Since the first Prince of Persia: Arabian Nights hit the SEGA Dreamcast in the year 2000, I’ve always exalted the series as one of my favourites. A dark-toned action-adventure mixed with a coat of Persian “One Thousand and One Nights” paint crafted by Jordan Mechner, is how I would have defined the series back then. Luckily for me, I had the opportunity to go hands-on with the latest entry in the Ubisoft series, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.
During my time with the title, the 3D gameplay elements of 2003’s Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, tank controls, and the familiar unnamed protagonist were not on the menu; instead, the original 2D presentation, Metroidvania gameplay, and Sargon, a new face of the franchise, were.
New Story, A Prince In Peril
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown has a brand-new story of offer. You are a member of an elite group of warriors called The Immortals (no relation to Immortals of Aveum, or Marvel), and you’re immediately tasked with saving a city called Persepolis from an invading force of enemies led by General Uvishka. This invasion scene doubles as a sneaky tutorial that serves its purpose, and controlling Sargon is smooth.
While advancing through the tutorial/Persepolis Sargon will come across other Immortals, like Orod, a hulking mass with a double-sided anchor-shaped spear that goads you forward with a friendly ‘kill counter’ boast. One thing is for certain, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown feels a lot less lonely with this band of characters and the splendid voice work on display showcases the characters’ comradery. A supporting cast that feels ready to actually support.
After bringing down the colossal General with crisp combat controls, you’re introduced to the Kingdom of Persia and Queen Thomyris, who rewards Sargon for a job well done. The storyline moves forward at a solid pace and without spoilers, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown pedals a quest worth following.
But First, Let Me Draw My Swords
Not all is different in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Sargon comes equipped with dual-wielded sharp-edged weapons, like his unnamed predecessor dual-wielded a sword and the Dagger of Time. Sargon can do all the Metroidvania greatest hits moves, a Belmont-like slide, a Samus Aran-ian wall jump, and melee combos are deployed to make short work of stages. Sargon can also parry enemies, and when it is done perfectly, he rips his opponent to shreds with a counterattack that comes with a flourish (like the unnamed prince in Warrior Within). This truly makes you feel like the strongest Immortal on the battlefield, the flourishes just feel good to perform.
During my time with the demo, I was also able to unlock an aerial dash — feels remarkably like the Mothwing Cloak from Hollow Knight — to help navigate the setting. Surprisingly, the aerial dash helped with combat, giving Sargon a leg up on his opponents with mobility.
“The feeling of triumph when bringing down a tough boss (especially one in the centre of a coliseum) is momentous.”
When performing well in combat, Sargon earns a special metre called Athra. This metre activates special powers called Athra Surges, which are a must in combat (when playing on Normal or harder difficulty at least) and help Sargon overcome his enemies easily. I was able to unlock a charged level one attack that charges forward and stabs enemies, and a level two defensive stance that heals Sargon called Bahman’s Breath. Managing this metre and using the attacks are paramount for survival.
The biggest challenge of my brief time with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, was the last boss fight I had to contend with, the fearsome Manticore Jahandar. This boss fight comes with three stages, and each continually get harder. Jahandar attempts to charge the player, impale the player with scorpion tail brutality, and use dark magic to shorten Sargon’s life. This boss fight was a culmination of the knowledge the player has gained up to this point, and by utilizing all of it effectively, Jahandar’s fearsome roar becomes a meek purr. The feeling of triumph when bringing down a tough boss (especially one in the centre of a coliseum) is momentous.
Compass Anyone?
Sargon can weave these many functions together (including other powers down the line) to become a walking death machine that can overcome any combatants. Sargon also comes equipped with potions (which can be upgraded), adding a Blasphemous healing function to extend exploration without needing to backtrack to a Wak-Wak tree for healing. Speaking of…
“…my time with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown felt like embracing a Metroidvania family member you haven’t seen in a while.”
Save points are white-leaved trees called Wak-Wak trees, and a fun mask guide character called Kamil pops out and says hello now and then, while also giving Sargon necessary upgrades. It’s important to note for those who dislike getting lost in Metroidvania titles, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown has your back and has included a ‘Guided’ mode, to keep directionally challenged navigators on the right path. This is a great quality-of-life addition for players to choose if they want navigational help or not. I love getting lost, and it is in the title after all.
It’s worth noting that Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown may feel like the original title due to the 2D presentation, it is faster. The original Prince of Persia would demand the player exercise patience in gruelling platforming sequences, but The Lost Crown almost dares you to go faster, which in turn feels better overall. A faster pace to Persia in 2D is the right move. For the Persia-purists however, some segments REALLY test your patience.
Like other Metroidvania titles, as Sargon explores, the map will reveal itself, so backtracking is a cinch. Many of the obstacles you will find in your travels will be impossible to cross on first inspection, but when Sargon returns with the proper ability, he can then cross for worthy rewards or, better yet, another way forward. Exploration is fun, and finding new secrets gave me the same endorphins a solid wall-chicken in Super Castlevania IV would. Just an overall Halloween good-candy-feel to find goodies.
All in all, my time with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown felt like embracing a Metroidvania family member you haven’t seen in a while. The setting cleverly fills the Prince of Persia fan in me with nostalgia, to the point of it feeling like I never left the palace from Arabian Nights. Interestingly, the new 2D exploration also feels like a nostalgia trip with all the Metroidvania inspirations the title has used from other stalwart examples in the genre, don’t get me wrong though, these are excellent design choices. Fans will get a chance to finish the fight as Sargon when Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown launches on January 18, 2024
