Is there a popular game series that's been rebooted as many times as Prince of Persia? There aren't many. Although the platforming elements have stayed the same, the Prince's adventures have spanned from clock-watching tension to the wall-leaping runs of a royal brat who must undo a fatal mistake. The newest Prince of Persia adventure marks a departure for the series. In the Xbox 360 game, the Prince defies death rather than time, and gamers are all the better for the decision. During a time in which titles are being designed to appeal to both the dabbler and the insatiable gamer, Prince of Persia epitomizes a satisfying compromise.
Sterling: I'm a sucker for games like Prince of Persia, that have beautiful art design merged with gameplay that strikes a nice balance between engaging and challenging. No, you can't die, but that doesn't mean that you won't snap your neck a few times going after those light seeds.
Allen: I did feel like some of the challenge and the "gaminess" of the series was lost by not being able to die in this incarnation, but it was more than made up for in the sheer joy of pulling off the Prince's superhuman acrobatics and bouncing around a world that's designed as a playground. That's always been the appeal of these games -- not the saving and restoring.Sterling: It's wondrous in that sense. In contrast to Assassin's Creed, a game from the same studio, there aren't so many punishing (and seemingly arbitrary) consequences to muck things up and prevent you from enjoying the wonderful environments that the team cooked up. Plus, the acrobatics were as pleasing to control as to watch.Allen: I think that's really the secret of this game. The developers weren't stuck in some arbitrary list of things the game must have. There is challenge -- some of those seeds are really hard to get. They just trusted that the running, jumping and exploration were enough to carry the game and they wanted the player to do as much of it as possible.Sterling: And then there's Elika. I'd take her over a sandy dagger any day of the week. She pushes the game forward, not through narrative but through pacing. Despite the caterwaul about (lack of) difficulty, I believe most gamers actually like to finish the games they buy, and this game was well-designed to be enjoyed and beaten. It's hands-down one of the most exhilarating action titles I've played on 360.Allen: You know what? I hadn't even thought of Elika that way, but you're right -- she is the Dagger of Time! They managed to get the rewind mechanic in, eliminate saving and restoring, and add in an attractive and useful companion character to boot. I remember at E3 one of the developers saying that they wanted Elika to always be a helper and never get in the way. She totally worked out that way and her presence actually expands the range of things the player can do.Sterling: And that's why Prince of Persia succeeds where other games fail.
