Prince of Persia

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 225 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 121 out of 225
  2. Mixed: 68 out of 225
  3. Negative: 36 out of 225
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  1. AlixeViolet
    Dec 5, 2008
    10
    I am desperately awaiting the sequel for this. The story was great and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The humor was spot-on and the chemistry between the prince and Elika was amazing. The ending was manly, and there are still secrets to unlock. Additional content and bonuses make it worth replaying, and the game system never seems to get tired. The perfect blend between 3DI am desperately awaiting the sequel for this. The story was great and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The humor was spot-on and the chemistry between the prince and Elika was amazing. The ending was manly, and there are still secrets to unlock. Additional content and bonuses make it worth replaying, and the game system never seems to get tired. The perfect blend between 3D fighting and platforming. Gotta love this game.… Expand
  2. jt
    Jul 25, 2009
    5
    Do you like collecting orbs? If you said no, then don't bother with this game. Do you like challenge? If you said yes, then don't bother with this game. If i had to sum up the PoP experience in one word, it would be "shallow". As beautiful as the game is (and it is gorgeous), it just doesn't have enough substance to feel satisfying. It absolutely baffles me to think that Do you like collecting orbs? If you said no, then don't bother with this game. Do you like challenge? If you said yes, then don't bother with this game. If i had to sum up the PoP experience in one word, it would be "shallow". As beautiful as the game is (and it is gorgeous), it just doesn't have enough substance to feel satisfying. It absolutely baffles me to think that respected reviewers gave this game a better than mediocre review. Let me explain the problems systematically. 1. There is no challenge. At all. The main character can not under any circumstance die or fail. Ever. If you fall off a cliff, miss a quick-time event, or just suck at combat, the game will literally hold your hand until you get it right. Each time you do something that would have caused your death, Elika saves you. This would not be such a problem if not for my next point. 2. You're not playing a game. You are "interacting" with a game. What does that mean? In a real platformer, getting from point a to point b involves skill as you time your jumps and movements just right. This is not the case in PoP. I literally moved from one side of a level to the other by touching my analog stick once then just pressing buttons. In fact, moving around a level is honestly just a cleverly engineered quick time even where you are trained to notice certain objects as specfiic button presses. If you see a ring, you press B, if you see a plate, you press Y, if you see a gap, you press A, the game does the rest. I moved across an entire level by pressing A, B, and Y when the game told me to. And remember that hand-holding i mentioned earlier, it's in the movement too. The window of opportunity is so large that it's almost insulting. 3. The levels are very, very small. From the time you enter a level to the time you get to a boss is generally about ten minutes. I'm not exaggerating. This is a good deal if you're renting the game, a horrible deal if you bought it. 4. Bosses? Hah! The game has four "stages". Each stage has one boss that you fight a total of five times. I could deal with this if the boss fights varied substantially or increased in difficulty as you went, but they don't. Two reasons they don't: one, the game is non-linear, so the bosses weren't designed to be harder than each other, two, it holds your hand remember, you CAN NOT DIE. 5. Orb collecting. Remember when i asked if you enjoyed collecting orbs. I was serious, you better love it or you are going to hate this game. Getting to, and defeating a boss takes about ten to fifteen minutes per level, after that you're expected to spend a good twenty to thirty minutes scrounging around the level picking up orbs so you can unlock magic for elika. not you, elika. 6. There are no character upgrades. There's a game called metroid, it came out in the 80's for the original nintendo, it included upgrades for the main character. Why, twenty years later, can this not be accomplished. You start with a sword and a gauntlet, you end with the same thing. You don't learn to double jump. You don't find a better sword, nothing. 7. I'm done, i've put too much energy talking about how mediocre this game is already, when there are GOOD games out there waiting to be played. in short, rent or borrow this, but DO NOT BUY IT.… Expand
  3. JohnnyLamont
    Jan 17, 2009
    5
    Great visuals, great fighting, but...I got sick of it pretty fast. Having to collect hundreds of blue orbs really bored me, and the positive things about the game couldn't outweigh the extremely boring navigating and collecting of blue orbs. you'll see why it's so annoying if you buy this game.
  4. DME
    Sep 22, 2012
    5
    I bought this game due to the high reviews it's been getting and what a mistake. I hate nearly everything about it. Camera is annoying, the controls feel all wrong, voice acting and cutscenes are laughable, and the animation is poor. And the things is so freaking repetitive... The only redeeming quality I could find was the graphics, which, unfortunately, doesn't work for this game. II bought this game due to the high reviews it's been getting and what a mistake. I hate nearly everything about it. Camera is annoying, the controls feel all wrong, voice acting and cutscenes are laughable, and the animation is poor. And the things is so freaking repetitive... The only redeeming quality I could find was the graphics, which, unfortunately, doesn't work for this game. I want the time and money that I spent on this game back.… Expand
  5. TheQuietGamer
    Aug 18, 2011
    5
    I am a huge fan of the original Prince of Persia trilogy, and when I heard about this game I was a little worried that they would change to much of what made the original games great, and I was right, the gameplay has been completely destroyed, platforming is awkward do to too may actions being mapped to the same buttons, combat is tedious and unenjoyable, it's EXTREMELY repetitive, havingI am a huge fan of the original Prince of Persia trilogy, and when I heard about this game I was a little worried that they would change to much of what made the original games great, and I was right, the gameplay has been completely destroyed, platforming is awkward do to too may actions being mapped to the same buttons, combat is tedious and unenjoyable, it's EXTREMELY repetitive, having to search around for light seeds just to advance the plot is stupid, and do to the fact that you can't really die the whole game just feels like trial and error, and the new Prince character is completely unlikeable, while they messed up most of the game it's got some good things going for it, the voice acting is solid, the graphics are beautiful, and the ending does have interested in seeing where the story goes from here, but I'm not sure if I want to pick up the next game they come out with, this was a huge disappointment and isn't worthy to bear the Prince of Persia name.… Expand
