Ubisoft is attempting to rejuvenate the Prince of Persia franchise this time around, with eye-catching illustration-style graphics and a new female sidekick. From the short hands-on time TheGameReviews spent with Prince of Persia it looks to be an accessible and broadly appealing title.
In this installment, the tone appears to have taken a turn to the comical with cheesy grins, quip-filled dialog and a romantic interest. Early cut-scenes throw in some slapstick comedy and close-ups reveal the Prince to have a slightly unnerving toothy grin fixed to his face. Defeating the early enemy guards resulted in a child-friendly but potentially annoying cut scene the foes running away. The whole game had more of a Disney’s Aladdin feel than what you might associate with the Prince of Persia.
The new art direction is beautiful and stylish. The series has, in a sense, pulled a Wind Waker, with cell-shaded/illustrated style characters that stand out against a more realistic environment. Super-fluid animations of the Prince’s movements and trails of fabric as he athletically and unfeasibly bounds along vertical walls make it look even better in motion. The game promises an open world structure with players choosing their own path through the game. The environments are quite fantastical in scale and theme and have plenty of opportunity to climb to vertigo inducing heights.
Elika, your computer-controlled buddy, has magical powers, including the ability to prevent the Prince from dying every time he falls. If a platform is missed, Elika will save you from your doom with a splash of blue magical energy as a magic hand extends to yours and returns you to safety. If only they’d met 18 years ago, I’d have witnessed a lot less impalements. Elika can also team up in combat to deliver some fantastic double team combos using her magic abilities and trapeze artist-style acrobatics. She also allows for double jumps to negotiate large gaps and will presumably be integral to a number of puzzle elements.
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