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Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

EMAIL PRINT pc

9.0 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 32 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 30 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Ubi Soft

Developer: Ubi Soft Montreal

Genre(s): Action, Adventure

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: December 2, 2003

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]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: GameSpot Preview(s) GameSpy Preview IGN Hands-On IGN Preview Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Computer Games Magazine

A must-have. It's an incredibly beautiful and artistic game that manages to balance eye-candy and gameplay gimmickry with truly solid game design, all paced with perfection. [Mar 2004, p.68]

100

Entertainment Weekly

Such forward-thinking ideas have paid off royally: This Prince is a worthy heir to the best videogame throne. [19 Dec 2003, p.L2T 20]

100

PC Arena

From beginning to end, you won't find a more entertaining title.

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100

GameNow

This is the kind of game that literally makes you forget you're playing a game, leaving you barely aware of your body and just totally consumed by the action onscreen.

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100

Maxim Online

But don’t take our word for it, because Prince won Best Action-Adventure Game at this year’s E3 expo. So it’s got that going for it…which is nice.

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GameZone

Prince of Persia has taken the best elements of UbiSoft's recent hits and combined them with a compelling storyline that gives gamers the best play in town so far this year.

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Game Chronicles

A landmark achievement in game design starting with the addictively fun core gameplay, instinctive controls, then rounding out the package with gorgeous visuals, stunning special effects, and professional sound work.

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1UP

I haven't played a better game all year.

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Game Over Online

Excellently produced, with intuitive, responsive controls, a deep, engaging storyline and immersive sound.

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Gamer.tv

Proves that a good game concept can be revived in style... a true, compulsive classic.

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TotalGames.net

Visually and aurally, Prince of Persia is right up there with the best that gaming has to offer, although a good gaming-spec machine is required in order to appreciate the finer points of the experience.

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Computer Gaming World

Thrillinng acrobatic action, though the controls and camera could be better. [Mar 2004, p.88]

Edge Magazine

The freedom of movement requires a new level of spatial imagination. Before Prince of Persia, platform games were like playing Tetris with only the blocks and bars. [Christmas 2003, p.100]

Worth Playing

The Sands of Time pulls off smart puzzles, extremely intense combat and a pretty sweet story to boot.

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Cincinnati Enquirer

A refreshingly smart, elegant adventure.

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Gamer's Hell

The graphics, the music (regular readers know that I’m not all that into music, yet THIS soundtrack is a definite buy if released), the level design, the fighting, the jumping, the story – I can’t think of a single thing that leaves behind anything else but a good impression.

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PC Gameworld

A great action/adventure game, with the highest of production values and a ton of consistently fun gameplay from start to finish.

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Eurogamer

A game that will live long in the memory, and needs to be played from time to time just to refresh the senses and reinvigorate the gamer inside us all.

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Adrenaline Vault

The gorgeous visuals and music, great story, responsive controls, excellent level design, and - most importantly - superb implementation of action moves make this a true winner.

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AtomicGamer

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a well-made revival of the classic action/adventure series with awesome graphics and jumping puzzles that are far less frustrating than you might expect.

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GameSpot

It's a fairly short game, and it's missing the console versions' bonus features, but it's truly excellent for as long as it lasts.

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IGN

Ubi Soft Montreal has captured everything we loved about the first game without sacrificing the kinds of things we expect from games these days.

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PC Format

A superior resurrection of a presumed dead legend.

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GamePro

It can be tedious to baby-sit both characters, but the game otherwise guarantees hours of enjoyment, even if it’s only to jump and flip around.

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GamerFeed

Prince of Persia includes innovative new gameplay features, jaw-dropping graphics and camera work, and a 'boomin' soundtrack, which all combine to give players of all levels and tastes hours and hours of fun.

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2404.org

Though it may be very frustrating at times, games shouldn’t be easy to complete. Watch out for the controls if you play it on the PC, they change along with the camera angles.

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ActionTrip

If you can get past the shoddy camera controls and precision jumping techniques, you'll be rewarded with a game that makes you feel that a man really can walk on walls.

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games(TM)

Sands of Time is very much a 21st century product - sumptuous visuals, intuitive control and many unique ideas. Buy it, play it, love it. [Dec 2003, p.92]

GMR Magazine

But POP's only really significant flaw lies in its adventure/action ratio: Both aspects are thoroughly fleshed-out but rarely intertwined.

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Four Fat Chicks

I was disappointed that no effort was put into the PC version, and it even lacks any of the extras featured on the console versions, but I found it a fun little action game that kept me entertained for 10 or so hours.

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PC Gamer

The worst part is that Sands uses a save-point system - and wouldn't you guess it, save beacons materialize only after you've destroyed every last zombie. [Mar 2004, p.58]

Just RPG

While it is not particularly long and does not have too much replay value, it keeps one entranced while one is playing it.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 30 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

[Anonymous] gave it a9:
U know...It's not like that that that game is boring or sth like that (:-D). I mean... If U R looking 4 some fighting game with some puzzles, than Pronce of Persia Warrior Within is just perfect for you... And if you wanna some puzzle game, than that one and Pronce of Persia The 2 Thrones are ideal 4 U. I like puzzles and some fighting so it's a very good game IMO. I played PoP WW too, but I think taat 1 is better like T2T/ The animations are wonderful and it helps people to relax a little bit. So, overall, it's a fabulous game!!!

Thomas F. gave it a10:
This game truly captures the essence of it's original 2D predecessor. One of the best games of the year. A must own game!

Hasham A. gave it a 10:
Excellent from the start to the end,should have been the game of the year.excellent combat system,jaw dropping graphics & a heroic Prince.never played anything like it.tired of FPS & pumping badguys full of lead,try this for a change.you'll never regret it.

Jouni M. gave it a 10:
Just brilliant hop'n'jump game!! Me like it a LOT :D

Ryan C. gave it a 10:
It kicks so much ass, that you can't really say more about it then that it kicks so much more ass then any other game had ever kick ass before.

Jogilius gave it a 7:
Nice graphics, but otherwise about everything qualifies as being merely ok. The fighting system could definitely have been done worse, and it is sometimes even enjoyable,but still there are times that you don't feel being that much in control since there is only one dagger button and sometimes you attack the zombie you didn't want to attack. Otherwise, in terms of content, too much repetition. The "puzzles" or so are hardly rewarding or challenging and the battles are nothing but repetition and make me say "oh, not another one of these battle scenes"... just zombies teleporting out of nowhere. Not that fun.

[Anonymous] gave it a 10:
Though it can become repetitive at times, I think this game is one of the best games I have played. The acrobatic puzzles and the fighting are great. And the graphics: F..kin awsome.

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Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Game Info

Summary

Also On Metacritic

What The Critics Said

What Our Users Said

Upcoming &
Recent Releases