Prince of Persia

~ PRINCE OF PERSIA ~

Broderbund / Hudson Soft / Argent

Super CD-ROM

1992

Prince of Persia is actually more of a strategy/puzzle game than it is an action title. You won't have to slash your way through each level; instead, you'll have to figure out the correct route to take to the end of the level while solving puzzles, overcoming obstacles, and avoiding the many traps your enemy has set for you (which frequently involve spiked floors, falling planks, and razor-sharp guillotines). You have a great number of techniques at your disposal: in addition to being able to perform standard actions (such as running, jumping, and squatting), you can grab on to ledges and pull yourself up and over them, as well as tip-toe your way forward. Your actions in one room can have an effect on objects in other rooms, so it's necessary to memorize the layout of each level along with the order that the rooms must be visited in.

PoP was ancient even at the time of its release for the Duo, and there are a million other versions out there. But this rendition of the classic is a nice-looking one, and it boasts a quality soundtrack produced by T's Music.

I liked this game a lot when I first bought it years ago, but I find myself annoyed with a few things when I replay it these days. The combat is horrible: every fight (including the battle with the last boss) can be won in the same manner except that sometimes you have to parry twice instead of once before you can land a blow.

The controls are shoddy, as they always have been, but people used to accept them because of how phenomenal the animation seemed back in the day.

And the trial-and-error gameplay becomes wearisome, as you end up replaying simple stretches and monotonous battles just to take another shot at a particularly tricky leap or puzzle.

I still think PoP is cleverly designed in a lot of ways, and I still think it's a good game all in all, but there's better stuff to play now... like Sands of Time and Warrior Within.