  6. TheChaser1985
    Mar 13, 2011
    4
    This is an absolute horrible game. The story sucks. You run around doing the same thing over and over, climbing and sliding up and down rocks and mountains. Then you finally get to an enemy and it's the same one as the last and it takes 30 seconds to beat him, (EASY) and then you're back to another 15 minutes of climbing and sliding again. The moves are pretty cool but that's the onlyThis is an absolute horrible game. The story sucks. You run around doing the same thing over and over, climbing and sliding up and down rocks and mountains. Then you finally get to an enemy and it's the same one as the last and it takes 30 seconds to beat him, (EASY) and then you're back to another 15 minutes of climbing and sliding again. The moves are pretty cool but that's the only thing I liked about this game, well, besides the cool sort of artsy graphics. This game is made by the same people that made Assassin's Creed and you could call this an Assassin's Creed without the depth, maps and action. HORRIBLE.… Expand
  7. Metroid
    Nov 18, 2010
    2
    Nowhere near as good as the Trilogy, SO REPETITVE, its nothing like the older games and it well really shouldnt be named Price of Persia should be called Prince of RAGE quit..
    so many times has he jumped in the wrong direction or jumps when i didnt even press the button.. so frustration and its WAYYY too easy
  8. McDeadChowder
    Dec 9, 2008
    10
    McDead McLikes! I
  9. SaxonU
    Dec 27, 2008
    10
    This game was fantastic. I played it over Christmas at my parents house on their 52" LCD TV and could not have been more breath-taken. I tried to take my Xbox into another room to play while Dad was watching football, but playing it on a CRT just doesn't do it justice. The character development was top notch, the game play mechanics were challenging but forgiving, and what's This game was fantastic. I played it over Christmas at my parents house on their 52" LCD TV and could not have been more breath-taken. I tried to take my Xbox into another room to play while Dad was watching football, but playing it on a CRT just doesn't do it justice. The character development was top notch, the game play mechanics were challenging but forgiving, and what's more is that the ending ACTUALLY left me satisfied that I had actually earned it and sad that the game ended since I have to say bye to the characters for a year or two.… Expand
  10. Snipestrifer
    Dec 11, 2010
    8
    Don't see why ppl r hating on this so bad, its pretty good. I know it has some flaws, but they are few and far between. First, the characters. The witty protagonist and the serious love interest is very funny indeed and seeing how theyr get along by pressing the chat button once in a while gives me a lot of comedic banter. Next, the story. Hasn't really changed that much since the princeDon't see why ppl r hating on this so bad, its pretty good. I know it has some flaws, but they are few and far between. First, the characters. The witty protagonist and the serious love interest is very funny indeed and seeing how theyr get along by pressing the chat button once in a while gives me a lot of comedic banter. Next, the story. Hasn't really changed that much since the prince of persia series. Dark Vs Light, or defeat this evil guy, its all the same. Now onto the combat. The combo system is incredibly and the wicked acrobatics you use combined with Elena's magic make for some jaw-dropping attacks, it's ust a same the gcombat, and the platforming is all a bit too easy, on the account that you can't die. Platforming now. THis is some of the best platforming I've ever done. Easily the shining point of the game, with some sweet acrobatics and jumps where you constantly have to think fast and make the next jump or risk being sent back to the last safe platform you were on, but as I said before, it can be a bit easy at times. Finally, the graphics. I know some ppl can't stand cel-shaded graphics personally I love it, after all, Prince of Persia isn't exactly all that gritty and realistic. So, to sum it up, this is a great game, but the story is boring and but is saved 2-fold by the characters and the platforming and the combat is great but can sometimes feel just a tad too easy.… Expand
  11. Eliwood
    Jul 30, 2013
    0
    So I've paid for the game and yet it still bothers me with advertisements and in-game shop? It's just a joke, right? It really grinds my gears everytime I see something like this.
  12. Broyax
    Mar 27, 2017
    3
    Un style graphique particulier mais réussi ainsi qu'une bonne VF pour un jeu qui transpire hélas l'ennui et la répétition ; il est également saupoudré de vilains QTE ici et là. La plate-forme est emmerdante, les combats sont rébarbatifs et l'ensemble est très gnangnan. Ubisoft s'est sévèrement planté sur ce coup-là, ça arrive aux meilleurs de faire de la merde !
  13. JonathonC
    Jan 15, 2010
    0
    This is possibly the worst, most repetitive game i have ever played, do not buy, rent or even borrow for free. The only lure it has is the old games reputation, you want to finish it but it presents so little enjoyment you would gain more reward from looking at a real wall than running sideways across one in this game!
  14. KevinF
    Jan 23, 2009
    2
    "On the other hand, before (the new)Prince of Persia I'd never played a game that so strongly resented my presence." That kind of sums it up nicely. Prince of Persia has always been in my top ten favorites games of all time. Rarely do i feel the intense emotion I have felt in the first three. Emotions like achievement, fear, fright, success, validation, satisfaction, amusement, "On the other hand, before (the new)Prince of Persia I'd never played a game that so strongly resented my presence." That kind of sums it up nicely. Prince of Persia has always been in my top ten favorites games of all time. Rarely do i feel the intense emotion I have felt in the first three. Emotions like achievement, fear, fright, success, validation, satisfaction, amusement, entertainment, and more. Rarely have my knees got weak or have I tilted my head to try and look around a corner that was not yet displayed as I had in the first three PoP. Never had a game challenged me so much. Never had a game felt so much like a GAME. Many fond memories of solving a single puzzle after half an hour of trying at two in the morning. Outstanding, absurdly clever puzzles. And an equal sense of satisfaction solving them. And the primal thrill of defeating enemy after enemy, even the hordes of simple ones. The newest PoP isn't Prince of Persia at all. Mario World was more challenging. After looking forward to a new release in the PoP title, words cannot express my disappointment. Unless I write 15 more paragraphs here. Although the new title had a few, very few, nice touches, I can't imagine the amount of favorable comments written here. "The emperor has no clothes". And to see these comments written by fans of the PoP series!? My theory is that they so badly wanted this to be as good as the previous titles that they are simply in denial. How sad. Something needs to be said. I still hope and wait for the day that the new PoP (#4) is released. I have seen it happen twice since the Sands of Time. It must be possible to do it a fourth time. Someone stated that this new version is Assasins Creed Two, but I have to say that is close but wrong again. It is not even as good as Assasins Creed which doesn't even compare to PoP. Very different games altogether. I have a sinking feeling this is the direction this series will develop. In my experience with sequels this seems to be the case. Maybe it is a matter of money or just a new generation of game players that are satisfied pushing a button now and then to "direct" a scenic movie. Finally, I bought this new title when it first came out without hesitation and don't regret it as it may cast a vote in favor of the production of the real 4th title in this series. Which I will again buy without hesitation. Well, maybe a little next time. But not if it is truly PRINCE OF PERSIA. Oddly enough, I would not be nearly as disappointed if they had just named this "new title" Assasins Creed Two. I wouldn't have bought it, so I wouldn't have been disappointed. Although I must say that my ten year old really enjoys Assasins Creed.… Expand
