14 DAY TRIAL // Ubisoft has certainly been a very busy company this holiday season, as it has launched quite a lot of titles, aimed at a variety of audiences. With the likes of Far Cry 2 for shooter fans or Tom Clancy's EndWar for people who like strategy games, the players who enjoyed some classic action adventure with platforming elements were left waiting until a couple of weeks ago when Prince of Persia came out.
Set out to be a fresh revival of the famous series, which started in the 1989, this new game will deliver to you a completely new Prince, very different from the one from the Sands of Time trilogy, which sported a dark and emo side to him. Complete with an original drawing style, a more humorous personality and a new sidekick, in the form of Princess Elika, this game promises to be a very interesting title, which will deliver some great platforming action. So, is this new Prince worthy of our attention? Well here's our one hour with the PC version:
15:00 After quite a lot of fiddling with my graphics driver, because the game seems to not like my PC configuration, I start up the game.
15:05 Some very interesting and eye-catching intro screens prepare you for the very different feel that this game has. The main menu screen shows you the two main protagonists, the Prince and Elika, in a very surreal background.
15:15 The game isn't really that annoying in what regards the story elements, as it only delivers the most basic instructions to you. Because you reached this mythical land, while you were trying to find your donkey, you are now trapped here. You now must follow this mysterious girl while jumping from cliff to cliff or by clinging to the walls.
15:25 The combat system is very interesting, as it forces you to rely on combos between your sword, gauntlet and acrobatic moves. The first guards were no match for you, but now it seems that a bigger opponent is stepping into the ring, and he looks quite upset.
15:35 After some troubling times, you now have defeated your opponent, but before you can rest, you see that the Tree Of Life, the force that keeps the kingdom safe has been destroyed and corruption begins to spread out.
15:40 After a few cutscenes, you are tasked with a noble mission: you and your newfound companion must venture out into the different lands of the kingdom and defeat the various monsters that Ahriman, an evil god, has released upon them. It won't be easy, but let's just say that Elika and your character have a few tricks up their sleeves.
15:50 It really is impossible to die in this game, as if your jump is too short, Elika can always give you a small boost, and if you fall, she'll return you to the nearest platform. When you battle the evil monsters, you can also use Elika's power to stop the creatures' finishing blow and to help you with various combo moves.
16:00 The first temple is free from corruption, but many more await. Who knows what evil monsters will appear in the paths of your heroes… all that's left for you to do is jump on the nearest platform and continue the journey.
All in all, Prince of Persia looks very well put together and will certainly entertain quite a lot of players. The unique drawing style and the combo moves are sure to make a pretty big impression on everyone and the story seems pretty solid. Let's just hope that this new Prince will make his royal heritage proud.