Reviews
The Prince of Persia franchise, one of the crown jewels of gaming history, has been key for many years in setting the bar for astonishing stories, gameplay mechanics, and visuals. Ubisoft has been largely absent from this series for more than ten years, but is now back with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, a game that takes the franchise back to its 2D platforming roots. Released on January 18, 2024, this game focuses on Sargon, one of the Immortals, who must save Prince Ghassan from the dark and deadly Mount Qaf. In this Prince of Persia the Lost Crown review, we will explore the game’s gameplay, story, presentation, and everything in between.
Prince of Persia the Lost Crown Review: Gameplay Mechanics
Platforming and Exploration
The Lost Crown is a Metroidvania-style platformer driven by exploration and movement. Players take on the role of Sargon, who will traverse through beautifully crafted environments that are filled with obstacles, enemies, and puzzles. At first, you have only a few abilities—jumping, sliding, and ground dashing—which are there to introduce you to the platforming mechanics. The simplicity of these mechanics can make the first few hours quite tiresome.
Over the course of the game, players unlock new Time Powers with each upgrade radically expanding Sargon’s capabilities. You can airdash, double jump, and summon copies of yourself to teleport to. These abilities get introduced at a very slow pace, which some players might find too slow. Still, they are all acquired in a relatively short amount of time throughout the game. The opening hours feel more like a tutorial that outstays its welcome. Still, as players reach the mid-game and gain additional abilities, platforming evolves into a dynamic, challenging gameplay.
Combat System
Another standout feature for “The Lost Crown” is combat. Sargon’s primary weapons include dual swords and a bow-and-arrow system that offer a lot of flexibility in his attacks. Time Powers also bring depth to combat, allowing players to juggle foes or pull off charged attacks. The fighting system is somehow similar to fighting games, where players parry attacks and deal significant combos.
Also, the game mode when it comes to challenges is interesting. Players can customize combat options to change their experience — changing how much damage they do/take, tweaking timing windows for parrying and dodging. So, in effect, this makes The Lost Crown a game perfect for those new to the genre and more seasoned veterans alike.
Accessibility Features
Ubisoft has made strides to ensure that “The Lost Crown” is accessible to a broader audience. The game includes options for guided exploration versus traditional Metroidvania navigation. Additionally, players can skip difficult platforming segments if they choose to do so. One particularly innovative feature is the Memory Shard system, allowing players to take screenshots of locations they wish to revisit later. This feature enhances exploration by helping players keep track of areas they may not be able to access immediately.
Narrative Structure
Story Overview
In Prince of Persia The Lost Crown, players step into the shoes of Sargon, who has been tasked with rescuing Prince Ghassan from the mountainous region of Mount Qaf—a land where time acts erratically. The premise is great, but on the writing side of things, the narrative execution really needed work. Several critics observed that the story seems fractured, never taking a moment to adequately set up the motivations or relationships of the characters.
Players are introduced to countless characters throughout the game who appear to be important to the plot but come across as underdeveloped or poorly explained. However, this vagueness can create confusion about important plot points and character development. Sure, there are lore tablets around Mount Qaf that help provide context, but these rarely make an impact when it matters in the story.
Character Development
Sargon himself is not a royal figure but rather a member of the Immortals assigned to protect Ghassan. There is little substance behind his character other than his determination to pursue the quest. This can cause players to struggle to relate to him or care about his journey.
What also contributes to the uneven pacing of the story is its structure; certain moments are designed to be climactic or to reveal important plot twists, but they lack effective setup and fall flat instead. This problem undermines what could’ve been a strong story arc.
Visual Presentation
Art Style
Visually, The Lost Crown is a gorgeous piece of 2D art design that follows in its predecessor’s footsteps while updating the aesthetic to reflect modern design standards. The environments, complex and diverse — from fertile scenery to sinister caves — brought the world to life for the player.
Animations are smooth, which makes it even better when it comes to platforming and combat. Every ability feels responsive and rewarding; whether double jumps or parries in combat, Sargon moves well and looks good.
Sound Design
The beautiful visuals are accompanied by a poignant soundtrack, which adds to the game’s atmosphere. It perfectly adjusts while you move between different environments or get into a combat — bringing up pressure when things get heated and a sense of awe when you are exploring.
