ups that can also be used for traversal. Enemy variety is awesome too, slowly adding to the armies set out against you as you discover and explore new areas. I had a blast trying to figure out each varied enemy's tells and attack patterns and learning how to counter each one. They're not easy either, as even basic enemies from the start can put on the hurt if you're reckless.
This all extends to the boss fights as well which are tough but super entertaining. They test your different abilities really well and come with their own powers that can really throw you for a loop at first. I had a blast butting my head against these foes and figuring out strategies for each, especially because the game generously lets you start right back at the fight if you die.
The rest of the time, you'll be hopping around, platforming across Mount Qaf and its various areas. Exploration feels awesome as you slowly unveil the map and can even buy area maps wholesale like in Hollow Knight. There's actually a couple borrowed elements from Hollow Knight such as the map buying but also attachable accessories you can use to bolster abilities and attacks or create new effects. It does add a bit of something new though, letting you take in-game pictures of any area and posting them on the map, allowing you to easily document obstacles you'll need to come back to with a new powerup later.
The platforming itself is tight like I said, and you'll frequently come across dangerous traps and obstacles both on the mandatory path and in side areas. These are a blast to work through and some were so creative they really had me thinking outside the box on how to combine the many abilities I'd gained to get to safety. My favorite challenges were the optional Xerxes coins which are tucked away in side pockets or rooms that require a deft hand and knowledge of your abilities to retrieve. Like Celeste's strawberries, you need to grab them and return to safety to actually collect them which can be easier said than done.
As you dash, leap, and slash your way across Mount Qaf, you'll be accompanied as well by a wonderful score composed by Mentrix and Gareth Coker. It's a cool blend of traditional orchestral music and Middle Eastern elements. Mentrix in fact is actually Iranian herself, so the elements she brings end up sounding very authentic. The score as a whole does a wonderful job of adding atmosphere where needed while pumping up the hype levels in big fights and boss battles.
The rest of the presentation is unfortunately a bit lackluster. Starting with the least offensive, the story is fun and has some nice beats, but isn't anything to write home about. Also don't think about the timey-wimey bits too much or they'll fall apart. The graphics though are easily the worst offender. From a technical level, it just looks really rough. This was most likely to get it to run really well on Switch (which I've heard it does!), but I wish they'd have upped the quality a bit for the other platforms. As it is, you're gonna notice some rough textures and lower poly parts, especially in custscenes where it zooms in. The art design doesn't always help either, with plenty of areas just adding drab browns or greys. There are exceptions, and those did impress me a bit as they look great relative to the other areas, but just know this isn't going to be a looker. It will run well and had a consistently smooth framerate throughout my playthrough.
I will give credit though to one visual element that was well done: the animation. Both just regular animations while playing and special ones for cutscenes, special attacks, and special counters look awesome! There's a clear anime influence and it's all highlighted nicely by some cool color splashes and slashes.
Overall, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a great 2.5D Metroidvania experience. It does the formula well with great combat, fun platforming, and immersive exploration. Definitely a strong start to the year in terms of new releases and one I recommend to pretty much any gamer out there.