  15. HagenM
    Jan 7, 2009
    8
    What a great job Ubisoft Montreal has done with the Prince of Persia series with this installment. They have taken out the emphasis on combat which started to turn the Prince of Persia series into a mediocre franchise. What they have done is returned the game to it's platforming roots, with a little bit of combat in between. What we're left with is a great game with loads What a great job Ubisoft Montreal has done with the Prince of Persia series with this installment. They have taken out the emphasis on combat which started to turn the Prince of Persia series into a mediocre franchise. What they have done is returned the game to it's platforming roots, with a little bit of combat in between. What we're left with is a great game with loads brainmelting platforming, jaw dropping scenery, amazing graphical art styles, and a genius musical score. The story has sucked me in and I have to speak with Elika every chance I get. The new Prince is a cocky and arrogant smartaleck, and that's why he's so awesome. I'm really looking forward to the next installment.… Expand
  16. JayG
    Feb 3, 2009
    9
    The new PoP is visually stunning, the gameplay is absolutley fun, and the story will leave you begging for more. The only complaint which is is a lot of comments is that you cant die. Other than that the game is great, must buy for fans, rental for those who are new to the series.
  17. [Anonymous]
    Dec 6, 2008
    8
    I was really looking forward to this, I love prince of persia to death, i have played every single pop game ever (yes even the rare dream cast one). but i have to say i am a little let down. the platforming is extremely easy, and kind of boring. its like, hit A, wait 5 full seconds, hit b, wait, hit a again, for hours. in the past games it was more like a puzzle, you had to figure out I was really looking forward to this, I love prince of persia to death, i have played every single pop game ever (yes even the rare dream cast one). but i have to say i am a little let down. the platforming is extremely easy, and kind of boring. its like, hit A, wait 5 full seconds, hit b, wait, hit a again, for hours. in the past games it was more like a puzzle, you had to figure out what to do to get past obstacles. but here every wall that needs a wallrun has scratches on it, every ring you see needs to be grabbed, and every ledge you need to jump to is worn down, and any time your little flying friend is needed the screen turns black and white(very agitating) It just feels like the game is treating you like you are a 5 year old. also there is no way to die, ever, so say your in the middle of combat, you can just drop the controller without pausing and go leave the room for a bit and come back and nothing will have changed, your character will still be there getting his ass kicked but he will not have died. also the usual puzzle elements of the other games has been mostly removed, meaning all you will be doing for this fairly lengthy adventure is fighting and jumping. Now with that being siad, you may be curios of my high score, and i give it an 8 mostly for the graphics, sound, and story. This game is abosutly beutiful, and is one of the rare games that looks better in motion, because the animation is so smooth and cool looking. there has never been a frame rate drop, or glitch, for the entire time i have played. and the game just looks like concept art in motion. Also this has got to be the most colorful game i have ever played. even your character is colorful, with his bright blue and bright red scarf. it all looks flawless and should be recognized as the best looking game of the year. I think you should buy this game if you are a fan of the series, or if you want a game with a great art style. and on a side note, this game has absolutely nothing to do with Persia for a game called Prince of Persia.… Expand
  18. TomB
    Dec 17, 2009
    3
    I was completely new to the Prince of Persia series when I got this game and had high expectations as it got good reviews and was recommended it. However those expectations quickly faded within an hour of playing because in that hour, I was already bored. The platforming felt extremely linear and repetitive. Not forgetting to mention that it is extremely easy and even if you do fall off, I was completely new to the Prince of Persia series when I got this game and had high expectations as it got good reviews and was recommended it. However those expectations quickly faded within an hour of playing because in that hour, I was already bored. The platforming felt extremely linear and repetitive. Not forgetting to mention that it is extremely easy and even if you do fall off, you get rescued by your companion and so you cannot fail. The combat is also very poor but I'll leave it there. After you go through a level and beat a boss, you have to collect a bunch of orbs scattered around in order to progress to the later levels. You do this for all the levels. To sum up what you do in the game: You enter a level, climb around to a point in a level, kill some enemies and a boss, then collect some orbs so you can progress. This goes for every level. There isn't much of a storyline either so you have little motivation for actually playing the game other for the sake of completing it. The only thing that I can say is good about the game is the graphics. This is a game that should be left on the shelf and never touched. If you want a platformer then go for Assassin's Creed 1 or 2 or Mirror's Edge.… Expand
  19. RobH
    Mar 13, 2009
    6
    As a big fan of the newer Prince of Persia: Sands of Time games, this game is a huge disappointment. It feels like a "kiddie" version in every way: the cartoony art, the corny accent-free dialog, the simplified battles, not to mention the fact that you can never die. It doesn't feel anywhere near as rich or detailed as the earlier games, and so I'm very surprised by the high As a big fan of the newer Prince of Persia: Sands of Time games, this game is a huge disappointment. It feels like a "kiddie" version in every way: the cartoony art, the corny accent-free dialog, the simplified battles, not to mention the fact that you can never die. It doesn't feel anywhere near as rich or detailed as the earlier games, and so I'm very surprised by the high review scores. All this is not to say that it's a bad game; it just doesn't meet expectations and is a step backwards for the franchise. A renter.… Expand
