Prince of Persia

The platforming, combat, and story are all very satisfying in this game, and it was a great re-imagining of the PoP series. I enjoyed this game so much at time of release that I got 100% of the collectibles simply because the platforming/puzzling solving is just plain fun. It's not difficult (you can't die), and in fact many times the game holds your hand, so be wary if you are offended by that type of gaming. This was actually a selling point for me since I played this game with my younger son at the time and he loved the trial and error of the platforming/combat. Most importantly, this game is beautiful. Hands down one of the top 5 best looking games I've ever played. The art style is just simply gorgeous. My ONLY knock on the game was that the ending was left "unfinished" unless you bought the DLC. I should probably remove more stars for that, but I enjoyed my time enough without the DLC that I believe this is a great purchase.

As many have already stated, this is a reboot of the Prince of Persia series. Strike that - "reboot" isn't quite the right word; I prefer "reimagining". The core PoP mechanics are here: navigational puzzles, death-defying leaps, combat, and a lady to save; the difference is in the implementation. It is still a challenge to get from point A to point B. The Sands of Time trilogy focused on single-room puzzles where you had to figure out the solution (run along the wall, slide down the curtain, jump across the chasm). This PoP is almost more of a rhythm game: the path is linear and (usually) clearly marked, the challenge comes from performing the correct action (jump, run, grab, roll) at the right time. One of the great benefits of switching from the room-focused puzzle is that the maps can be much larger, and this game provides some amazing vistas! Combat is not one of this game's strong points. Thankfully, it only becomes a significant issue during one leg of the journey. While you will be fighting some different bosses during the game, there is one that requires multiple nearly-identical encounters to defeat. The first time you beat him is a relief, the second is "alright, here we go again", and third+ are sighs of resignation. There is also the possibility for frequent fights with mini-bosses, but the player can interrupt their summonings if he is quick enough, preventing the combat scenario entirely. Once the player gets into the rhythm of the combat system, fights become easy and allow the player to focus on the visuals, which are smooth and impressive. One of the wonderful elements of Sands of Time is the interaction between the Prince and Princess. Both characters were well written, intelligent, and clever without delving into cliched one-liners. The Prince and Princess characters here are not as likable here, although I grew to care about them by the end of the game. When we first meet the Prince he is flippant and cocksure, and it takes a long time for that vibe to warm into something more plausible and likable. The Princess also starts off one-dimensional and gradually grows. The game suffers from not having immediately likable characters, especially after the wonderful first impression made by the game's art direction. This installment of Prince of Persia opts for a stylized cel-shaded look, and it is excellent. It manages to have the feel of an animated Arabian painting. The menus are beautiful, setting an excellent tone for the game. The Prince's colorful scarves stand out from the muted colors of the main area, as does the Princess's white blouse. I initially thought the desaturated environment was a gameplay decision to make the Prince easier to see. I didn't really take notice of the lifeless color palette until completing the first area and seeing the area re-saturate. I already liked the art direction, but that's when I became *impressed* by the art direction. A lot of virtual ink has been spilled about the "you can't die" mechanic. In short: if you're about to lose a fight or fall off a cliff, the Princess uses her magic to save you. Personally, I am just fine with this design decision: - Sands of Time had a similar concept with the "reverse time" mechanic, although that had limited uses - No "game over" screen also means no navigating the menus to retry/reload from the last checkpoint - It's a smart, subtle nudge from the game developers for the player to give it one more try; it's easier to walk away from a game when presented with a "game over" screen - (MINOR SPOILER ALERT) For a story about Life and Death, the game mechanics of multiple lives and frequent deaths in incongruous with the game's narrative theme The primary reason I give this game 4 stars and not 5 (which I think it deserves) is because Ubisoft never released the game's final chapter for PC; it was released as DLC for consoles only. The base game tells a complete story with an appropriate ending, its just that the DLC tells a little more. (I'd love for GOG to somehow wrangle THAT bonus content!) I played the game almost entirely with a gamepad. While mouse/keyboard is doable, it's not recommended. All-in-all, I had a great time playing this Prince of Persia when it was released in 2008. It was one of the few games I played to completion, and I still fondly recall various elements of the game: certain traversals, completing an area, the art style, the story's closing act, and even the melancholy of one of the characters. Hmmm - I think I'll install and play it again...

Prince of Persia is a solid game, but it remains divisive, and for good reasons. The best thing about it may be the atmosphere: it looks gorgeous, with its unique watercolor-inspired graphics that stand apart from the gray-brown aesthetic that was in fashion in 2008. Both main characters are cool, likable, and they have an interesting relationship. The music is good. A lot of effort was clearly invested in making the adventure memorable, and I think it succeeds in that regard. The core gameplay is similar to previous entries: you go through levels by performing insane acrobatics, and get into a fight from time to time. Overall, the controls are sleek and easy to get a hold of, but quite simplistic: there is no real way to get a game over, and it often feels like the game plays itself… but it’s still very fun and finds a decent balance between approachability and depth. The platforming is definitely a high point, the camera is much better than it used to be, and the level design is great and takes an interesting “metroidvania” approach to exploration. Yet, some flaws may hinder your enjoyment: not only are PoP 2008’s mechanics very simplistic and forgiving, but most of them are introduced early on, making for a repetitive romp after that. The combat, notably, pales in comparison to previous titles and does not even come close to the savagery of Warrior Within and The Two Thrones. Plus, the game makes you hunt down hundreds of collectibles, which… is not very fun. It’s also worth noting that the epilogue DLC was never made available for this PC version, which is a shame. In short, on the one hand this is a somewhat simplistic and repetitive game which does not live up to its predecessors. On the other, PoP 2008 is fun throughout, a good experience on its own… and it feels like one of the last times Ubisoft (and big studios in general) would attempt to develop a game with such a high level of artistry. For that, I would recommend it, and I hope it has its fans...

POP 2008 is not a bad game, it's fun and colourful and an overall good time, but it suffers from two main problems. One, it's title and the franchise expectations that come with it especially after the Sands of Time trilogy and two the sequel bait ending which is honestly the rougher part. Again it is an enjoyable and fun experience that just barely misses the landing, but stil recommend it.

Needs better controller support.