Prince of Persia

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,541 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Prince of Persia Game Cover
Stunning presentation and an engaging open-world reprisal of the series' trademark platforming action make this newly reimagined Prince of Persia easy to recommend.
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"Prince of Persia" for Steam is a critically acclaimed action-adventure game that features a new Prince, storyline, and open world environments. With a signature illustrative graphical style, the game offers acrobatic challenges and combat tactics, as well as a deadly ally named Elika. The player must master the Prince's movements and strategies to navigate the environment and defeat enemies.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Uplay
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,541 reviews
story218 positive mentions
grinding35 negative mentions
  • Beautiful cel-shaded graphics that have aged well and create a unique atmosphere.
  • Engaging character interactions and witty dialogue between the Prince and Elika, adding depth to the story.
  • Fluid parkour mechanics that make traversal enjoyable and satisfying.
  • Combat is repetitive and lacks depth, often feeling like a series of quick-time events.
  • The game has no real challenge as players cannot die, which can diminish the sense of urgency.
  • The story feels incomplete without the Epilogue DLC, which is not available on PC.
  • story670 mentions

    The story of "Prince of Persia (2008)" is characterized by its engaging yet simplistic narrative, focusing on the evolving relationship between the prince and his companion, Elika. While the dialogue and character interactions are often praised for their charm and emotional depth, many players express disappointment over the game's cliffhanger ending and the lack of resolution due to the absence of the epilogue DLC on PC. Overall, the story is seen as a highlight for its artistic presentation and character dynamics, despite criticisms of repetitiveness and a somewhat generic plot.

    • “The story, centered around the prince and his companion Elika, is a mix of charm and melancholy, with their growing bond adding emotional depth to the adventure.”
    • “The narrative of Prince of Persia is mostly driven by the dialogue of the two main characters, with the prince and Elika taking moments during the game to banter and share insights, making their relationship feel genuine.”
    • “The story is simple yet well-written, with clear Zoroastrian influences, which is something you don't see often.”
    • “The story is completely bewildering nonsense at the start and pretty darn generic when you find out what is going on (and still nonsense) and it ends with even more nonsense both from a story perspective and gameplay... it's just wasting your time.”
    • “The kind of cliffhanger that almost ruins the story that leads to it, because the only way it could be redeemed is with a sequel, and given that this game came out in 2008 and modern Ubisoft is physically incapable of writing compelling character dynamics these days, even if by some miracle they decided to continue this story, it would be, at best, a disappointment.”
    • “The story is basic, but it all unfolds in a pretty logical manner in that the characters always remain true to themselves.”
  • graphics475 mentions

    The graphics of "Prince of Persia (2008)" are widely praised for their stunning cel-shaded art style, which has aged remarkably well, maintaining a vibrant and enchanting aesthetic that feels timeless. Many reviewers highlight the game's watercolor-like visuals and fluid animations, creating an immersive experience that enhances the storytelling and gameplay. While some criticize the environments for being somewhat generic, the overall artistic direction and beautiful graphics are considered the standout features of the game.

    • “The graphics shine as the game's highlight, not top-notch but undeniably pretty.”
    • “The cell-shaded graphics are still pretty good looking today!”
    • “The art style holds up well even today, and it looks and runs fine on a modern laptop in compatibility mode.”
    • “The graphics are different, the parkour is similar to the trilogy, but it is much more satisfying and smooth, with an addition of a grapple attached to your hand for even more variety.”
    • “The graphics, while chunky and obviously 14 years old, hold up pretty well because of the painterly art style.”
    • “The graphics hold up well and everything runs like a dream.”
  • gameplay448 mentions

    The gameplay in "Prince of Persia (2008)" is characterized by its fluid parkour mechanics and a focus on exploration, but it suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of challenge due to the absence of a death mechanic. While the introduction of Elika as a companion adds a unique dynamic, many players find the combat simplistic and the overall experience overly reliant on quick-time events and collecting light seeds, leading to a sense of monotony. Despite its beautiful visuals and engaging story, the gameplay often feels unrefined and fails to capture the depth and excitement of its predecessors.

    • “Prince of Persia (2008) offers a fresh and innovative take on the classic franchise, introducing a captivating storyline, stunning visuals, and fluid gameplay mechanics that set a new standard for platforming adventures.”
    • “The gameplay focuses on fluid acrobatics and platforming, staying true to the series’ roots while introducing a more accessible and streamlined approach.”
    • “With its emphasis on exploration, fluid platforming, and innovative companion mechanics, Prince of Persia (2008) offers a fresh and unique take on the beloved franchise.”
    • “The gameplay is very repetitive, as the game feels more like just a platform game with very little in terms of combat.”
    • “The problems arise from the gameplay part: the combat system is scripted and not engaging, a huge step back compared to the Sands of Time trilogy.”
    • “The gameplay is tedious and moves are so inconsistent, you pray each time you press a button that the game responds.”
  • music179 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its beautiful orchestral score and atmospheric quality that enhances the overall experience. However, some players noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive due to a limited number of tracks, which may detract from the immersion during extended gameplay. Overall, while the music is often described as enchanting and fitting for the game's aesthetic, its lack of variety is a common criticism.

