Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown doesn’t have lengthy till it hits the cabinets, and the motion side-scroller continues to impress with its gameplay within the coming months earlier than launch. RPG Website already previewed The Misplaced Crown sport at Summer season Video games Fest earlier this yr, however Ubisoft invited us again once more for one final have a look at the sport earlier than launch.
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In my hands-on with the sport, I skilled the identical praiseworthy motion that James targeted on in his preview. Nevertheless, I additionally wished to give attention to the trouble the workforce put into the storytelling, even with out the wordiness of a typical role-playing sport. We already talked about what Prince of Persia provides as an motion sport with RPG parts, however right here’s what it provides by way of its story-building.
As a newcomer to the sequence, I didn’t know a lot about Prince of Persia first-hand earlier than trying additional into the franchise. Whereas most “Prince of Persia” titles have you ever play because the titular prince, The Misplaced Crown departs from that custom as you as an alternative take management of Sargon, a soldier from an elite Persian power known as The Immortals. Prince Ghassan, the most recent prince of Persia, nonetheless acts as a driving power within the plot, although. The Queen orders Sargon and the Immortals to rescue the prince after his kidnapping within the opening chapter, resulting in their entrapment within the cursed Mount Qaf.
The story begins on a battlefield, the place you shortly put your skills to the take a look at. Sargon strikes like a well-oiled machine. He’s a quick, fluid fighter who wields an arsenal of weapons and skills that you just choose up all through your traversal of Mount Qaf. Timing determines the distinction between touchdown a counterattack and shedding a bit of your well being bar. Dodge roll, leap, parry, and slash your means by the tutorial boss and to a brief night time of glory earlier than the actual deal. Nevertheless, motion is simply a part of the novelty.
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Ubisoft weaves the story into the totally different sections of Mount Qaf so that you can uncover. A curse has corrupted the movement of time within the space. One Immortal would possibly really feel as if he’s been in there for days, whereas Sargon solely remembers getting into the maze a few hours in the past. Sargon beneficial properties intel from fellow Immortals and meets mysterious NPCs just like the Magi Emporium, targeted on his mission of retrieving the kidnapped prince. His interactions make it in order that there isn’t a lot of a wait between tidbits of the story, one space constructing off one other with new data because the participant progresses. Certain, you would possibly have to slash your means by a few undead troopers, however a speaking head may be ready for you within the subsequent room.
There are smaller tales woven into the setting with facet quests and interactable objects, too. Etched into the stone relics close to the primary boss, I learn a narrative in regards to the manticore Jahandar and the way it was subdued by King Darius. These relics warned gamers of the boss’ toxic barbs. It’s a small trace on the form of fight to anticipate, even when you dive in blind like me and discover out in regards to the poison firsthand. Mentioned story additionally included some context in regards to the curse affecting Mount Qaf, although there’s lots extra in regards to the thriller to nonetheless be found.
That’s not all. Following that encounter was a legendary library full of crazed alchemists, complaining about crowding points and jail guards. Paradoxes come up. How are you going to wield your buddy Menolias’ bow whereas he’s utilizing it, roaming Mount Qaf himself? A moon-obsessed researcher pops out from behind a bookshelf, asking you to assist him with some form of facet quest. Thoughts you, that is solely the primary three hours of the sport from a Prince of Persia novice’s palms.
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In brief, this newest installment of the Prince of Persia appealed to me as an RPG fan with its distinctive storytelling approach. Nevertheless, if you wish to know the story for your self, you’ll must endure the unforgiving platforming and boss battles to get to the meat of it. I died rather a lot. You possibly can learn extra in regards to the motion and Metroidvania-like inspiration in our Summer season Video games Fest preview.
Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown launches on January 18, 2024, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Collection X|S, Nintendo Swap, and PC.