Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

"It's a short journey, but it's one that you'll remember forever"

I had never really heard of this new game, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, until I read a review at IGN. It was a very good one, so I became interested. As soon as the ''But Prince of Persia, Get Splinter Cell FREE'' deal came out, I didn't hesitate to get both. It was a choice I haven't regretted at all. Why is this game so great? Well, I'm about to tell you.

Story

The story for Sands of Time is definitely a bit deeper than most people give it credit for. You play the game as The Prince (who shall forever go nameless), who is the son of the King Sharaman of Persia, which is why he's called the Prince. During a war in Persia, the Prince sets out to earn honor and glory from his father, so he starts looking for a legendary Dagger of Time. He finds it, and accidentally unleashes a great evil upon the land. Everyone around him, from palace workers, palace guards, and even his own father, are turned into Sand Creatures.

And thus, the Prince, with his new Dagger, that allows him to turn back time, as well as freeze it, must go out and return the Dagger of Time to the hourglass, and turn back all the evil he's done. But not without the help of the beautiful Princess Farah, daughter of the Maharajah, who follows the Prince in his journeys.

As you progress through the game, the story gets deeper. All leading up to an end that I found very satisfying. But I won't spoil that here.

Score: 9.5/10

Graphics/Presentation

Put simply, the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is gorgeous. From the many elegant rooms of the palace, to the textures outside of it. There are few, if any, complaints here. The character models are detailed and varied, as are the backgrounds and many surroundings. Everywhere you look you'll be amazed. Animation is like nothing you've ever seen before. The Prince's moves are linked together so well that you'll flawlessly go from running up a wall to taking out your sword and slicing your enemy into pieces. Water and fog effects are gorgeous as well. And it all runs at a fluid 60 frames per second, with the exception of the occasional slowdown. But those are few and far between.

The presentation doesn't fail to impress either. Menus are simple, but look great. Well-made FMV cutscenes progress the story along, as they should. And the inclusion of the original PoP is a well-received extra. Good stuff all-around.

Score: 9.5/10

Sound

While not as good as the graphics, the sound isn't a disappointment. Music fits the whole ''medieval Persia'' theme. Sound effects are good too. Clings and clangs of your sword, pitter patter of your boots, trinkling of the dust as it falls to the ground. Everything sounds as it should. Compressed dialogue on the GCN is a definite downfall.

Score: 8/10

Controls

Controls for the GCN are just as good as the others. A is for jumping, B is for taking out your sword, and using it. R is the action button, so go up to a wall and press it to run up the wall. The system works very well. Using the Dagger of Time is easy, and not overly complicated. It's surprisingly easy to move the Prince around. And you never complain about that. My only complaint is that the camera can sometimes get annoying, especially during battles. But other than that it's good.

Score: 8.5/10

Gameplay

Nothing makes a good game better than great gameplay. And PoP does just that. It's fun, addicting, and basically everything else you'd look for in an action game. It's challenging at times, but it's do-able. So you'll want to keep going until you finish the room. It's intuitive the whole way through. My one and only complaint with it is that the battles are...lacking. They just don't live up to the rest of the game. Don't get me wrong though. The game is still fun, despite the battles. And fun it is.

Score: 9/10

Replay Value

This is the game's biggest setback. The journey is way too short. It's fun and challenging the whole way through. But when it's done you're just begging for more. You'll be committed to finish it, no doubt about that. Having the original Prince of Persia as an unlockable helps.

Score: 7/10

Final Verdict

This game is good. Not good, great. If you're a fan of action adventure games, do yourself a favor and BUY THIS GAME. If you're still a bit hesitant, then rent it first. But you might just be wasting the money to rent it. It's short, but it's definitely sweet.

FINAL SCORE: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 03/13/04