Prince of Persia (Xbox 360) review on HonestGamers

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Review by Felix Arabia
December 19, 2008

Prince of Persia is big dumb fun. Sorta. It’s a summer blockbuster B-movie turned platformer with some of the best looking visuals in recent memory. It has the script of a C-movie. But we didn’t come here to marvel at the dialogue. Instead we’re here to traipse around totally unrealistic worlds painted in wholesomely vivid color. I’m sure this game may summon the loathing of many with its irritating main character and patronizing gameplay. Even then, this game is worth a look, if only because it’s so enjoyable to look at.

I state that the game’s stages are entirely unrealistic because nowhere – certainly not in Persia or anywhere else on this planet, for that matter – can one find locales as exotic as the ones seen here. It’s interesting because the world is initially painted in doldrums thanks to an unscrupulous Persian deity, Ahriman. Apparently he prefers a world cast in shadow. I don’t. Liberated areas look gorgeous, both in technical appearance and artistically. It’s nice that the land is strewn with all sorts of columns and crumbling cliff edges cleverly doubling as a platformer’s paradise. When you first make your way past the first few areas, you’ll see just how impressive these stages truly are. They’re humongous, they’re intricate, and they’re fun to climb, especially when you’re unsure as to what lies ahead, and the feeling of anticipation is palpable. That’s when Prince of Persia shines brightest.

Too bad there isn’t a single challenge to be had.

Prince of Persia is easy, not simple. Simple would imply that the game lacks complexity, which it most certainly does not. The hero in this adventure, the Prince, is a swashbuckling acrobat. He has the ability to run, jump, climb, and swordfight, and he can do pretty much all of these tasks on any kind of surface, though we never see him clang blades while running across walls. The game is easy because the Prince’s companion, a mysterious princess named Elika, has some of the cheapest magic abilities ever. She can pull the Prince to safety at no penalty should he errantly jump into a pit. She can also summon a variety of incredibly useful techniques and attacks to further mitigate any inherent challenge that would have occurred in a world seemingly teeming with danger.

Elika holds the Prince’s hand throughout the entire way. There really isn’t any real source of satisfaction in completing an area, no matter how imposing or beautiful it looks, because you know that you’ll never be penalized for “dying.” Even when in combat against the sin spawn of Ahriman, there’s plenty of room for error. It gets to the point where you’re lulled into a complete sense of security, and no amount of reckless behavior can ruin it., because reckless behavior is technically not allowed.

At least you’re ensured to see all of the beautiful visuals if you stick to playing the game. However, I didn’t care for how the designers superficially extended the game’s playing time. Prince of Persia is not particularly lengthy. It would be even shorter if the Prince weren’t required to collect light orbs for Elika’s benefit. While it’s fun to explore new places, scouring every nook and cranny for collectables isn’t quite as exhilarating because, well, you’re scouring nooks and crannies for collectables. It’s not something interesting like valuable treasure. I mean, they’re light orbs! It would have been better had Ubi Soft Montreal just retained the sand time reversal gimmick. Elika cheapens the experience.

I’ve seen reviews comparing her to Yorda from ICO. That’s a poor comparison. Yorda was helpless. As Ico, you had to get her through one precarious event after another. In Prince of Persia, you depend on Elika, not the other way around. The Prince only likes her because he has a libido the size of the Persian Gulf. I think he would make an excellent fraternity bro. He’s plucky, he’s constantly trying to get with Elika, and he spews out lame one-liners like there’s no tomorrow.

“I could have had carpets this thick,” he says to Elika as he laments the loss of his donkey and her precious cargo. I wonder what a guy of his stature would do with a 6-inch-thick rug. Seriously, Elika’s trying to explain how to stop Ahriman from enslaving the world, and the Prince is talking about shag carpet.

Prince of Persia pokes fun at itself and its characters throughout, and I suppose that some may find this type of humor to be funny. It felt out of place to me. With the re-launch of such a famous video game franchise, I was expecting more dynamism to go along with the superb visuals. The art style is definitely pleasing, but it’s not worth the full price of admission. If you enjoy games that don’t offer any challenge, then add a few more points to this score. Otherwise Prince of Persia turns out to be a disappointment because it lacks the fire to go with the flair.

Rating
6	Good For the most part, this is a good game. It has its share of flaws, but you should find it above average overall.
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Game Profile & Content

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Staff Score (Avg): 6.0 User Score (Avg): N/A Press Score (Avg): 8.0
Reviews: 1 Guides: 0 Cheats: 0 Ratings: 3	High Scores: 0 Screenshots: 16 Videos: 0

Title: Prince of Persia
Genre: Action (Platformer)
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft
Release Date: December 2, 2008
ESRB: T
Save: 300KB
Platforms: GBC, SNES, GEN, NES, PC, GB, SMS, GG, Apple II, SCD, TGCD, X68K, PS3, AST, ACPC, X360

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