Summary
ThePrince of Persiafranchise has been around for well over four decades now, but its history has been a bit of a tumultuous one. Whilethe original 1989Prince of Persiabroke new ground with its fluid platforming animations and mechanics, its sequels weren’t quite as well-received, especially 1999’sPrince of Persia 3D. A similar pattern then occurred forPrince of Persia: The Sands of Time, a beloved PS2 game that revived the franchise, but one that was followed by some disappointing sequels. For a while there, thePrince of Persiafranchise faded into distant memory, but this year’sPrince of Persia: The Lost Crownbrought the series back with a bang, andThe Rogue Prince of Persiahas finally broken the series cycle of bad follow-ups.
Coming just months after the first entry in over a decade,The Rogue Prince of Persiahad a tough job followingThe Lost Crown, but it’s made quite the initial impact. Released onto Steam early access,The Rogue Prince of Persia’s journey is only just beginning, but already the game goes out of its way to pay homage to the entries that came before it.
How The Rogue Prince of Persia Pays Homage to The Series' Past
The Rogue Prince of Persia Is Another Throwback to The Series' 2D Roots
Just likePrince of Persia: The Lost Crownearlier this year,The Rogue Prince of Persiahearkens back to the very original 1989Prince of Persiagame and its 1993 sequel. Much like those classic games,The Rogue Prince of Persiais a 2D action gamethat puts a heavy emphasis on platforming.
Players need to run, dash, and leap across chasms to get closer to their objective, along with avoiding a variety of familiar traps such as spike pits, rotating saws, and platforms that crumble away after stepping on them for too long. Of course,The Rogue Prince of Persiafeatures very modern platforming mechanics and controls, but its very essence as a 2D action-platformer is an inherent nod to the series' roots.
The Rogue Prince of Persia Has a Few Sands of Time Callbacks
The Rogue Prince of Persiaalso contains a few subtle callbacks to the belovedPrince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Probably the most obvious example isThe Rogue Prince of Persia’s fountain mechanic, whereby players can only recharge their healing flash and gain a substantial amount of health by drinking from a fountain at the start of each new biome, functioning very similarly to those found inSands of Time.
The Rogue Prince of Persiaalso puts a strong emphasis on athleticism and parkour, which seems to be inspired quite a bit byPrince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Players are able to run across walls, climb onto ledges, and bound off walls to gain height. While these mechanics have been around in2D platformersfor a while, the animations on display inRogue Prince of Persiaseem to share some similarities withSands of Time. Another subtle reference appears during combat, where players can vault over their opponents to avoid attacks and take a quick strike from behind, a core tactic ofSands of Time’s own combat.
The Rogue Prince of Persia
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience a fast-paced, challenging but accessible roguelite as you master acrobatic moves and flow seamlessly between platforming and combat. Find new weapons, equip trinkets with special effects and upgrade them to make your own builds. Discover new characters, information and areas as you attempt to find a way to save Persia from a Hun invasion and become the hero you have always wanted to be.Lead the Prince in his fight against a Hun army corrupted by dark shamanic magic and find your place in the royal family as you explore a vibrant reinterpretation of Persia. Put the pieces of the puzzle together and discover new areas as you enter the fight again and again, meeting a cast of colorful characters through non-linear story progression.Flow seamlessly between platforming and combat, using your acrobatic moves to outmaneuver and outsmart your enemies. Use the iconic wall-run to open new routes of attack, avoid traps and explore hard to reach areas. Kick and dodge to manage groups of enemies when the odds are against you.Choose from a variety of deadly weapons and equip new medallions each run to unleash devastating effects, giving you the freedom to change your fighting style as you wish. Secondary weapons offer even more options, from bows to shields to grappling hooks. Switch your loadout mid-run to adapt to new challenges.