  20. JamesP
    Aug 31, 2009
    0
    This game is one of the most pathetic miserable excuses for a game I've ever played. After reading glowing reviews of this from many previously trusted sources, I've become totally disillusioned with the gaming press. This game is nothing but Dance Dance Revolution set on the easiest setting for hours and hours of mind numbing boredom. The whole game consists exclusively of "X, This game is one of the most pathetic miserable excuses for a game I've ever played. After reading glowing reviews of this from many previously trusted sources, I've become totally disillusioned with the gaming press. This game is nothing but Dance Dance Revolution set on the easiest setting for hours and hours of mind numbing boredom. The whole game consists exclusively of "X, A, A, A, Y, B.... etc. etc." that you get from following on screen prompts. There is no possibility of death, no reward. I felt nothing but angry and conned after buying this. Without a doubt it is the worst game I have ever played in my life.… Expand
  21. EricE
    Sep 5, 2009
    7
    I really enjoyed this game other than the combat. To me the combat really took away from game. It was very frustrating to push buttons and not have them register. The quicktime events were really bad. They would flash really quickly and most of the time even if you did hit the button it wouldn't register it in time and fail. This game would have been a 8 or 9 for me if it hadn't I really enjoyed this game other than the combat. To me the combat really took away from game. It was very frustrating to push buttons and not have them register. The quicktime events were really bad. They would flash really quickly and most of the time even if you did hit the button it wouldn't register it in time and fail. This game would have been a 8 or 9 for me if it hadn't been for the combat. I really enjoyed the wall climbing and collecting all the energy orbs. It was a definite rental for me and maybe a $10-15 purchase eventually.… Expand
  22. MikaH
    Dec 12, 2008
    4
    This 'game' is truly beatiful piece of art, except I wish they would have made a movie instead of these plain quick-time event massacre. There isn't much "gaming" included in at all. It is also totally too easy: I left for shopping in middle of a boss fight and let the game show it's fighting sequences to my furniture till I came back. You just can't die in the This 'game' is truly beatiful piece of art, except I wish they would have made a movie instead of these plain quick-time event massacre. There isn't much "gaming" included in at all. It is also totally too easy: I left for shopping in middle of a boss fight and let the game show it's fighting sequences to my furniture till I came back. You just can't die in the game, but lack of game play can really make you cry. Skip this if you have played the earlier PoP games.… Expand
  23. SamuelHutchison
    Dec 6, 2008
    7
    Non-linear gameplay is a big buzzword these days, but it only adds replay value if things change depending on what order you do them in. In PoP you can do things in any order you want, but which zones you've already cleared has no affect on what you're doing now, or what you do next. You could play it again and do everything backwards, but why?
  24. MichaelB
    Dec 7, 2008
    3
    I love Prince of Persia games, but this was a huge letdown. The graphics don't work and end up looking last generation, the Prince is insufferable, the gameplay has been dumbed down to the point of boredom, the "light collecting" is ridiculous and un-fun, the combat is monotonous, and it doesn't FEEL good to play. The animations are worse, everything is worse than the prior I love Prince of Persia games, but this was a huge letdown. The graphics don't work and end up looking last generation, the Prince is insufferable, the gameplay has been dumbed down to the point of boredom, the "light collecting" is ridiculous and un-fun, the combat is monotonous, and it doesn't FEEL good to play. The animations are worse, everything is worse than the prior Prince games. Big step backwards for the series.… Expand
  25. Matt
    Dec 7, 2008
    1
    This game has ruined the entire series. I've been playing the Prince of Persia games for years, and I had been looking forward to this game for at least a couple years and I couldn't have been more disappointed. Ubisoft Montreal has taken away everything that made this series great. First of all, it's way too easy. You can't die. Every single time you fall into a pit, This game has ruined the entire series. I've been playing the Prince of Persia games for years, and I had been looking forward to this game for at least a couple years and I couldn't have been more disappointed. Ubisoft Montreal has taken away everything that made this series great. First of all, it's way too easy. You can't die. Every single time you fall into a pit, the girl is there to save you and so you just get pulled right back onto the edge of where you last were. If you're in a battle, and the enemy gets the best of you, you have about three seconds to push a button that pops onto the screen and you get away from the final blow. And if the enemy does get the best of you, never fear, you don't die. You just get saved again and the monster gets a little more health. That alone is reason enough to completely dislike this game. The sweet traps that POP has always been known for are gone, and every level you play in is basically doing a bunch of simple jumps from this cliff to this cliff (don't worry, you can't die) until you get to the boss. (there's a boss battle every 10 minutes btw.) Then after you beat the way too easy boss, you have to do the entire level again, by backtracking to collect these stupid orbs to give your girl companion more power. I can't believe how badly this game has ruined PoP and that it's getting such good reviews. If you're a single mom who plays games once a month, you'll love this game, if you're a serious gamer who actually likes a challenge and played the previous PoPs and are expecting anything like them....steer clear of this hunk of garbage.… Expand
  26. TjarkK
    Jan 18, 2009
    6
    In the visual department, Prince of Persia is simply brilliant. I applaud the choice of using an artificial instead of realistical look. It is nice to see that developers start using the graphics power available to them for more innovation, e. g. the way the "corruption" is drawn. The other aspects of this game, however, are deeply lacking. It's not a bad game as such, but it plays In the visual department, Prince of Persia is simply brilliant. I applaud the choice of using an artificial instead of realistical look. It is nice to see that developers start using the graphics power available to them for more innovation, e. g. the way the "corruption" is drawn. The other aspects of this game, however, are deeply lacking. It's not a bad game as such, but it plays way too easy, except for the end, when the difficulty is suddenly raised. Platforming is unchallenging, there's only a handful of situations where you really need to find out a tricky jump sequence or the like - and that only if you want to collect all light seeds. Level design is repetitive in terms of gameplay and looks. The game contains concept art galleries which show