GAME OF THE WEEK:12 cert, Ubisoft, PS3 (also Xbox 360, Wii, DS, PSP) ****
It would be easy to be cynical about the latest
Prince of Persia
title. After all, it has arrived just as the film hits cinemas. It has also removed some of the elements that made previous titles so enjoyable – the open world element, for example.
However, the game is more than just a lazy tie-in. There are new characters, a new storyline and new abilities for the main character that make it an enjoyable addition.
Set between The Sands of Timeand Warrior Within, the title character arrives at his brother's palace to find it under siege. To save the kingdom, the decision is made to use the power of the sand in a last-ditch attempt which, predictably, doesn't work out quite how you would hope.
Narrated by the prince himself, the story takes you on an epic battle against the kingdom’s enemies. To help on your way, you have the now-familiar agility of the prince, running up walls and hurling himself across ledges.
The new title brings in some pretty good powers, including the ability to freeze and unfreeze water and solidify sand. It all has a purpose – the mastery over nature will allow you to reach seemingly impossible targets.
As with some of the best PoP games, this is cleverer than the average arcade game. Like previous titles, you will need to think about various puzzles before beginning or you might wind up failing miserably.
It’s not perfect, by any stretch of the imagination. At times, the game can suffer from some bad camera angles that make it all too easy to make a wrong step, with sometimes severe consequences – plunging to your death, for one.
The combat system is also boringly easy, with enemies despatched in just a few sword strokes, and no real danger from opponents, at least in the early levels.
Which brings me to another difficulty of the game: the early sections are a little too familiar if you have played previous titles.
But persist, and you’ll find an interesting game beneath the surface that outweighs the hype.
