I know, I know, this game came out like a month and a half ago, but I have been meaning to gush about this game for quite some time, and tonight, lo-and-behold, I actually have some free time.

So, let’s just dive right in. First off, if you were a fan of the Sands of Time trilogy this game will not disappoint. Many of the familiar elements are still in play, including the acrobatics and heavy focus on puzzle solving. If you weren’t a fan of Sands of Time (like myself), or just never played it, this game will still please you.

I’m assuming if you’re reading this you are at least somewhat familiar with the basis of the Prince of Persia which is a lot of puzzle solving via bad ass acrobatics, including wall-running, pole swinging, and crank turning. This newest installment is the same at it’s core; you will still be navigating level after level running and jumping from wall to wall, climbing up, and sliding down via your gauntlet. The combat system is mano y mano, so don’t expect to be taking on multiple baddies at the same time, but I feel this doesn’t make it any less exciting, especially with the boss battles. The combat system is simple and responsive, but by no means a button masher; essentially each button represents a different attack (for the 360 for instance, X is a sword attack, Y is a magic attack, B is a gauntlet/grapple attack, and A is an aerial attack. I assure you it’s not a button masher as you will find yourself carefully considering which button you press next to best string together a combo to take out a 20 ft. Boulder God. This game also introduces a new character, Elika, that will assist you through the entire game as well as take on a central role in the story. At first I was a little concerned about the addition of Elika and whether or not she would actually be an asset or an annoyance, but I assure you, she’s an asset. She assists the Prince in lengthening jumps as well as allowing him to utilize magical platforms to get to hard to reach areas. Probably the most badass use of Elika is in the combat system in which she serves as a real asset when stringing combos together When she’s not in use she simply following the Prince around, mimicking his moves, and generally stays out of the way. The best way that they have incorporated Elika is eliminating “death” from the game. In the previous installments, if you die, you just start from the last checkpoint, there’s really no penalty to it, so why have it? Well, Prince of Perisa eliminates this conundrum by having Elika save you with magic. If you slip off a wall, or misjudge a long jump, Elika will pick you out of the sky and place you back on solid ground; also, if you are in battle and about to kick the bucket, Elika will throw herself between you and your attacker and blow them back with a blast of magic. I think it’s a great system, and even adds to the story itself.

As far as the story goes, it’s epic and gripping. You play as the Prince (actual name never revealed) who, in a sand storm, loses his donkey that is packed with gold and riches on his way back home. In the sand storm you find yourself in a strange land and in the middle of a chase between Elika and some guards. You save Elika from what turns out to be her father’s guards, and thus the adventure begins. Elika’s father has freed the vengeful ancient God Ahriman which has corrupted him, and their very kingdom. Along with Elika, you must travel from region to region fighting the corruption in each and relenquishing sacred fertile grounds that, once all healed, will assist in once again imprisoning Ahriman. As you go from land to land the story develops at a pleasing pace, learning more about Elika, Ahriman, and the King, and how they are all intertwined. However, you never really learn that much about the Prince as he dodges nearly every question with humor, which I am pleased to say, is actually funny. The voice acting is great, it always pleases me to play a game in which the voice actors actually commit to their roles, and this is one of those games. I don’t want to give away much of the story because half the fun of the game is experiencing the story unfolding as you play and to tell you every little detail would be to take away from the game experience itself.

If anything else, this game is a very beautiful game. The regions are gorgeously designed, from deserts to swamp lands, from temples to cities, each has been designed with care down to great detail. The charcters are attractive and their clothes flow realisitcally with each acrobatic maneuver. Once again, in the tradition of Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft has taken a lot of care with the look, feel, and design of the game.

The game is relatively medium/low in length of game play, I think it only took maybe 10-12 hours to complete the game at a relatively basic level and I would say the replay value, after you complete the story, is low. The end of the story is tragic, mysterious, but fulfilling (in the sense that you are gratified, but can’t wait for the sequel). After you play the game it really makes you ask questions about the character you are controlling, such as what are his actual intentions, what are his motivations, and was there even ever a lost donkey with riches and are you who you say you are. Not since Assassin’s Creed has a game make me look forward to a sequel so much, which considering both are products of Ubisoft, someone over there really knows what they are doing in terms of story telling and game involvement.

It’s hard for me to tell you to go out and drop the $50+ on a game that you will throroughly enjoy, but more than likely only play through once. So do yourself a favor and rent the game, I assure you you will not be disappointed. And if my abbreviated review didn’t convince you, here’s my favorite trailer for the game, I assure you, it’s about 90% gameplay footage! Enjoy!