While not at the level of light-hearted as that of the first one, this is still a great game and a good return from (what I consider) a disappointing WW. The gameplay is still top-notch, and the battles seem to have gotten a bit harder. The boss battles are a welcome addition, although using quick-time events isn't something that sat right with me. The chariot sequences were finicky, though, and dying is pretty much mandatory for the first playthrough. The best part is that the game returns to a linear, yet open, setting, which fixes my main complaint of WW of familiar environments and therefore boring to explore and boring to explore, and feels like I'm on a journey. The final sequence in particular is one of my favorite moments in any POP. The dark prince also has one of the best performances in the entire franchise. My main criticism lies in the characters. Farah's back (thankfully) and she and the prince traverse much of the game together, even if she is always on a different path than you are. Their interactions vary. On one hand, their conversations about their pasts are insightful and well-performed, but on the other hand, their banter comes across as forced, feeling much less natural than how they talked in the first game. Would absolutely recommend this game as it is a great entry to the franchise and wraps the trilogy up nicely.
I have conflicting feelings about this game. This seems like a game that I should get into, as it has all the hallmarks of games in the past I have loved, that being games with fantastic gameplay and a dark story and setting, but I just could not get into it. Let me just say that the gameplay is phenomenal and a huge step-up from Sands of Time. More acrobatic moves and combos make combat a joy instead of tedious. The platforming (as it should) is intact and well-implemented. The bads mostly stem from game design. The dark tone and story would normally be given a plus from me, but considering how much I liked the prince's character in the last game, it made him just unlikeable in my eyes, as he went from being humorous and light-hearted to very serious. Actually, I didn't like any of the characters in this game. None of them had any quirks or moments that made me warm to them. Although, considering there are only 4 of them, I wouldn't call it too much of an issue. Ultimately, I just found the game boring. The game constantly makes you backtrack to closed-in areas since it only takes place in a single castle, and the confined level design, familiarity, and drab colors made it boring to explore, a far cry from the other two, which felt like going on a journey rather than a walk through a neighborhood. I would still recommend this game because of the gameplay, but it's not the best one in the series as far as I'm concerned.
Easily one of the best platformers of the sixth generation. This is a fantastic game from the ONCE great Ubisoft. The best part is easily the platforming just because of how smooth it is. Running along a wall to make across a pit and then wall jump to a bar to swing off of to make it to a ledge is incredibly rewarding. And failure isn't very common in these parts because of the power to rewind time, so falling off a cliff isn't so much an annoyance as much as it is a temporary break in flow. The characters are also a main draw, mostly because they are presented to the player as real human beings with arcs. The prince is snarky yet flawed, and Farah is presented as a useful sidekick without being beefed up to be an action girl or the usual princess that needs rescued. There are only two criticisms to be had in this game. The first is that the combat is incredibly annoying. The enemies gang up on you and take forever to defeat, especially considering that the block button is the one button you should never not press. However, this would probably be improved a good bit if the camera wasn't so dreadful. which is the other major problem. It doesn't control well and often sets itself up in either awkward positions or in positions where you can't see what you are doing. Aside from the two issues, this is still a game i'd recommend, because the platforming and rewind ability are so much fun and the characters are so likable.
I love this game. People can hate on it all they want but I love it. Cons: There are only 3 aspects that I would deem cons. The first is how often you run out of Malaria meds. I don't care about Malaria in this game as much as others, but I hate how often I have to get medicine because I ran out. The second would be the frequent enemy encounters. Now this wouldn't be a con if the game didn't throw them at you every time you turn around. There should have been a timer, such as every time you clear an outpost, it takes 10 minutes for them to respond. I still think, however, that this is a better Idea than Far Cry 3, where the island gets really dull after you clear all of the outposts. The final con is the lack of wildlife. I am in Africa. I want to see lions, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, crocodiles. At least they have zebras. Pros: One of my favorite aspect of the game has to be the setting. It is the only game out there that has tried the African setting and, for the most part, pulled it off. The graphics and physics are awesome, even by today's' standards. The most noteworthy positive, however, is the realism. There is no HUD or minimap. You have an actual map and GPS. Weapons jam, fire spreads according to the conditions present, weather is dynamic. Everything just comes together to immerse you in this world. Finally, the game is brutal. It doesn't hold your hand and it doesn't make light of the situation you are in. The game is difficult, no matter the difficulty. I enjoy it like that. It gives you the sense that this really is a dangerous place that favors no one and gives no aid to those who need it. However, what I love most about the game is that it defines the term "Open-World Survival Game." You have complete freedom to explore the map, even when inside the mission. Even with the negatives, this is still a lovely and brilliant game. The atmosphere, gameplay, setting, story, and sound all come together to make a beast of a game.
