The acrobatic exploration and environmental puzzles is the main focus of
Prince of Persia and they are all done brilliantly. The addition of decent
combat encounters and genuine puzzles mixes things up to ensure the adventure
never gets stale.
The prince (main character of the game) is all about climbing, leaping, and
scaling around the game world. So it is good news that the animation of the
prince's movements are done very well. For example, wall running, swinging from
poles, and other athletic maneuvers look and feel fluid, and the platforming is
exhilarating when stringed together. You can move through the land in a
completely non-linear fashion, with the option of teleporting between cleared
areas. The camera is also very good at following the prince around without
obstructing his view.
The platforming and combat is simplified so you don't have to be an expert in
the genre to execute exciting maneuvers. You will only ever face one enemy at a
time, and it is possible to avoid any or all non-boss encounters if you choose
to. The combo-based fighting system is highly enjoyable, especially when
achieving long strings of beautifully cinematic attacks, as they can be just as
pleasing as a good stretch of platforming.
What will catch your eyes immediately in the beginning of the
prince's adventure are the vivid, quasi-cel-shaded characters and environments.
They are simply gorgeous to look at, if a little cartoonish. They are definitely
the star of the game and, accompanied by an excellent melodic, orchestral theme,
the game just never fails to impress.
However, as good as the game is, there are some portions of the game that
could cause irritation and frustration. There are some flying sequences similar
to on-rail shooters, where the flight-path is predetermined and while in the
air, you could only move your controlling character from left to right, or up
and down to avoid obstacles in your way. The problem here is that the camera is
placed too close to the character and everything around you is blurry (perhaps
to give a sense of speed) so it can be difficult to fully see everything around
you. Often you will not be able to determine whether an obstacle ahead of you is
a hazard or not until it is already too late. Once you hit something, you will
have to retry the sequence again.
The game is also not all that challenging. Depending on how you view it, it
could be a good thing or a bad thing. You simply cannot lose in this game.
Elika, the supporting character, is always there to save your life, returning
you back to solid ground if you missed a jump, for instance. Besides advancing
the plot, she also acts as the physical representation of the many traditional
gameplay mechanics you probably know and love, such as double-jumping or, flying
during flight sequences that was mentioned before. And the environments in the
game world are marked with physical indication that points you in the right
direction. If that is not enough, you can also ask Elika to point you in the
correct path. You will hardly find your self not knowing what to do next, even
for puzzles, because Elika often provides you with helpful hints if you talk
to her.
I personally consider this game to be one of the best I have played this
year. I love how simple and fun it is. If you can overlook its flaws, you are
going to be in for one exciting ride.
