Composed to Perfection

I've heard several times that if the player doesn't notice the music, then the composer did their job right. If that's the case, then Inon Zur (the composer for Prince of Persia) succeeded. Many times I felt my excitement rising without knowing why, and it wasn't until later that I realized the music was going along with the action. The songs are all adventurous, mystical, or threatening, fitting the mood when appropriate. The only problems I encountered were the times when I was swinging along and the music would suddenly drop out completely. The game itself didn't stutter but the music and sound did. It would come back after a second but it was a strange occurrence.

The voice acting is also spot-on. I like the new Prince. Snarky without being too mean, he comes across as a realist who's seen the world and laughs at it when he can. While he may not be as serious as Prince's of the past, he fits the tone of the new series. Elika is also a favorite; she's strong female that isn't over sexualized like most characters are. An unlockable Jade skin from Beyond Good & Evil is actually a nice fit. I was surprised at how much characterization was provided to the villains through the voice acting. You really get a sense of who they were and why they chose their paths.

Playing Through Persia

The highlight of the entire game as far as the platforming is concerned is the final area. It is a virtual gauntlet of all the platforming challenges you've encountered up to that point and it really feels like an old-school platformer. It's like the game says, "Alright, we've taught you everything, let's see how you mastered it." The part is immensely satisfying to work through and the sense of accomplishment is spot-on.

The combat differs from the past POP trilogy in that all fights are one on one. No new moves open up, and the fighting never really changes other than tactics necessary for a particular boss. Speaking of the bosses, you could definitely claim that POP has Capcom syndrome, as you fight each one six times before you can move on to the final battle. It might sound excessive, but it's a nice release once you get past all the platforming.

The Trophy and Achievement fans shouldn't worry about the combat though. There are specific awards you can collect based off combat - one for each boss, performing every combo, and performing a 14-hit combo, the last two being especially challenging. The Trophy/Achievement system really helps the game in my eyes. It does what the system should do; provide challenges in order to extend your playtime with a game.

The final complaint that I've heard levied against the game is its lack of challenge. I couldn't disagree more. I don't think I've ever died more in a game. Yes, it can be considered trial and error, but I'd prefer Elika's saving grasps over a save point or check point system any day. If it had been any other method, the flow would have been messed with and the game as a whole would have been more frustrating than it has any right to be.

Wrapping Up

The main draw of a game is hard to pin down. On one hand, the entire game it can be viewed as an extended quick-time event, but on the other, there's still a sense of exploration and adventure as you traverse through the hazardous locations. The button responses were good and I never felt that it was the game's fault when I screwed. The best moments were when I was being chased or running low on time. It really felt like there was a lot counting on me to succeed.

The game feels worth a purchase. It took me about 15 hours to complete and I made sure to hear every story element and collect every light seed. If you're a trophy buff, you can maybe get all of them in one go, but I think it'll take two playthroughs. The gameplay and combat is quite different from previous games, so I'm sure it won't work for everyone. With that said, I think the new Prince of Persia is a wonderful return to form and worth a try to anyone even slightly interested.