Prince of Persia

Reviewed by:
Gerasimos Manolatos

Price: $49.99–$59.99

The Skinny: Ubisoft turns the page on the Prince of Persia series with a new lead and a new storyline. Are the changes worth it or just a royal pain in the ass?

The Good: We were a little skeptical with Ubi developers keeping their cards so close to their chest prior to release. Not much was known about the gameplay in this reimagining of the series, but it's definitely worth the wait. While the story branches out a bit more from the linear style found in previous versions, the fighting system has stayed the same, with three buttons acting as action keys (grabs, sword attacks, and acrobatic moves) and one as the "co-op" combat trigger (magic powers and such). Speaking of co-op, we're especially pleased with the addition of super-sexy sidekick Elika, who's magical save skills prevent you from ever dying. Sure, it makes for an easier game, but it also eliminates the annoying busy work some games provide by making you re-do sections you already completed.

The Bad: What's with game makers needing to emo-fy everything? The Prince has taken some cues from Pete Wentz with his new bed-head hairstyle and he's always whining about having to fight enemies. Dude, you're stranded in a haunted desert with a Perfect 10 pixel babe equipped with magic "healing" powers—enjoy yourself!

Maxim Tip: The game doesn't really give you any direction in pulling off lengthy combos, so you'll want to experiment with the different acrobatic, grab, and sword attacks to get things done. Or, you could just look for teh cheatz!

Buy, Rent, or Disembowel? Buy. If you're looking for something Tomb Raider-esque without the suck, get ready for a magic carpet ride.

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