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The Rogue Prince of Persia

The Rogue Prince of Persia combines a non-linear narrative and rogue-like structure with the excellent combat and movement that Evil Empire is known for. Though some rough edges remain, it's a great start to early access.
83%Game Brain Score
music, gameplay
optimization, grinding
88% User Score Based on 1,292 reviews
Critic Score 77%Based on 8 reviews

Platforms

PCPCSDSteam DeckWinWindows

About

"The Rogue Prince of Persia" is a roguelite game that combines fast-paced platforming and combat. Players can discover new weapons, trinkets, and areas as they try to save Persia from a Hun invasion and find their place in the royal family. Using acrobatic moves, players can outmaneuver and outsmart enemies, and explore hard-to-reach areas. The game features a vibrant reinterpretation of Persia and non-linear story progression with a cast of colorful characters.

The Rogue Prince of Persia screenshot
The Rogue Prince of Persia screenshot
The Rogue Prince of Persia screenshot
The Rogue Prince of Persia screenshot
The Rogue Prince of Persia screenshot
The Rogue Prince of Persia screenshot
The Rogue Prince of Persia screenshot

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,300 reviews
music318 positive mentions
optimization34 negative mentions

  • The game features fluid movement and combat mechanics that create an engaging gameplay experience.
  • The art style and soundtrack are exceptional, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • The parkour mechanics, including wall running and vaulting, add a unique twist to the roguelite genre.
  • The game currently lacks content, with only a few biomes and bosses available, leading to repetitive gameplay.
  • Performance issues, including frame drops and stuttering, detract from the overall experience.
  • Some controls feel clunky and unresponsive, making precise movements challenging at times.
  • music
    500 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising its exceptional quality and ability to enhance the overall experience. Composed by Danny Asadi, the soundtrack blends traditional Persian elements with modern beats, creating an immersive atmosphere that keeps players engaged. Despite some minor issues like music desynchronization, the soundtrack is frequently described as a standout feature, with many players expressing a desire to listen to it outside of gameplay.

    • “The music of this game is designed so attractively that I stay AFK in some biomes just to listen to the game's music.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing, Asadi absolutely cooked as always.”
    • “The music is what stands out the most to me; Asadi did an amazing job.”
    • “There is a bug that happens when you are either level transitioning or when you are in the middle of the level where the music will completely disappear for about 3-5 minutes before it comes back.”
    • “Also, something else that 'spoiled' me somewhat, was a fairly frequent music desync phenomenon that makes the experience a bit frustrating, let alone after several hours of gameplay.”
    • “The complaint is that the music is bloody awful.”
  • gameplay
    391 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Rogue Prince of Persia" has been praised for its fast-paced, fluid mechanics that blend classic platforming with modern roguelike elements, reminiscent of titles like "Dead Cells" and "Hades." Players appreciate the innovative wall-running and parkour features, which enhance both traversal and combat, although some have noted issues with input delay and a lack of content variety in its early access state. Overall, the game offers a rewarding and engaging experience, bolstered by a captivating soundtrack and stunning visuals, but it still requires further polish and content expansion to reach its full potential.

    • “It’s a must-play for anyone who loves challenging, rewarding gameplay with a nostalgic yet fresh twist.”
    • “The parkour mechanics, a hallmark of the series, are fluid and exciting, allowing players to traverse complex landscapes with precision.”
    • “The gameplay is good, feels snappy and the parkour feels responsive.”
    • “There's a lot of potential with the mechanics and there are parts of the game that make me desperately want to like it, but I'm not having fun in the first place, so I'm not about to waste any more time speculatively hoping that I start having fun at some point.”
    • “The gameplay needs a bit of polish; currently, it is a bit clunky.”
    • “While there are elements of this game that I really like (music, animation, general style), the gameplay really falls flat for me.”
  • graphics
    248 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed feedback, with many praising the stunning and unique art style that has evolved significantly with recent updates, enhancing the overall visual experience. However, some players have reported performance issues, such as stuttering and frame drops, despite the minimal graphics settings available. Overall, while the visuals are generally well-received for their charm and fluidity, there are calls for improved performance and more customizable graphics options.

    • “The new art direction elevates the visuals to a whole new level, making an already great-looking game even better.”
    • “The game's visuals are stunning, and the controls are responsive.”
    • “The art style, the aesthetic, the feel of the game is top notch and I can't express just how appreciative I am to be playing such a well-crafted entry to an amazing game series I love near and dear.”
    • “The game stutters and drops frames weirdly often despite having no graphics settings and fairly minimal visuals.”
    • “There should at the very least be some graphics settings; all you have now is frame rate, resolution, and vsync.”
    • “General performance is serviceable, but it doesn't run as well as other games that are far more complex in terms of visuals.”
  • optimization
    132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with many players noting significant performance issues such as stuttering and frame drops, particularly on the Steam Deck. While some updates have improved performance, there are still areas that require further tuning, especially for a 2D game. Players express hope that ongoing development will address these concerns, making the game more enjoyable in the future.

    • “The medallion system is easier to parse, the weapon variety is way up, performance is overall better, there's activities and alternate routes and story beats that were more fleshed out than before...the game feels like it's coming into its own now.”
    • “Performance has also been greatly improved since release, holding a rock solid 60 on deck OLED, even able to hit 90 a good bit of the time.”
    • “In 2 weeks since release they fixed [90% of] stutters, improved performance, added metaprogression, new enemies, weapons, and a new biome.”
    • “But performance is way worse than it should be for a 2D game.”
    • “Good game but very poorly optimized for Steam Deck, which is unfortunate because it'd be a perfect SD game.”
    • “It's impossible to ignore the, frankly, dogshit performance.”
  • story
    103 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in the game has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating its unique setup and potential for depth, while others find it lacking and underdeveloped, particularly in character interactions and dialogue. Many reviewers express hope for future updates to expand the narrative and improve its engagement, noting that the current content feels thin and repetitive. Overall, while the foundation for an intriguing story exists, it is still in early stages and requires further development to fully captivate players.

