Prince of Persia

I still have the disk for this game. This is one of the first games I played when I got my first personal PC as a poor college student, so I might be slightly biased, but I feel like this is a really solid game in terms of a platforming and story experience. The environment is part of the story, and you slowly seeing it change is something you will appreciate and find beauty in (or at least I did). The characters are likable and the small talk is also great fun while platforming. The game also has weaknesses - while the story progression is nonlinear in terms of what boss you want to take down first, that also means that beyond general small talk it really doesn't have any story progression (basically the story progression is that you make things green/beautiful, and then go fight the last boss). There's no actual story beyond: the setting, the ending and the character background (each big boss has its own story of why it was corrupted, which is really well written, but at the same time, that's all they are, they don't have their own goals when you fight them, they just wait for you and you go and beat them). The combat is bad, other than the lack of story depth in terms of 0 story progression, this is another reason why I'd consider giving it 3 stars instead of 4. Lots of QTE's, no actual challenge in terms of u can make as many mistakes as you want and you'll be able to slowly wear down whatever you're fighting (cuz there's no game-over in this game). In the end, it's a really good looking game, with lots of good points, it's an Ubisoft game but I got more Indie game vibes in terms of the story and how the game felt to play. If you like story-based games with platforming (and where you make things look beautiful), then I'd recommend this to you.

This was my first time playing a Prince of Persia game, and I had a wonderful adventure with the Prince and Elika. They make a fun, flirtatious, humorous, and sarcastic duo that I really enjoyed, even if it’s a dynamic that’s been done before. Pros: The story unfolds gradually through dialogue between the two characters and the environments you explore. Moments where you interact with Elika and hear more about the history of the world and the characters were a highlight. The art style uses cell-shading, which fits the game perfectly. However, the male lead has a bit more detail than the female lead, which could be intentional to emphasize the adventurer look of the Prince and the softer, more regal look of Elika. The soundtrack is lovely, especially the music that plays while you traverse the environments—it’s definitely the most memorable part of the score. Dialogue and banter between the characters are well-written and entertaining, adding to the charm of the game. Cons: Climbing mechanics can be frustrating at times, as positioning the character correctly is important to avoid accidental jumps off ledges. Thankfully, the game doesn’t let you die, so you’re teleported to your last safe position. Combat might be lackluster for some. It’s not the focus of the game, so don’t expect fast-paced, exhilarating action. There’s still fun to be had, but the adventure and exploration are the main draws. Final Verdict: I had a wonderful time playing Prince of Persia. The story kept me immersed, and exploring the various environments was a joy. While the combat isn’t the star of the show, it works within the context of the game’s design. For me, the climbing and exploration were the most enjoyable aspects. If you’re looking for a game that focuses on adventure, exploration, light-hearted dialogue, and a story set in a desert world with a great evil threatening to be unleashed, I’d definitely recommend this game.

In terms of story and characters, this is probably the series low point. The main plot is painfully generic, and every single time the main characters open their mouths, it's that one-dimensional sarcastic quippy dialogue that just makes me want to reach into the screen and slap the smug off them. However, the platforming - the reason to play PoP in the fist place - is silky smooth and incredibly fun. And wisely, platforming (and exploration) is squarely where this game has its focus. The game world has a branching structure that gives players freedom of choice, and uses collectables to incentivise revisiting areas to find new pathways. Lot of great, great fun. The combat (which actually isn't bad) is de-emphasised compared to previous titles. It has a one-on-one feel that actually seems to call back to the original PoP. It could've done without the QTEs, but like the quippy dialogue, this game is a product of the late 2000s after all.

Another take on the classic Prince of Persia, this time with beautiful cell-shaded visuals, great looking environments and packing what is in my opinion one of the best game soundtracks ever created, made by Inon Zur & Stuart Chatwood. Running, jumping through and exploring the beautifully created environments is quite satisfying as well as purifying each map node, however, if you're completionist, there is a fair amount of backtracking involved since some of the paths are inaccessible until you get the required skill. As other reviews mention, combat is somewhat long-dwindled, even with standard enemies, but there's not too many of them. Unfortunately, Ubisoft being Ubisoft, this game has DLC that is supposed to contain, among other things, the epilogue for the story, but it was sadly never released on the PC because of "business reasons".

I think people are being a bit unfair here. No, it's not the best in the series (I'd say the first one is, followed closely by the second). But I enjoyed it much more than I did the third one. I really really enjoyed the story, which I wasn't expecting at all; I was just expecting some fun acrobatics. The combat is fine. It's not incredibly difficult, and you can't really lose (at least, I didn't see a 'game over' screen when I played it). The art style is incredible and attractive. I think the cel shading works very well. Because of the lack of difficulty, it can be jarring to come into this game with the expectations of something like the first three games, but that doesn't make it a bad game. It's just a different direction. This would be a good game to introduce yourself to the series if you haven't played it before, to get yourself used to the mechanics and combat before jumping back and playing the earlier ones. Give it a (fair) shot.