what could have been - unfortunately you won't find most of the ideas and looks in the actual game. The fights suck. First of all, you cannot move freely, instead you are connected to your opponent via an "invisible rubber band". In theory, you should try to master the various fight combos, but in reality many opponents have blocking moves that will interrupt your chained combo. It's easier to just keep hammering away on the buttons. Elika can be used in combat only when you are standing near enough to your target, which is hardly believable for a game character that flies around between "power plates" in the rest of the game. Stopping the enemies' special attacks requires you to quickly press a button displayed on the screen. This type of "challenge" has never been one of my favourites. PoP screws it up even more by not consistently matching recognizable attack patterns and required button presses - meaning that it becomes a test of reaction, not skill. The most annoying and disappointing things about PoP are the dialogue and the characters. The Prince and Elika both change their mood all the time during dialogue, and their lines sound like they've been ripped from either a crappy buddy movie or romantic comedy - yet romance is the least that comes across in the dialogue, which makes a significant aspect of the game unbelievable. Why couldn't Ubisoft keep with the mystical, oriental fairy-tale approach that they used for the graphics? The dialogue is plastered with stereotypical patterns which seem to cater very much to US-centric culture - and in a very unimaginative way, too. The stereotype used for the prince seems to have been "cool, careless surfer guy", which is totally unbelievable in the given setting. Some examples for cringe-worthy dialogue: When Elika saves the prince from a drop etc., she says things like "Try to be more careful". She constantly repeats lines like "We have to keep moving" or "We have to reach the top" over and over. It's hard to believe that an independent rogue character would follow this bossy, even condescending girl, however pretty she may be. Conversely, I don't see why Elika would put so much trust into a dumb, sometimes whiny "Prince". It's really a shame how much Ubisoft failed with the characters. Had the stunning visuals been paired with characters true to the fairy-tale background, more interesting platforming and less annoying fights, this game could have been brilliant. It's still some fun to play through, but only once.… Expand
  27. GeorgeR
    Dec 26, 2009
    4
    If you played the Sands of Time Triology, this is a different game. Its limited, linear, repetitive and frustrating. A huge step backwards in what was meant to be the next gen Prince.
  28. niconline
    Oct 29, 2012
    8
    Quite possibly the last "must own" of 2008 and easily one of the best action-adventure games of the year. With a fantastic soundtrack and a unique and superb look, Prince of Persia is a platformer that you shouldn't miss. Granted, it's not the hardcore platformer that fans of the series yearned for, but if you're looking for a rich story in an even richer setting, then Prince of Persia isQuite possibly the last "must own" of 2008 and easily one of the best action-adventure games of the year. With a fantastic soundtrack and a unique and superb look, Prince of Persia is a platformer that you shouldn't miss. Granted, it's not the hardcore platformer that fans of the series yearned for, but if you're looking for a rich story in an even richer setting, then Prince of Persia is for you ... If anyone wants us, we'll be waiting in a cupboard for the DLC which is due next year.… Expand
  29. dupplawt
    Apr 25, 2011
    6
    Having never played a Prince of Persia game before, this was my first and I enjoyed it from start to finish. The gameplay was repetitive, but I enjoyed the company of the characters and I love the art style. There isn't much to go back and replay once completed, but I found that just playing to try and collect all the orbs was fun enough to keep me interested, disregarding the bossHaving never played a Prince of Persia game before, this was my first and I enjoyed it from start to finish. The gameplay was repetitive, but I enjoyed the company of the characters and I love the art style. There isn't much to go back and replay once completed, but I found that just playing to try and collect all the orbs was fun enough to keep me interested, disregarding the boss battles. It's definitely worth a rent, or £5/$10. 3/5.… Expand
  30. aspentitan
    Feb 11, 2015
    6
    This is a game that you can pass on playing simply because there is no challenge being that you cannot die. On one hand its nice to save you from aggavation but on the other I don't really enjoy the whole feeling like that game assumes you are an idiot and this is necessary. It made me think im in the wrong demographic for this game and at first i thought that was the issue but then iThis is a game that you can pass on playing simply because there is no challenge being that you cannot die. On one hand its nice to save you from aggavation but on the other I don't really enjoy the whole feeling like that game assumes you are an idiot and this is necessary. It made me think im in the wrong demographic for this game and at first i thought that was the issue but then i thought about it some more and the game could have been made for noobs and hardcore fans with various difficulty settings. Anyway the game is a trivial time waster one of those games you just play until eventually the software ends. The game reminded me of being in a cartoon and at times i enjoyed the lightheartedness and the characters were moderately cute but ultimately on a system with so many games and so little time id have to say that this is an easy pass.… Expand
  31. Flapjack
    Oct 22, 2010
    7
    Well made and a joy to run around in. I found this game quite relaxing and it's no way as bad as most people would say. A game I want in my collection.
  32. KingChiliPepper
    Feb 20, 2011
    4
    First off, I can not for the life of me understand the high ratings from critics about this game; my mind simply can not comprehend how anyone in any right frame of mind could speak positively of this game. I can only assume that in 2008 when this game was released, expectations of games were not as demanding as they are today or these critics were charmed by the game's genuinely beautifulFirst off, I can not for the life of me understand the high ratings from critics about this game; my mind simply can not comprehend how anyone in any right frame of mind could speak positively of this game. I can only assume that in 2008 when this game was released, expectations of games were not as demanding as they are today or these critics were charmed by the game's genuinely beautiful art style. Unfortunately, my compliments end there. So, your character 's goal is to restore peace and tranquillity to a kingdom which has been consumed by evil. Fairly standard plot really; on your journey through this environment you are accompanied by its princess, Elika. She is at hand to guide you in your quest by offering hints in which direction to travel and also ensure you don't die. Which she does a pretty good job of as you won't die throughout the entirety of this game but you will become very sick of seeing the animation used to represent Elika saving you.

