Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

"The Unknown Gem of the Christmas Season"

PoP: Sand of Time was an unexpected hit for the PS2. It featured an excellent fighting system, an intriguing story, and a wonderful little group of characters. It was pure fun, and a game of whose gameplay alone was worth replayability. So, it comes as no surprise that it would get a sequel. Sure enough, many people looked forward to PoP2, aptly named Warrior Within. And if you're now wondering is it worth the time to play, the answer is yes. That yes, however, is marred by a few things.

First of all, this game is not the innovation the first one was. There are a few changes to it, but for the most part, it's the same game. Not to say that it's a bad thing, as these things are what make the series so great, but it's the changes they did make which are not as welcome as one might expect.

A lot has changed since SoT. It's been two years, and in that time, the prince has been chased by the Dahaka, a shadow beast that acts as the guardian of time. He has hunted the prince for his life, and the prince has had to flee. Finally having enough, the prince sets on a quest to undo his fate by going back to the very island where the sands of time were created. There, he plans to prevent their creation, therefore preventing the Dahaka from having a reason to hunt him. At first, this story seems to drag a bit, as your quest is really a lot like the first game: get from point A to point B and do something to complete the whole game. However, the game takes many twists and turns. Just when you think the game is going to end, you are quested with something else to do. This is both a good and a bad thing. The games plot plays with the timeline a lot, and you travel back and forth from present to past, but this also requires you to cover a lot of area you had previously covered. While it makes for a very interesting story, the going back and forth in areas gets repeptitive. And it doesn't help that you don't have someone like Farah to keep you company this time. That's right, you're all alone. Not only this, but the prince is not a veyr nice guy. He's not out to save anyone but himself, and he overlooks the consequences of his actions as he proceeds to save his own butt. In fact, there are really no characters in the game that are likeable. Instead, everyone seems to be cold and interested in only themselves. This certainly makes for somewhat of a compelling plot, but most of the time the personalities just aren't that welcome, or at leats not like they were in the first game. By the end, there is much to be desired from the story and characters.

Thankfully, the gameplay has improved a great deal. While these things are minor, as a package they go well together. And once you play you will see why. The enemies are no longer pushovers. They are tough and come in abundance. To combat them, you are equiped with acrobatic skills that let you bound off walls, swing around poles, and bound over enemies. You can now use two weapons, handling a primary weapon and a secondary weapon that varies from daggers to maces. This wide range of weaponary and acrobatic attacks allows you to posses a large attack list that you can combine in a countless number of ways. This would be great, if it came in more handy. Instead, you will most likely find yourself limiting your attacks to a handful of the options presented to you. Not to say this isn't a good selection, but all those moves are not a whole lot more than window dressing. What is most appealing, as it probably was in the first game, are the environments. The traps and pitfalls are still there, and nearly every room is like a puzzle, getting progressively harder as you move on in the game. Some of the most intense experiences of any game are jam packed into this game, and the difference between life and death rests in decisions that have to be made in seconds. Quick hand and eye coordination is a requirment for this game. Anyone whose played the original will find this all familiar times five.

The technical achievments are pretty much the same, if not larger. The environments are a bit darker and more looming, though not as wonderous as the original game. One of the better environments is a garden like area that truly pushes the art design into the more fantastical arena. The sound is excellent, and the music is good, though not as welcome a soundtrack as the original had. The music matches the personality of the game, with heavy metal as the primary genre and a mid eastern twist. Depending on how much you like the personality of the game, this will judge your opinion of the soundtrack. The major problem with the technical stuff is the camera. Once again, we are in for a bit of a cinematic experience, but at times, the camera angle works against the player and it's hard for one to tell where to go next. It wouldn't be as much of an issue, if it weren't required for the prince to go to areas that most games won't take us. While jumping from tiny ledge to tiny ledge, we would like to see where it is we are jumping too. If it weren't for having our sand induced time twisting gameplay effects, it might be a lot harder to get through the game.

Over all, the game is a gem. It's truly worth the experience, although I haven't decided if it's worth buying yet or not. If you're looking for something else this season, amidst all the more popular titles, PoP: WW should be your first choice.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 12/06/04