Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Review
Ubisoft tries something new.
Developer: Ubisoft
Release: January 18, 2024
Reviewed On: PC
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a competent and enjoyable video game. The platforming and smooth transitions into combat are intuitive and engaging; responsive controls make movement feel powerful from the start while mastering the drip feed of unlocked abilities is rewarding. Ubisoft used plenty of inspiration from this game category, almost to a fault. Think of an enemy, mechanic, ability, or environment from the last ten years; you'll find it incorporated here. That's not to say they didn't make it work - the game felt cohesive overall - but we were hard-pressed to find something exceptional.
The Lost Crown opens with a storyboard cinematic detailing the Persian conflict with the Kushans. However, being quickly introduced to the hero, Sargon, each of his six immortal friends, the queen, and her son is overwhelming to process within the first ten minutes. Rushing these introductions leads to many early beats lacking an emotional pull, further compounding this genre's somewhat uneven storytelling track record. While the mid-to-late game introduces some interesting scraps here and there, there is a sense of anticlimactic fatigue when the credits roll.
Despite the weaker narrative, The Lost Crown's entertaining gameplay is compelling. The consistent change in scenery, each with a unique environmental mechanic and collection of enemies, keeps things fresh during its 18-hour campaign. While the primary path is not especially difficult, stylized boss fights are a thrilling highlight and a challenging skill check to continue the adventure. These, mixed with plenty of optional platforming challenges, demand engagement; you won't be disappointed to venture off the beaten path. One thing we suspect future games will adopt is the ability to take snapshots of an area and pin them to the world map. It is a clever quality-of-life system, allowing for quick recollection and the ability to audit current skills without the tedious and sometimes wasteful backtracking.
Ubisoft took a risk with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, and overall, they succeeded. It might not be a year-defining title, but as Metroidvanias go, it's a well-made one and worthwhile for fans of the genre.
Final Score