    Ubisoft have opted for the free-roaming play style in this particular episode of the series, or at least that's want they want you to think. Although you do have to ability to play through the game in pretty much any order, you'll soon realise that once you've chosen your path, the game becomes very linear and very repetitive. Each area requires you traverse a number of obstacles before reaching a boss battle and with little differentiation in the locations, the colours and even the obstacles themselves, things get tedious pretty quickly. And if that's not enough, to progress to further areas of the game you are required to collect 'Light Seeds' by retracing your steps. Though they seem just a cheap way of fleshing out the game's play time, these collectables also unlock new 'powers' which can only be used at certain points making them ultimately pointless additions.

    Let's talk combat. Though the focus is on the adventuring side, combat is a frequent occurrence even if it is with only one enemy at a time. A simple combat system is utilised ensuring even the most inexperienced of players will be able to grasp the various combos and dodges. The weapon of choice here is a sword and this never changes, in fact without any kind of upgrade or levelling system nothing changes; the moves you are using at the beginning of the game, you will still be pulling off in the final fight.

    Though for the most part combat is easy, it does soon get frustrating. Not just because of its repetitive nature but also because of the spam-happy nature of your opponents. At later points in the game it seems every move you pull off is blocked and every second you give the enemy, they utilise their 'charge mode' which sees them enter a rage which can only be ended with a certain move. In short, although it can look good, combat is a laborious affair and not this game's high point.

    Most irritating of all however, are the controls; the unresponsive, inconsistent and down right awful controls. For the most part, every action relies on one button. This one button will make your character jump, climb, run on walls, the works. Occasionally you will be prompted to press another but there really is little variation and despite being simple to play, the issues will eventually absolutely do your head in. You have practically no control over which direction your character jumps (this coupled with a fixed camera makes traversing some gaps virtually impossible) and at times the controls have a complete mind of their own; you will often find yourself trying to jump forwards and watching in disbelief as your character instead chooses to start climbing a wall and hopping off it into a pit. Such lack of control is even reminiscent of (dare I say it) some of the terrible post-MegaDrive Sonic the Hedgehog games.

    To summarise, Prince of Persia is a mess of a video game - a mediocre platformer with poor controls, pointless combat and an uninspired, badly written story wrapped around it. Don't be tempted by its low price, this is a shambles of an edition to a previously enjoyable franchise.    … Expand
  33. Wolfgang
    Apr 18, 2011
    3
    I registered to Metacritic just to tell you how horrible this game is. The duels are frustrating to control, it seems that the enemies have cooler combo moves and more control than you. For some of the lesser enemies, when they're in a frenzy (non-stop hacking and slashing), you pretty much have no choice but to block until the bad guy stops or he corners you to a cliff or wall thenI registered to Metacritic just to tell you how horrible this game is. The duels are frustrating to control, it seems that the enemies have cooler combo moves and more control than you. For some of the lesser enemies, when they're in a frenzy (non-stop hacking and slashing), you pretty much have no choice but to block until the bad guy stops or he corners you to a cliff or wall then throws you around. There are four bosses to duel and you have to battle them more than four times. It's really annoying when they're nearly dead and they just run off or disappear. Also, it's a real pain in the neck when you've done so much damage that if they manage to knock you to the ground and you end up being saved by the magical girl, the boss will randomly regain their health and you are forced to fight him/her off further. After completing a "level", you have no choice but to go through the same obstacles you went though previously to collect magical seeds. It felt like they did this to prolong the length of the game by making you pull off a mario/sonic coin/ring collection. There were some issue with the forced camera changes that made it difficult to control which direction you wanted to move your character. One moment, he's side-scrolling left, the next moment he's jumping off to his death. This problem also occurs during some boss battles, where there is a random pillar in the middle of the battleground that obscures your vision and allowing the enemy to jab at you. The cutscenes are long and boring, you can't hit spacebar to skip. The story is hollow and lame. Even the flashbacks, similar to Sands of Time, are repetitive and don't reveal that much to the story. Instead, you have to listen to the same quotes involving a king making a deal with the bad guy, it's really annoying and too random of a conversation. I could go on, but then I'd be rambling beyond 5000 characters. Don't buy this game, I'm sure you'll have fun with the Assassin's Creed series or the other POP games (Sands of Time is my favourite).… Expand
  34. LROCK95
    Aug 18, 2011
    8
    For the most part, this game is really good. The graphics are really nice, the game play is good, the story is interesting and the characters are good. I've been a fan of the series since The Sands of Time, and I've loved Prince of Persia since. Even though this is a reboot, I liked it a lot.
  35. neonsocks
    Oct 10, 2011
    9
    It's such a shame they didn't give this version of the series a chance. Sure there were problems with the combat, the complaints that it was "too easy" were valid and the character's weren't super well developed but the art style was breathtaking, the control was fluid, the score was excellent and by the end, I was interested in the relationship between Elika and the Prince. Like Mirror'sIt's such a shame they didn't give this version of the series a chance. Sure there were problems with the combat, the complaints that it was "too easy" were valid and the character's weren't super well developed but the art style was breathtaking, the control was fluid, the score was excellent and by the end, I was interested in the relationship between Elika and the Prince. Like Mirror's Edge, it was flawed but none of the problems were insurmountable. So much potential and such a nice package it's sad that they felt the need to scrap this version for a 3rd reboot.… Expand
  36. schwegs
    Jan 5, 2016
    1
    What a stupid and messed up ending. The last 30 seconds literally undoes *everything* you spent the entire game accomplishing, and makes the world more depressing than when it started. WTF I'm not buying another Prince of Persia, that's for sure.
  37. Notdavidbowie
    Jun 21, 2012
    5
    Prince of Persia is a game that always had a place for me. The two thrones being one of my favourite games to date. This game, does not hold such places. When I started up the game I found myself going, "wow! This looks great!", which honestly, it did. The Graphics are beautiful with great surroundings to fit. Though the gameplay does not hold up. The game is fun for about 3 hours untilPrince of Persia is a game that always had a place for me. The two thrones being one of my favourite games to date. This game, does not hold such places. When I started up the game I found myself going, "wow! This looks great!", which honestly, it did. The Graphics are beautiful with great surroundings to fit. Though the gameplay does not hold up. The game is fun for about 3 hours until you get sick of the fighting mechanic. In short it's basically, Hit hit hit, use magic, use claw, hit hit hit OR hit hit hit kick off edge. The game is FULL of quick time events, they practically populate the boss fights, most of them being button mashers with unfair expectancy to complete. You can't actually die in this game either, you're brought instantly back by your partner. This sounds great, but destroys any use of difficulty. If you want a Prince of Persia were there is violence, difficulty, time reversal and epic weapons, this is NOT the game. Sadly.… Expand
  38. H360
    May 15, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Prince of Persia is a game that tends to the casual audience while keeping the masochistic at bay. There are some hiccups that could have been fixed, but with a beautifully unique art direction that is unparalleled to anything previously done, dynamic and perpetually new environments with seamless acrobatic platforming, much can easily be forgiven.… Expand
  39. Aquaris475
    May 26, 2013
    6
    Prince of Persia is a great series. the original games are pretty cool, and the sands of time games are my favorites in the series. But did anyone, ANYONE, ask for a reboot? I know I didn't. The story for the game is probably the best aspect of the game. It is very well written, and I found myself surprised that I cared for the characters. The gameplay actually isn't that great. most ofPrince of Persia is a great series. the original games are pretty cool, and the sands of time games are my favorites in the series. But did anyone, ANYONE, ask for a reboot? I know I didn't. The story for the game is probably the best aspect of the game. It is very well written, and I found myself surprised that I cared for the characters. The gameplay actually isn't that great. most of the time, you're just climbing around areas, trying not to die(Which you cannot do, as Elika will always save the Prince.), which gets real boring, and the combat was very minimal and bland. The graphics for the game are nice. the many colors in the world make the world of this game feel alive, and you feel like you want to help a corrupted environment. the soundtrack is ok at best. Most tracks are forgettable, but some, like the main theme, will be ones that get stuck in your head. one aspect that turned me off of Prince of Persia is the orb collecting. there are so many orbs to collect, and after flag collecting in Assassin's Creed, I really didn't want to bother. The problem here, however, is that a certain number of orbs are required to continue the game. This was what shut me down on Prince of Persia for a couple months. Another poor aspect is voice acting. the main characters, The Prince and Elika, are well developed, but their voice actors, or anyone else, don't seem to fit the part for me. Overall, Prince of Persia is a reboot that wasn't needed. the story and graphics are nice, but the gameplay, a game's most important aspect, is seriously boring, the voice acting wasn't that good, and the combat is bland. If you like the Prince of Persia series, I wouldn't recommend this title.… Expand
  40. Steyraus
    Sep 13, 2020
    5
    Definitely not the prince at his best. A lot more platforming, lesd combat, a lot more trial and error in traversal and a lot more frustration as you try to collect all the orb.. I look like Ellica is a doll, but I could not stand the princes voice acting, it the same guy that sounds like he is in every games these days.
  41. Harbyinger
    Nov 19, 2017
    7
    I picked this game up over 10 years ago, attracted by the "Prince of Persia" logo

