Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

"Short and Sweet!"

Although I have never played the original Prince of Persia's, that doesn't mean I can't enjoy this masterpiece by Ubisoft Montreal. Set in a distant past on a continent far, far away this game exemplifies how games should be done. Instead of making ''massive'' and ''engrossing'' games, they should be made like Prince of Persia: beautiful, focused and well-executed.

Gameplay

In a departure from the norm. Prince of Persia's main gameplay revolves around the acrobatics of the Prince. From wall jumping, to rope swinging and scaling breathtaking cliffs. It's kind of like the Persian Tarzan in a trippy palace. Yes, all these moves you start out with are necessary to solve all the puzzles in the game. As all involve utilizing your athletic ability to traverse the palace. Except for a few sections, the game asks you to step into a room, use your surroundings, and get from point A to point B. This might sound simple, but it's extremely fun in execution. In one area of the game, you are asked to run on the walls, press a switch, wall jump and then finally swing onto a ledge to safety. The perilous palace must be taken carefully, but what if you fail? Who do you call? Well, you possess the Dagger, which has the power to reverse time and help you out in case you take a bad fall or an accident. Although time manipulation has been done in the past, rewinding your actions is brilliant in this type of game. Instead of punishing players for failing a jump or making a mistake, the game lets you simply start over from moments ago. Some say this is too forgiving in a platforming game. But really, it allows players to explore and take chances. Also, the action will flow along rapidly nary a dull moment. But the Dagger and the Sands of Time also assists you in combat...

Combat

Combat is not a major part of the game. Yes, vaulting over enemies is fun, but you don't do too much of it. Fighting sand creatures is as simple as block, slash, slash and retrieve. Retrieving your fallen foes' sand will restore any Sand-tanks you've used before. Thus allowing you to use powers like Slow and Haste. Slow, well, slows down time like Max Payne and gives you a moment to recollect yourself. But haste, is an incredible power where enemies freeze and you have the ability to slash 'em to bits with impunity for a short while. Definitely a very cool effect. Overall, combat is good. It's not too deep so don't expect to learn new skills or anything. It does the job as a diversion to the environmental puzzles.

Camera

To put in simply, the camera does have a few problems. But with all the different angles like Landscape view, First Person view and others, it shouldn't be too tough to cope with the camera. All 3rd person games do suffer a bit from camera issues, this is game is no different. So don't think the camera spells death to this game. No, this isn't Tomb Raider! Just work with it and the camera will work for you.

Control

If this game suffered from control problems, that would mean probably a 6 on my scorecard. Instead, controlling the Prince and all his moves is pretty easy. The Prince is very fluid and responses to your every command. But, there is a little trouble when fighting enemies. The game auto lock on system will rarely target an enemy far away rather than the one next to you. But it's no big deal.

No matter what you are doing in Prince of Persia, the gameplay is polished and well thought out. Playing as the Prince is simple an enjoyable experience. But, there is only one gripe about the gameplay. It is too easy. The original POP's were, from what I've heard, pretty tough. This game chooses not to bog you down with difficulty. It works out sometimes if you like to rush through games. But in the end, bumping up a difficulty a bit will add to the satisfaction of beating the game.

Story

No it's not your typical rescue the princess affair. With witty dialogue, and a few gorgeous CG cutscenes advancing the plot, the story is pretty focused. It's a tale of revenge, pride, romance , restoration of honor and the struggle between good and evil. It's not epic by any stretch of the imagination, although the characters are quite personable. I found myself liking the Prince as a young man whose quest for honor and glory was met with such dire consequences. Also, Farrah, surprisingly independent and valuable proves that every hero needs an equally heroic lady by his side. There is a twist to the ending and overall, the plot drives towards a exhilarating climax and a satisfying denouement.

Graphics

Rendered to perfection, this game is beautiful in its unique, exotic way. The architecture is in line with the likes of Soul Reaver. What so special is the fact that when you take into account how incredibly smoothly the Prince animates, Prince of Persia oozes style. It's easy to get lost in the game because there's never any load time in the truly massive palace. Graphics is never an imperative for great games, but the animation and style of Prince of Persia truly adds to its distinct graphical flavor.

Sound

Never mind the lack of music in this game, the tunes in this game are a mix of rock and from what I know Middle Eastern melodies. Throw in some haunting vocals, and you got yourself a serviceable soundtrack. Yes, you don't hear the tunes often, but when you do, it emphasizes the action, making it ever more dramatic. Do I wish for more songs to be implemented? Probably, but it certainly doesn't prevented the soundtrack and the game from being all it can be.

Playtime/Replayability

Why didn't this game earn a 10? In my mind, the game was over way too quickly. However, during those 10 hours of gameplay, the game was a masterpiece. If only the game would've been about 5-6 hours longer, it would've been one of the greatest action-platformers of the console generation. Oh well.

In terms of unlockables, you can get a poorly ported version of the original Prince of Persia. That's for the hardcore fans to play through. Otherwise, the game is over and the credits roll.

Final Comment

Doesn't matter who you are, BUY THIS GAME! Especially if it's bundled with Splinter Cell! Although brief and easy. I like to call it short and sweet. Because I believe games of today try to do much: True Crime, GTA comes to mind. Prince of Persia is a gorgeous, focused, and well-executed game that isn't short of thrills. I like to compare it to a weekend vacation to Hawaii. It's beautiful, it's fun but boy I wish I could've stayed there forever. A game like this comes along once in a long time. Buy it, enjoy it, and wait for the sequel to come out!

Final Score

9/10 for Must Buy Game!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/22/04