    • “The music is fantastic; I wish the soundtrack was available for purchase.”
    • “The story's magical atmosphere, coupled with the stunning visuals and mesmerizing soundtrack, create a world you won't want to leave.”
    • “Inon Zur and Stuart Chatwood did a fantastic job with the soundtrack, and it complements the game perfectly, with its very adventurous feeling and clear Middle Eastern inspiration.”
    • “I have a problem with the music in that it is quite repetitive; you'll mostly be hearing the exact same BGM in all of the healed areas, and I think they could've done with greater variety to match the actually very different environments we go through the course of the game.”
    • “The soundtrack isn't anything to celebrate: vague 'you are exploring an Arabian nights-ish landscape' sonic wallpaper, nothing special or memorable.”
    • “Later in the game, I found myself turning off the music during a boss fight because it got too repetitive.”
  • humor51 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by witty and engaging dialogue between the prince and Elika, showcasing their chemistry and providing lighthearted moments that often elicit genuine laughter. While some players find the humor charming and reminiscent of earlier titles, others feel it can be hit-or-miss, with occasional cringe-worthy lines. Overall, the comedic interactions and banter are seen as a highlight, adding a fun layer to the gameplay experience.

    • “The game's humor is pretty decent, and is willing to take jabs at its own genre and itself.”
    • “The lead characters are charismatic and their relationship grows in a nice and funny way; the dialogues are fun (the guessing game is really funny) and the story is interesting.”
    • “The dialogue interactions between the two characters are important as the player can see the growing bond between them, and a few are even hilarious, so that's a plus.”
  • atmosphere40 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its vibrant visuals, immersive soundtrack, and engaging audio design, creating a nostalgic and enchanting experience. Players appreciate the fairy tale vibes and dynamic day-night cycle, which enhance the sense of immersion, despite some criticism regarding the game's simplicity and lack of challenge. Overall, the unique art style and lively atmosphere contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a memorable experience for many.

    • “Atmospheric soundtrack and solid voice acting performances enhance the immersion and atmosphere of the game.”
    • “The story's magical atmosphere, coupled with the stunning visuals and mesmerizing soundtrack, create a world you won't want to leave.”
    • “The atmosphere, the music, stylized graphics everything screams quality!”
    • “With its relatively low difficulty and relaxing atmosphere and soundtrack, this Prince of Persia reboot is comparatively more casual than its predecessors.”
    • “Where Sot had an Arabian Nights-esque atmosphere, PoP 2008 has more of a Disney-ish feel.”
    • “They really nailed down the atmosphere in this game as well; it's a large, beautiful yet desolate world, and you and Elika are the only two inhabitants for the most part.”
  • grinding35 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, primarily due to the necessity of collecting light seeds to progress through the story. Many players find the combat mechanics and level design to contribute to a monotonous experience, with frequent backtracking and forced collectibles detracting from overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the platforming elements, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding detracts significantly from the game's potential.

    • “Don't buy this game if you want to spend the rest of your time farming 50-70 collectibles just for the next stage in every stage.”
    • “The gameplay is pure grinding and is boring as hell.”
    • “To progress in the story, you have to unlock areas by collecting light seeds around the world, which becomes a very tedious task once you have completed all the storyline sub-areas.”
  • emotional23 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Prince of Persia (2008)" is highlighted by the deepening relationship between the prince and his companion, Elika, which adds significant emotional weight to the narrative. Players appreciate the blend of charm and melancholy in the story, complemented by a poignant soundtrack that enhances the emotional experience. The game culminates in a heartbreaking yet beautiful ending, leaving a lasting impact on players through its well-developed characters and engaging storytelling.

    • “The story, centered around the prince and his companion Elika, is a mix of charm and melancholy, with their growing bond adding emotional depth to the adventure.”
    • “The relationship between the prince and Elika, a powerful princess with her own tragic past, forms the emotional core of the story.”
    • “Compelling storytelling: the evolving relationship between the prince and Elika is beautifully portrayed, keeping players emotionally invested in the narrative.”
  • stability22 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting significant bugs, including frequent freezing during loading screens and graphical glitches. While some players have managed to run the game smoothly, particularly on specific setups, the overall consensus highlights a frustrating experience marred by technical issues, especially for those using controllers.

