Prince Of Persia XBOX Review

Released for multiple platforms in December 2008 by Ubisoft, Prince of Persia is a first person role-playing game. It has carried forward the franchise in the regular manner of the Prince of Persia franchise.

The unique thing about Prince of Persia has always been that unlike other role-playing open-world platformers, it is not about hacking and blasting one’s way through the enemy lines, and rather about infusing light into a world where darkness is taking over. That, however, does not imply that the dark forces are not tailing you throughout; but the most amazing sequences turn out to be the elating ones rather than the destructive. On similar lines, the latest installment in the famous series is as much a reiteration of what was good as it is an exhibition of newer strata of gaming. The game is argued to be the easiest in the series, but if you are a true Prince fan and if you let the magic of the visuals and the theme take you, gaming will be a rejuvenating experience.

Prince of Persia has the storybook vibe, which was much applauded in Sands of Time (which the two sequels seemed to have lost). Despite that, our hero is not really the Prince in the fairytales, and rather a rugged nomad whose interest lies in his donkey who is supposed to be carrying a king’s treasure of gold. Elika, his companion on the quest, can clearly be identified as a princess even though the history of the prince himself is not fully revealed. They seek to banish an evil god (who is actually set free by Elika’s father). In addition, in order to accomplish this, they must take upon themselves a journey of redemption. Neither storytelling nor the dismissive prince’s characters this time are the game’s strong points. What really make the game so enjoyable are Elika’s radiant charm, and the love that is forged between our leads.

The prince’s relationship with Elika is indeed what forms the very core of the entire gaming experience. She is not just another side-role tag-along. Even as you get to pull off the classic franchise moves like jumping, scaling, sword-combat, and more, Elika is given attributes of her own to make her presence felt. She will climb onto your back when you scale across vines, grab hold of your hand when climbing, and perform a graceful pas de deux along with you when you have to cross a narrow beam. She is, actually, the prince’s constant savior: for she cannot and will not let you die. Elika is always the help to look for when the Prince is on a dead-end of sorts.

This property makes the game almost easy to play and there is not a single sequence throughout that one could find challenging. However, despite the missing feeling of satisfaction that comes from winning through difficult gaming, there are features that make the game truly enjoyable. The movements are fluid and Elika is truly elegant throughout, and the visual effects are magical.

There is some amount of combat, and even though it is hardly the game’s focal point, the action is visually spectacular. The prince fights a single enemy at a time, including the main villains. Battle is simple, but when the various attacks are combined in different combos, it looks appealing.

However, it is not only battle that looks spectacular. The game itself is beautiful to look at, with vibrant themes and artistically developed environments. The contrast between dark and light, and the good and the corrupt is beautifully managed. Despite the game’s having a very Americanized Prince, the lovely ambience created by the theme music is another delight.

The game, overall, is a return to the storybook like feel of Sands of Time and the effect is almost enchanting, and while the lack of challenge may disappoint old fans, its simplicity will delight first-timers and allure anyone who appreciates a pinch of magic.