Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Review
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Review
The genre is over saturated, Ubisoft have never created a Metroidvania, making the game 2.5D seems risky when people are hungry for a new 3D adventure, the premium price creates very high expectations and despite all of these reasons why this Prince of Persia shouldn’t work and many more, The Lost Crown over delivers.
THE REMEMBERED SANDS
After a lengthy hiatus, a new destiny has been given to the Prince of Persia series by going back to its roots with The Lost Crown.
The Lost Crown feels like Ubisoft Montpellier had a meeting and went around the table asking what made Prince of Persia iconic between 1989 and 2010. Someone yelled out 2D, someone else yells out challenging platforming, another says time travel, another shouts puzzles, someone mentions spikes and so on. The point is that everything that has made Prince of Persia such a beloved series since the late 80’s right down to the design of the spikes. The big difference with the Lost Crown, is that it’s all happening in the same game and not over the course of decades.
IMMORTALS: SARGON RISING
Not only is going back to the roots of the series risky and counter intuitive to what people want from a new Prince of Persia, but The Lost Crown eschews familiarity by introducing a brand new protagonist in Sargon. Sargon is part of The Immortals, an elite force of bodyguards possessing otherworldly powers who are sworn to protect the prince. Ubisoft Montpellier have created a bespoke tale of destiny, honour and betrayal that is intertwined with authentic Persian mythology that had me researching what parts of story were fiction and what wasn't.
The story is given personality thanks to some solid voice acting, especially Sargon, however, there were a couple that stood out like a sore thumb. Either these were artificial intelligence or the actors were having an off day. Luckily, these were extremely minor roles and didnt affect the overall enjoyment in the slightest.
Early in the game there were some fears that arose including the combat feeling a little button mashy and that the environments might begin to feel a little repetitive. Both of these fears are quickly assuaged and the game unfolds. You will learn new abilities, master the parry, find new Athra Powers, which are basically supers and discover new amulets, which work in the same way as the charm system from Hollow Knight.
Unlike some games that just allow to over level certain items and then brute force the game, The Lost Crown demands that you take advantage of everything in your toolbox which results in a more rewarding experience. This unwritten rule applies to both the platforming, which is devious at times but never frustrating, as well as the boss fights that felt impossible without embracing all of Sargon's abilities.
The Lost Crown takes place at the top of Mount Qaf, a stunning 2.5D environment, that feels alive, begs to be explored with epic boss fights and animations that are ultra stylized as the colors splash across the screen. It also happens to feature one of the best sections of a metroidvania that I have played and I have been playing them for decades. The imagination and the talent to create such a unique environment was mesmerizing. It is something to be experienced and not spoiled but it’s located on the far eastern limits of the map.
The world goes far beyond just looking gorgeous. The score, composed by Gareth Coker, who is most known for his heartfelt and immersive compositions on the Ori series, is clearly still at top form creating a feast ears. There is also the audio direction that gives the world a sense of existence and realism with how the howl of the wind sounds very different in the open temple compared to just a few feet away on the precipice of the cliff.
WORTH MENTIONING
There are a few things about The Lost Crown that could have been slighty better including the cutscenes. These scenes are doing some heavy lifting for the plot but the facial movement on the characters felt underdeveloped and with some slight lip improvements, it could have made the story even more immersive.
Some of the most original parts of The Lost Crown are basically the equivalent of Doom Glory Kills. Each enemy type has their own unique animation, which is impressive with the amounts of unique enemies in the game but it would have been nice if they were more handsomely rewarded with more time crystals or health.
There are some downright evil platforming sections in the game and it would have been nice to have clear indications as to whether or not it was a section that could be accomplished with Sargon’s current skill set.
To be honest, the other issues feel minor when compared with everything that The Lost Crown did right in what feels like a masterclass in Metroidvania. Not only have the refined what have come before them but they have also created their own unique experince and innovated with things like the memory shards and the amount of accessibility options.
RETURN OF THE KING
The Lost Crown never over stayed its welcome in its 25 hours or so mainlining the story. With taking more time to explore, increasing the difficulty level, and doing the side quests, this could have easily added another 10-15. New areas, skills, powers, and plot threads are constantly interwoven throughout your journey that is always moving forward. With all of the accessibility options that allow you to tailor the experience to your personal skill and preference, The Lost Crown is an easy recommend for anyone and not just hardcore fans of the Metroidvania genre.
The Lost Crown has flaws, but the experience is what is paramount and remains unaffected by this minutiae. Just as Ubisoft Montpellier reinvented Rayman back in 2011 with Origins, they have reinvented Prince of Persia with The Lost Crown. Prince of Persia is not only an ultra refined experience, but somehow finds ways to innovate on a genre, almost as old as gaming itself in what is easily the best Metroidvania I have played since 2018 when Hollow Knight came out.