Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown – A Thrilling Ride With A Few Stumbles
The resurgence in Metroidvania and action-adventure platformers has been undeniable, with titles like Ori and the Blind Forest, Hollow Knight, and Dead Cells breathing new life into the genre. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Ubisoft’s latest addition to this burgeoning scene, weaves together elements from these acclaimed games. It boasts a unique blend of fast-paced combat, intricate level design, and challenging platforming, all within a captivating Persian setting. However, while The Lost Crown delivers a truly enjoyable experience, it doesn’t entirely escape the pitfalls of its inspiration, falling into a few predictable traps and stumbling in its quest to deliver a truly memorable adventure.
A Labyrinth of Time and Trials
The Lost Crown throws players into the heart of a Kushan invasion of the Persian empire. Sargon, an Immortal with supernatural abilities, is tasked with repelling the invaders. This opening acts as both a narrative introduction and a crash course in the game’s mechanics. As the story unfolds, Sargon’s mentor, General Anahita, betrays him, abducting Prince Ghassan, and vanishes into the mythical Mount Qaf. This sets Sargon on a perilous journey to reclaim the prince, traversing the labyrinthine mountain and encountering numerous trials along the way.
Mount Qaf, a cornerstone of the game’s setting, is a masterful blend of diverse biomes, each with its own unique atmosphere and challenges. From the eerie Catacombs and the elusive Sacred Archives to the treacherous Temple of Knowledge and the sprawling Hyrcanian Forest, the mountain offers a captivating tapestry of exploration and challenge. This interconnected network of environments is a hallmark of the Metroidvania genre, and The Lost Crown executes it with flair. As players progress, the map expands, revealing hidden connections and previously inaccessible areas, offering a constant sense of discovery.
Time’s Unpredictable Dance
Mount Qaf is not merely a physical labyrinth, it’s a temporal one as well. The mountain bends and warps the flow of time, presenting Sargon with encounters from past and future. Players will meet characters who recognize them despite never having interacted with them, and witness time flowing at different speeds across the mountain’s regions. This intriguing concept, however, doesn’t quite reach its full potential in the narrative. While the temporal element adds a layer of intrigue, it feels more like a clever design element than a driving force, ultimately lacking the depth needed to truly captivate.
A Symphony of Combat and Movement
The Lost Crown shines brightest in its action and platforming systems. Sargon’s combat arsenal is both satisfying and diverse, offering a thrilling blend of acrobatic agility and devastating blows. The dual swords, Qays and Layla, are the foundation of Sargon’s combat prowess, offering a variety of combos, including light attacks, air attacks, and powerful Athra-fueled strikes.
Mastering the Dance of Death
Parrying, a cornerstone of modern action games, plays a significant role in The Lost Crown. Successfully parrying enemy attacks not only negates damage but also opens opportunities for devastating counterattacks, fueling Sargon’s Athra meter and unlocking special Surge abilities. The game’s generous yet precise parry window ensures a rewarding challenge, rewarding those who master its timing with an exhilarating sense of mastery.
Boss fights are another highlight of The Lost Crown. These encounters are grand spectacles that utilize Sargon’s full repertoire of abilities. The battles demand strategic thinking and precise execution, forcing players to parry, dodge, and strike strategically. While early boss encounters are relatively manageable, the game raises the stakes significantly as Sargon acquires new abilities, leading to an escalating difficulty curve that, while enjoyable for seasoned players, might feel overwhelming for newcomers.
Platforming: A Double-Edged Sword
The Lost Crown’s platforming is both its strength and its greatest flaw. The game’s initial stages feature a steady progression of difficulty, seamlessly onboarding players to its mechanics, allowing them to gain confidence in Sargon’s acrobatic capabilities. However, this careful balance is disrupted in the later sections. The game throws in increasingly intense platforming challenges, demanding pinpoint precision and demanding flawless execution. One misstep, and the player is forced to restart the entire sequence, leading to a frustrating experience.
The Grind of Repetition
The Lost Crown’s optional platforming challenges are particularly notorious for their punishing difficulty. The game features Xerxes coins, essentially collectibles scattered across intricate platforming playgrounds that require a meticulous series of jumps and dashes to acquire. Although this echoes the gameplay of Celeste, the difference lies in the narrative context. Celeste’s challenging climbs mirrored the player’s personal struggles, making the grind feel purposeful. The Lost Crown, however, lacks this emotional depth, leaving players with a sense of monotonous repetition that diminishes the joy.
A Soundtrack That Soars
Despite its visual shortcomings, The Lost Crown’s soundtrack shines. Blending Persian and Western musical elements, the score beautifully complements the action, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience. While not reaching the legendary heights of Celeste’s soundtrack, The Lost Crown’s music manages to be more than just background noise, creating a memorable and captivating sonic experience.
The Prince’s Legacy
The Prince of Persia franchise has undergone numerous transformations throughout its history, evolving from 2D to 3D and experiencing several reinventions. The Lost Crown marks a significant departure for the series, embracing the 2.5D Metroidvania formula, a move that showcases Ubisoft Montpellier’s expertise honed through the development of the excellent Rayman games. This shift is a bold one, and it might be exactly what the Prince of Persia needed to stay relevant in a landscape dominated by sprawling open-world adventures.
The Lost Crown is not a game for everyone. It demands patience, skill, and a tolerance for high-stakes platforming sequences. However, for those who appreciate the intricate challenges of games like Dead Cells, Hollow Knight, and Celeste, The Lost Crown provides a captivating and challenging journey. Despite its flaws, The Lost Crown offers a fresh and exhilarating take on the Prince of Persia franchise, reaffirming his legacy as a captivating and enduring character in the gaming world.