    The good in this game 1)the graphics, i'm not a graphics mad guy, but this game for the time it came out was gorgeous, this is certainly a big point in favour for this game 2)The dialogue While some hated the dialogue, i liked the PC talks with Elika, slowly opening up with each other with the sharp    I picked this game up over 10 years ago, attracted by the "Prince of Persia" logo

    The good in this game
    1)the graphics, i'm not a graphics mad guy, but this game for the time it came out was gorgeous, this is certainly a big point in favour for this game

    2)The dialogue
    While some hated the dialogue, i liked the PC talks with Elika, slowly opening up with each other with the sharp humor of the PC apparently selfish hiding a good side with the good natured naivity of Elika making the bond they form feel real.

    The bad
    1)The combat
    The combat feels bad, even if some of the animations look cool, they don't give a satisfying feel of giving a good thrashing to the bosses.
    The combat is QTEreaction based where you have to press the right button to pierce the enemy's defenses (the right object you need to use glows alongside the enemy, blue for sword, yellow sparks for gauntlet and black for Elika's magic)
    The most annoying part is that some of the bosses have the ability of countering you and doing random special attacks that can instantly take you out and require you to press a button (QTE) to avoid their attacks otherwise you lose and while Elika saves you, the enemy regains around 30% of their health
    also if the bosses are pushed against a wall, they teleport behind you while if you are pushed on a wall you're forced to do a QTE or else lose and let them regain health.
    These last "special" attacks increase drastically as the game progresses

    2)The art concept and 3d design failed communication
    Let me explain this as this a big negative point.
    TL,DR

    It doesn't feel like the area they described, but just a weirdly assembled empty corridors faked as buildings

    Watching the extra videos that show the concept art of the game, i was shocked that the in-game area it looked nothing like the art concept where the concept was showing really beatifully designed areas that fit the description that the in-game dialogue and story gives us
    .
    The areas for example the citadel concept was showing a mostly intact yet deserted military fortification complex with interior areas with watchtowers and rooms
    the mills concept shows the structure separated but close to the citadel ,looked like a proper mill with the water flowing to make the mechanism work, while the in-game version shows nothing of this.

    the city concept showed abandoned streets with ruined market stalls, houses, temples and the towers.

    The royal palace concept showed the royal towers built on these rock spikes rising up from the chasm, connected by long bridges and corridors(not in the game) while was showing explorable interior rooms with decorations that made it actually look like a palace, it was really cool looking.
    The in-game palace is not connected by these bridges but conveniently placed wooden poles and pillars sticking from the ground , as the great majority of the path are non existant and stairs don't even exist, also when you're inside the "palace" is just a bunch of ruins that require platforming fest same like the other areas to get through
    no interior rooms, no stairs, no decorations, just a bunch of poles and rings to get to the top with the occasional power plate.
    Taking one area, the royal gardens, the "gardens" are just a water feeding mechanisms but no space for the plants, yet no hints that originally there were, Elika says that the corruption killed the trees but for some strange reason the grass is just fine.

    As if they were designed so to fit the level designer that felt that to get anywhere we need the repetitive platforming,while i don't mind platforming, it would have been good to reward the player by making them able to have a "quick" way up and down to the fertile ground once healed, like a corruption covered staircase.    … Expand
  42. gamingisgreat
    Jan 2, 2017
    5
    Prince of Persia's 2008 reboot is a mediocre game and very disappointing compared to the Sands of Time trilogy.

