After a long 13-year hiatus, Ubisoft has brought the esteemed Prince of Persia franchise back from the annals of gaming history with a new title: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. However, the developers have decided to take a bold detour, veering away from the 3D action platforming we’ve become accustomed to in recent years and reverting to the franchise’s 2D roots, reminiscent of the original 1989 Apple II release.
We are not playing as the titular prince for the first time in the series. Our protagonist, Sargon, a warrior who exudes a coolness that puts even the iciest freezer to shame, is charged with navigating through dangerous ninth-century Persia, evading deadly traps and obstacles as he quests to locate missing royalty. Fans of the older games will be greeted with a sense of familiarity mixed with modern elements, as The Lost Crown incorporates temporal-bending abilities reminiscent of the ones found in 2003’s The Sands of Time.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is that it isn’t just a throwback to the franchise’s origins; Ubisoft Montpellier has been daring, reframing the game as a full-fledged Metroidvania. The interconnected map is sprawling, guiding players from eerie dungeons to the peaks of mythical Mount Qaf, from Persian folklore. The classic level design merges with quintessential Metroidvania mechanics, complete with precise swordplay, intricate jumping puzzles, challenging bosses, and a collection of amulets to enhance Sargon’s capabilities.
“A true Metroidvania, The Lost Crown boasts a complex, interconnected, labyrinthine map that twists and turns…”
The game’s narrative centers around a group of warriors, The Immortals, with Sargon as their youngest member. Interestingly, as mentioned above, you are not playing as the prince; instead, you’re tasked with the mission to find him. This narrative departure, coupled with an apparent comic book and manga influence in character design, signals a new direction for the Prince of Persia series, and even with the short time I had with the game, I love what they are doing with the franchise. While I loved the past Ubisoft Prince of Persia games, The Lost Crown has a sense of freshness to it that makes it hard to ignore.
A true Metroidvania, The Lost Crown boasts a complex, interconnected, labyrinthine map that twists and turns, often leading the player back to familiar locations or checkpoints, such as the area’s Wak-Wak Tree (the games checkpoint system). The game also emphasizes intricate platforming challenges that gradually increase in difficulty, and let me tell you, some of them can get very tricky, and you will die a lot.
Your adversaries throughout these challenges aren’t mere sword-wielding foes. Expect to face enemies inspired by Persian folklore, each designed to provide unique confrontations. Battles are a thrilling dance of strikes and parries, encouraging you to time your defences for that gratifying perfect parry. The combat is the usual “easy to learn, hard to master” fair, but for anyone used to this style of game, it feels fantastic. Once I had a hang of things, I was eager to test my skills and see what my character could do. From arrows to many styles of swordplay, The Lost Crown gives players plenty of ways to take down enemies.
Perhaps the most exhilarating encounters in the game come in the form of boss battles. The Manticore provided a thrilling showcase of what to expect from the title’s major confrontations. Engaging in these fierce showdowns felt honed, precise and truly invigorating. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to be challenged by the first major boss fight, but The Lost Crown managed to throw in some unique tricks as the battle progressed, and the game takes it for granted that you’ve learned the systems or you won’t last long.
“Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is indeed a surprising but promising departure from the norms of the franchise. It’s a respectful nod to the series’ origins mixed with modern gaming elements.”
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown also retains the franchise’s signature time mechanics, although they are relatively subdued compared to their counterparts in the Sands of Time series. However, they do serve a strategic purpose, allowing for clever combat manoeuvres and acting as a fail-safe during platforming sequences. I even managed to use them on the boss, and while it takes some getting used to, I can see players using the mechanic to interesting and exciting effect.
Amulets add an extra layer of depth to the gameplay. These items modify your abilities and offer a variety of strategic options. From setting your arrows on fire to restoring health after successful parries, these amulets could prove crucial in making the game’s combat truly dynamic. I liked what I saw of this aspect, but with a limited demo, it is hard to say how important it will be in the final release.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is indeed a surprising but promising departure from the norms of the franchise. It’s a respectful nod to the series’ origins mixed with modern gaming elements. While the time-bending powers may lack the grandeur of the Sands of Time trilogy, the basic combat and platforming mechanics are solid, challenging and satisfying. There is hope that the game will continue to build on these solid foundations, with memorable bosses, intriguing enemy types and a diverse range of ability upgrades keeping the gameplay engaging and dynamic.
“If The Lost Crown is any indication, it seems like the sands of time are still flowing in favour of the Prince of Persia.”
Ubisoft Montpellier’s Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown may not be the sequel fans were hoping for after a 13-year hiatus, but it’s an adventurous venture into new territory that shows great promise. With Sargon at the helm, his stylish parries and temporal powers, and a complex world created with an engaging mix of familiar and fresh design elements, it makes for an exciting experience that could very well reinvigorate the franchise.
The Lost Crown is a bold reimagining of Prince of Persia’s legacy. While unexpected, its shift to the Metroidvania genre seems to be executed with an understanding and respect for what fans loved about the original series, coupled with an ambitious vision for what it could become.
Although it’s a surprising direction for the franchise, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is shaping up to be a potential gem in Ubisoft’s crown; with its intricate design, engaging gameplay, and brave new direction, it could serve as a satisfying next chapter in the Prince of Persia saga.
Come January 18th of next year, we’ll see if this mix of old and new, familiar and innovative, can help the Prince of Persia franchise reclaim its throne. We eagerly await its release on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles, as well as PC and Amazon Luna. If The Lost Crown is any indication, it seems like the sands of time are still flowing in favour of the Prince of Persia.