    • “The story, art, and music is where it shines.”
    • “Despite the problems I experienced as I played, I found the rogue prince of Persia to be a fantastic roguelite with amazing combat, engaging platforming, and an interesting story that leaves me wondering what will happen next.”
    • “A new title that intends to 'breathe new life' into the series with its innovative mechanics, immersive story, and stunning artwork.”
    • “The story is so paper thin.”
    • “The story beats are pretty much nonexistent.”
    • “The story is kinda slim at the moment and character interaction feels a bit bland, but I have no doubt that this will also improve with time.”
  • atmosphere
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised, characterized by a beautiful and immersive soundtrack that blends hip hop, electronic, and Middle Eastern influences, enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the top-notch visuals and smooth animations, noting that the combination of art and music creates a unique and captivating vibe. Despite some areas needing improvement, the potential for a standout atmosphere is evident, with many considering it one of the game's strongest aspects.

    • “The beautiful soundtrack also enhances the atmosphere, making the game more immersive and enjoyable.”
    • “The nicely structured soundtrack, composed by renowned artist Danny Asadi, perfectly complements the atmosphere of the game, combining traditional Persian instruments with modern orchestral arrangements, as well as oriental music with modern beats and elements of dubstep and electronic music.”
    • “That being said, it would not be fair to judge this early access game as a final product, and while all these things need to be addressed and sorted out, and more content needs to be added, I am still going to give this a positive review because the atmosphere, the art, the music, and the dynamics of the game are beautiful.”
    • “I primarily mean combat and atmosphere.”
    • “That being said, it would not be fair to judge this early access game as a final product, and while all these things need to be addressed and sorted out, and more content needs to be added, I am still going to give this a positive review because the atmosphere, the art, the music, the dynamics of the game, are beautiful and the potential for this to be a game with overwhelmingly positive reviews is there.”
    • “I was lucky enough to get a review code from Evil Empire/Ubisoft to play this game like a week early and while it does lack in variety unlike Dead Cells, the art style, music, atmosphere, etc. are all knockouts!”
  • replayability
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts a strong replayability factor, enhanced by unique difficulty modifiers and a variety of mechanics, making it enjoyable even in early access. However, some players feel that the similarity of sword-like weapons and the lack of build experimentation could limit long-term replay value. Overall, many reviewers find the current content sufficient for multiple playthroughs, with expectations for even more replayability as the game develops.

    • “The game has a ton of replay value already, and it's only going to get more.”
    • “Still early access, but the unique difficulty modifiers upon finishing the game add some replay value for those looking for a challenge.”
    • “While still early access, the game offers great replayability once you get the basics down and get comfortable with the flow of movement and combat.”
    • “Every sword-like weapon feels too similar, and without the ability to create and experiment with different builds, the replayability takes a hit.”
    • “It's still very obviously in early access, so the amount of unlocks and late-game replayability is still quite limited at the time of writing; but even if the game would stay like this, it's well worth the 20 bucks.”
    • “Still early access, but the unique difficulty modifiers upon 'finishing' the game do add some replay value for those looking for a challenge.”
  • stability
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many users report solid performance on devices like the Steam Deck and PC, with some achieving up to 90 fps, others experience significant frame rate drops and glitches, particularly on lower-end systems. The game is not very demanding, but early access issues such as buggy menus and optimization problems have been noted, which may detract from the experience for some players.

    • “Runs great on the Steam Deck OLED, 90 fps solid!”
    • “Performance-wise, the game isn't demanding at all; it runs great.”
    • “The PC version runs great and the game isn’t very demanding, but there are only a few graphic settings at the moment.”
    • “Boring, repetitive, monotonous, unoptimized, buggy, cut copycat of Dead Cells with horrible controls.”
    • “Menus are buggy.”
    • “There are some glitches, which are expected from being in early access, but it didn't take away from my experience.”
  • grinding
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the excitement of gameplay remains high initially, the long loading screens and repetitive starting zones can make repeated runs feel tedious. Some users express concern that the grind may become overwhelming over time, reminiscent of other games like Dead Cells, though the engaging boss designs help mitigate some of the frustration.

    • “Boss designs are far more great, but it's not surprising since their designed bosses in Dead Cells were also amazing and not tedious to fight against.”
    • “Loading screens are agonizingly long, making repeat runs feel tedious and frustrating.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “I could see it getting grindy (like Dead Cells did) or the starting zones feeling a little too samey after the hundredth run.”
  • emotional
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by strong character development, particularly in the prince's journey, which resonates with players and evokes nostalgia. However, some reviewers find the story lacking depth, which detracts from the overall emotional impact.

    • “In my opinion, they nailed it; it even made me feel nostalgic in a way.”
    • “The character development is particularly noteworthy, as the prince's journey is both exciting and emotionally charged.”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it very funny overall. However, some users noted the omission of "Sands of Time" from a list, which they found amusing.

    • “Very funny as it is right now.”
    • “Funny that they didn't even name 'Sands of Time' in their list though.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is highlighted as a standout feature, with the prince's journey being described as both thrilling and deeply emotional, enhancing the overall narrative experience.

    • “The character development is particularly noteworthy, as the prince's journey is both exciting and emotionally charged.”

Buy The Rogue Prince of Persia

5h Median play time
203h Average play time
5-600h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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