    The gameplay is decent,with solid platforming,though the combat is terrible and the controls are very unresponsive at times.Also,you cannot die,as the girl you have to protect always saves you if you get slaughtered in combat or fall off a ledge in platforming.I actually quite    Prince of Persia's 2008 reboot is a mediocre game and very disappointing compared to the Sands of Time trilogy.

    The gameplay is decent,with solid platforming,though the combat is terrible and the controls are very unresponsive at times.Also,you cannot die,as the girl you have to protect always saves you if you get slaughtered in combat or fall off a ledge in platforming.I actually quite like it as you don't have to go through loading screens,which is nice.

    The graphics are beautiful,and the framerate is solid.

    Sound design is decent,and the soundtrack is decent aswell.

    Overall,Prince Of Persia is a decent action-platformer    … Expand
  43. Charlybs
    Jan 30, 2018
    7
    Estéticamente es bonito aunque el diseño del mapa en general no me convence. Muy rejugable para conseguir todas las semillas de luz y los logros de ir a un sitio a otro en un tiempo determinado. La historia es lo más genérica del mundo y los combates un poco simples.
  44. shootingstars99
    Aug 4, 2019
    2
    As someone just getting into the Prince of Persia franchise, this did not leave me with a good impression (I am glad the other games in the series aren't like this and I am enjoying them). This game held your hand throughout, the puzzles were not challenging and the story didn't have much going for it. The game was more just collecting orbs than anything else, I guess that was their way ofAs someone just getting into the Prince of Persia franchise, this did not leave me with a good impression (I am glad the other games in the series aren't like this and I am enjoying them). This game held your hand throughout, the puzzles were not challenging and the story didn't have much going for it. The game was more just collecting orbs than anything else, I guess that was their way of attempting to mask that the rest of the game and it's systems were below par.… Expand
  45. CalDoesDrumming
    Nov 15, 2019
    9
    I’ve had this game for about 7 or 8 years now and have always found myself pretty addicted to it. Once you master all the moves both in travel and combat it has a nice satisfyingly dynamic flow to it and it also feels very satisfying when you heal a fertile ground, I always found The Prince (why they didn’t bother giving him a name I don’t know) & Elika to have a really good chemistry andI’ve had this game for about 7 or 8 years now and have always found myself pretty addicted to it. Once you master all the moves both in travel and combat it has a nice satisfyingly dynamic flow to it and it also feels very satisfying when you heal a fertile ground, I always found The Prince (why they didn’t bother giving him a name I don’t know) & Elika to have a really good chemistry and Nolan North’s performance as him definitely has the same charismatic charm that he bought to Nathan Drake. I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, the whole world could maybe at least afford to have a bit more of a bigger and majestic look & feel to it, find it a bit annoying when using Breath & Wings Of Ormazd the music slowly dies down and the puzzles could maybe afford to be just little more trickier, I’m sure if Ubisoft gave it a sequel or full-on remaster all of that could be fixed but overall I’ve always found this game pretty fun & satisfying, and I guess that’s all that counts… Expand
  46. Awanka
    Oct 10, 2022
    5
    Prince of Persia uses cel-shaded characters and backgrounds. The graphics aren't going to wow anyone, but they work. It's the gameplay that has issues here. The platforming is similar to Lara Croft/Assassin's Creed, and has many of the elements and platforming moves you've come to expect. It doesn't flow together as smoothly like those games though, and it often seems like I'm fightingPrince of Persia uses cel-shaded characters and backgrounds. The graphics aren't going to wow anyone, but they work. It's the gameplay that has issues here. The platforming is similar to Lara Croft/Assassin's Creed, and has many of the elements and platforming moves you've come to expect. It doesn't flow together as smoothly like those games though, and it often seems like I'm fighting the controls and quirky camera more than the game. Often the player has to guess if jumping off a pole on a certain side will land at the correct angle for a wall run, or if the timing for a jump gives a window between 6 moving blobs. It feels like I'm guessing, and have to read the minds of the developers. The more difficult platform sections boil down to rhythm games where you press buttons in sequence, and the experience as a whole is frustrating more than it is delightful.

    Combat is a mess. It's kind of like Arkham Asylum where you press buttons in sequence to perform combos, but it's very freeform. Combat boils down to waiting for the enemy to attack, and then countering and hitting the enemy with an attack based on their color, and chaining that into a combo by hitting buttons almost randomly.

    The save system is terrible, and often doesn't save the last 1-2 minutes of progression. You can't skip cutscenes either. Early on you get a female companion who plays a large part in the story and combat. She's very chatty, and I liked how reactive her dialog is, as she has a lot to say about pretty much everything you encounter in the game.

    This game isn't bad, but doesn't have enough going on to call it good. The core gameplay of platforming interspersed by combat is squirrelly and could have been better executed. I'm a bit late to the party here in 2022, but I doubt it would have made much difference to my review if I had played it in 2008.    … Expand
  47. atyoukha
    Jul 26, 2022
    8
    Fun! It's different than the other Prince of Persia games but the art style and storyline were enjoyable. I did like the addition of a second character that would help you on missions. I would recommend.

Awards & Rankings

41
#41 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2008
33
#33 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2008
17
#17 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 57 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 73
  3. Negative: 0 out of 73
  1. GameCritics
    70
    The game's core mechanics are all still there, neatly created and presented stunningly. But underneath this evident beauty, Prince of Persia fails to deliver on any sort of a challenge, and instead of carrying on the proud tradition of the series, deviates to a considerable and damaging extent because of its simple gameplay and excessive accessibility.
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  2. Game Positive
    80
    While Prince of Persia is definitely flawed and can even become tedious at points, it creates a dreamlike world that keeps you interested. It is an interactive extension of what good fiction tries to be, and while it's not for everyone, it can often leave you with a desire to come back for more.
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  3. Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
    61
    Newcomers are likely to get more out of this new trilogy's opening than veterans, who know much better. [Feb 2009, p.74]
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