    • “Just got it on sale for $2 - can report this PC port runs great, playing with an Xbox 360 controller.”
    • “Garbage port, controller issues from the get-go = faulty product. Shouldn't have to spend hours troubleshooting setup time just to get controllers working on a game that was originally built for controller.”
    • “Couldn't even play the game because it freezes every time it loads.”
    • “Well, I'd like to know that myself, but the game freezes whenever it damn pleases for seemingly no reason, so I didn't get to play for more than a minute or two.”
  • character development22 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the character designs and interactions between the prince and Elika are praised for their charm and depth, the open-world structure limits the progression of their relationship, resulting in a somewhat static narrative experience. Many players appreciate the engaging dialogue and voice acting, which enhance the characters' likability, but some feel that the overall development lacks significant impact due to the game's design choices. Ultimately, the character dynamics are enjoyable, yet they may not reach their full potential within the game's framework.

    • “Character designs are excellent across the board, and the two main characters are both instantly likeable and well-developed.”
    • “Toss in the spectacular character development and interaction between Elika and the prince, and the beautifully rendered environments.”
    • “It's more about character development and the relationship between the prince and Elika.”
    • “The open world design is nice in concept, but it makes it so there can be no real character development since you can go basically anywhere at any time.”
    • “Story has no baseline, no character development.”
    • “The problem is that this requires character development, development which the open world precludes from happening because every zone can be done at any time and so the dialogue maintains a pretty consistent tone throughout; you never feel that the relationship moves anywhere beyond the initial leap from chasing the girl to saving your first land.”
  • replayability21 mentions

    Overall, "Prince of Persia" (2008) has limited replayability primarily due to the lack of branching paths, multiple endings, and additional content after completing the main story. While completionists may find some enjoyment in uncovering secrets and collectibles, the game's straightforward combat and repetitive elements diminish its long-term appeal. However, the inclusion of achievements and downloadable content offers a slight incentive for players to revisit the game.

    • “Prince of Persia (2008) offers limited replay value once the main story is completed, but completionists may enjoy replaying the game to uncover all of its secrets and collectibles.”
    • “While Prince of Persia may not offer traditional branching paths or multiple endings, its engaging gameplay and rich storytelling make it worth revisiting time and time again.”
    • “Personally, I like the specific take on replayability: when you defeat minibosses, locations get upgraded with new obstacles and foes receive new abilities, depending on the boss you defeated - and you can defeat minibosses in any order, so the game can be very different on your subsequent runs.”
    • “Limited replay value once the main story is completed.”
    • “Limited replayability: after completing the main story, the game might lack sufficient additional content or choices, potentially reducing its replay value.”
    • “It's a nice reboot and has some great ideas, the graphics, sound, and voice acting are excellent, but the simple and just way too easy combat combined with 0 replayability and no difficulty setting as well as repetitive enemies make it a good starting point that could evolve into a truly great game.”
  • optimization15 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues such as stuttering, high GPU usage, and crashes, particularly on modern machines. While the visuals and voice acting are praised for their quality, the overall performance is deemed inconsistent, leading to frustration for many users. Despite these challenges, some players managed to achieve smooth gameplay, highlighting the game's potential when properly optimized.

    • “The fact that it still runs smoothly is enough as it is, I guess.”
    • “Optimization: 10/10”
    • “It can be a bit finicky to get to run on modern machines, but I got it to run smoothly on my Windows 10 machine without too much trouble.”
    • “Great game, but complete shit port, low fps and stuttering on higher end or new machines.”
    • “Terribly optimized, with regular stuttering and memory leaks, abnormally high GPU usage (even at everything at lowest) and various other bugs like crashing and stuff like missing jumps, grabs, Elika getting stuck, and PC never got the epilogue DLC (not that it was great to begin with) due to 'high piracy numbers'.”
    • “It certainly didn't feel optimized for PC but at its high points it was fun.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization model of "Might & Magic: Duel of Champions" has been criticized as a cash grab, relying on name recognition while offering a free-to-play experience with microtransactions. The game's closure not only removed it from stores but also erased player achievements and statistics, highlighting the risks associated with such monetization practices.

    • “No microtransactions!!!”
    • “A more serious case was that of Might & Magic: Duel of Champions, a free-to-play game with microtransactions, whose closure not only removed the game from stores but also erased achievements and statistics from accounts, rendering important player information inaccessible.”
    • “This game is an insulting cash grab based on name recognition alone, without caring if gamers of any kind actually like it.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

Buy Prince of Persia

Play time

12hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
11hMain story
18hCompletionist
2-13hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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