Metascore

Universal acclaim - based on 44 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 109 Ratings

  • Summary: Amidst the sands of ancient Persia, a young Prince unleashes a deadly evil. Embark on a harrowing quest to restore peace and the fabric of Time. Embody a legendary hero with gravity-defying acrobatics, ferocious fighting combos, and the ability to bend time to fulfill his bidding. Wield the power of the Sands of Time - a mythical force allowing the Prince to erase the past, behold the future, and freeze the present. You'll uncover the mysteries of a world never before explored in action-adventure gaming. Ancient Persia, mythical and deadly, holds a staggering array of landscapes and kingdoms to explore and conquer. [Ubi Soft] Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 44 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 44
  3. Negative: 0 out of 44
  1. It's simply so well executed that when you blow past some difficult parts simply because the game controls so well, you'll begin to think it's all you. That's the mark of a brilliantly designed game...I can't recommend this one highly enough.
  2. Featuring some of the most elaborate and astonishing art work and animation the videogame industry has ever seen, POP definitively raises the bar on visual presentation. I have never seen more detailed and engaging art on the PlayStation 2.
  3. 100
    The gameplay has just the right balance of challenging puzzles and finger-numbing battles to deliver an exceptional adventure whether you’re royalty or not.
  4. The enchanting, soft and glossy graphics will draw you in; the spot-on controls and level design come together with what's one of the best-integrated and most sophisticated storylines I've ever seen in a game, and will keep you there, stuck like a genie in a bottle.

See all 44 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 50
  2. Negative: 2 out of 50
  1. DragonKnight
    10
    This is a great game. A masterpiece, the graphics are simply amazing and are filled with visual beauty, the sound is amazing and immerses you into the Prince's world. The way they made the Prince is exactly how you'd picture him, if you played the original Prince of Persia, it's obvious to see he's not a muscle-bound warrior, he's an agile trickster. Which is exactly how they portrayed him and exactly how most of us have probably envisioned him in 3D. The story, while nothing special, is pretty good. The camera work is phenomenal it follows you perfectly and you never have a single problem with it, I love it when it changes to give you a more cinematic look while not disrupting gameplay in the least. The puzzles are amazing and require you to think, and I love games that make me think. The combat is this game's weakest aspect, it's not all that fun, you get bored with it pretty quickly. Though it's too small of a gripe to knock it down a point. Buy it, you will not be disappointed. Simply beautiful. Purely and simply beautiful. Expand
  2. Fifteen years after the original Ubisoft released the revamped Prince of Persia in The Sands of Time which managed to maintain the charm of the 2D game whilst simultaneously creating something truly unique.

    The game begins with the prince defeating Maharajah and then accidently unleashing The Sands of Time, an evil force that transforms the population into demons. Throughout his quest the prince has to traverse his fathers huge palace relying on his wits and acrobatic skills to avoid traps and enemies intent on his destruction. The controls for both movement and combat are virtually flawless and it quickly becomes second nature to throw the prince around the beautiful environment. The most interesting aspect however is that any mistakes made can be rewound (providing you have energy in the dagger) allowing the player to take ample risks and ensuring that a miss-timed jump is not punished by an instant death. This helps to make the game far less frustrating than it may otherwise have been.

    During his travels the Prince also meets a beautiful but independent princess and their relationship becomes central to the plot and gameplay of The Sands of Time. On the odd occasion this can become slightly irritating, as the death of the princess during combat means having to restart that section, but overall their interaction is a joy to watch and helps make for a clever finale.

    Two sequels have since been released and, while they certainly remove some of the frustrations of this first title, they also lack the charm and intelligence that The Sands of Time provided meaning this is still the pinnacle of the series.
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  3. Luke
    7
    This game was good, dont get me wrong, but i finished it the first night i bought it. I suggest if you cant get it for $30 then rent it
  4. JamesR.
    4
    It's ok, the only problem it is too short and easy. I expected much more from this game. Truly disappointing.

See all 50 User Reviews