Sound effects also play a big part; everything from swords crashing in battle to ambient noises that envelop you within the otherworldly nature of Mount Qaf.
The Prince of Persia the Lost Crown Review: Pros and Cons
Pros
Though the narrative can feel like a jumbled mess at times, Prince of Persia The Lost Crown gets a lot of things right in its own way:
- Platforming System: Once new abilities are gained, platforming is very challenging and rewarding.
- Fluid Combat: The system can feel deep with Time Powers and experimentation with multiple attack types.
- Visual Appeal: Beautiful visuals and seamless animations bring the player in and makes it a very interesting experience.
- Accessibility Features: Guided exploration and Memory Shards are tailored to different player preferences.
Cons
That said, “The Lost Crown” weighs four major weaknesses that keep it from reclaiming its full potential:
- Disjointed Narrative: The story lacks coherence and fails to engage players emotionally.
- Pacing Issues: The slow introduction of abilities may deter some players from persevering through the initial hours.
- Character Development: Sargon’s character feels underdeveloped, making it difficult for players to connect with him.
- Inconsistent Difficulty: While some sections offer satisfying challenges, others can feel overly simplistic or frustratingly difficult without proper escalation.
5 Alternatives to Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
Nine Sols
“Nine Sols” is a new Metroidvania with a bold hand-drawn art style and Sekiro-inspired combat. You play as Vi, and you’ve got nine mega-powerful beings called Sols to defeat. Fighting is focused on martial arts instead of weapons, with players needing to charge their Ki to perform special moves. Nines Sols features exploration and intense combat mechanics, stylized graphics, and multiple endings.
Animal Well
Animal Well is an atmospheric Metroidvania with a heavy focus on exploration and puzzles set in a gorgeous pixel art world. The game’s expansive environments contain hidden treasures, passages, and various animal characters with which to interact. The game is about discovery, allowing players to figure out its content in their own time. For those that enjoy the genre, Animal Well has potential based on what we have seen so far, namely, the unique visuals and gameplay.
Biomorph
This unique title features an artistic hand-drawn style and fresh gameplay mechanics. It’s a Metroidvania-style adventure where players use the powers of fallen enemies to gain new skills and reach secret areas across the map. This introduces a unique aspect to gameplay, where players must think about acquiring certain abilities depending on their play style. An exciting combat system, combined with immersive lore, makes “Biomorph” stand out in the Metroidvania genre.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau
An underrated title, “Tales of Kenzera: Zau,” has an excellent mix of art design and gameplay mechanics. Embark on a challenging journey through a beautiful fantasy world, controlling a young Shaman using both the Sun and Moon masks. With the Sun mask, players can engage in hand-to-hand combat. In contrast, the Moon mask allows them to take ranged attacks, providing different gameplay styles for different masks. With an engaging narrative and beautiful locations, this title is a perfect choice for those looking for substance in both gameplay and the narrative.
Momodora: Moonlit Farewell
The “Momodora” series has long been celebrated for its fluid combat mechanics and charming pixel art style. “Moonlit Farewell,” the latest installment in the franchise, continues this tradition while introducing new characters and environments to explore. Players will engage in fast-paced platforming combined with strategic combat as they navigate through beautifully designed levels filled with enemies and secrets. The game’s emphasis on skillful movement and exploration makes it an ideal choice for fans of “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.”
Prince of Persia The Lost Crown Review: Takeaways
In summary, “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown” marks an ambitious return for the franchise but ultimately fails to deliver a cohesive narrative experience alongside its engaging gameplay mechanics. While it successfully revitalizes classic platforming elements with modern innovations such as Time Powers and accessibility features, it struggles with pacing issues and character development.
For fans of Metroidvania titles or those looking for an enjoyable platforming experience filled with action-packed combat sequences, “The Lost Crown” offers plenty of entertainment value—especially in its latter half when gameplay truly shines. However, those seeking a compelling story may find themselves disappointed by its lackluster narrative execution.
On the whole, “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown” is a solid addition to its genre—an homage for the series veterans while offering enough new material to entice newcomers looking for adventure amid the beautiful and deadly passageways of Mount Qaf.
Check our Prince of Persia games guide for release dates and story order. And if you want more action, read this Rage of Bahamut Game Review. Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more game reviews.
All images from ubisoft.com
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