The Good Beginnings
When was it again? Oh Yeah 2003 when the best game of all time came out reviving one of gaming`s most ground breaking franchises. The game was a showpiece; the ingenius levels were a joy to explore, the fluid animations a treat to perform and the intriguing story a fantasy that only grandmothers used to tell you when you were a kid (at least mine did!). The game was immediately universally acclaimed and a sequel was only a question of time. A year later, Warrior Within was released which while improving some elements of the Sands of Time did disappoint. The loveable prince was lost, the gorgeous artistically inspired environments abandoned and most importantly the swiftly flowing oriental tunes were replaced with – let’s face it – a boring repetitive non-fitting hard rock fest soundtrack. It’s true, the new direction did attract more audience but sadly lost some of it as well along the way and if it wasn’t for the solid gameplay mechanics and the revamped combat system, Warrior Within would have been a disaster. Thankfully, the game sold well (like most dark themed games nowadays) and soon after Ubisoft announced the development of the third and final Chapter in the Sands of Time trilogy. The developers promised a return to glory and an Epic conclusion of the franchise through The Two Thrones, so let's dive in and find out!
A King Reborn
The gameplay, as usual, is as strong as ever with every bit of platforming goodness from the previous two titles thrown in combined with a fine addition of other moves and an outstanding level design which created one of the best gaming experiences ever. The variety of environments you will journey through is no short than breathtaking ranging from the Moroccan style streets and rooftops to the magical hanging gardens of the Tower of Babel and along the way travelling through the dark sewers and underground passageways! Trust me you will have a BLAST!
The interesting and most rewarding aspect of gameplay is the perfect blend of combat with platforming which was achieved through the Speed Kill System. Basically this stealth kill system depends on how fast you press the slash button on your controller when the dagger of time flashes on the screen. Of course this wont happen if your cover gets blown, so all you have to do is think about how to get an advantage over your enemies by working your way around the environment using the Prince’s acrobatic skills to a suitable striking position that enables you to take your enemy quickly if not several enemies at once. Fans of The Free-Form Fighting will not be disappointed either as the players will have the choice to go head on with the enemies if so they wish giving the players the freedom to tackle any combat situation the way they like. The Prince’s free from fighting is back from warrior within but the interesting part is the addition of an all new system for the dark prince which is based on using a chain like weapon called the dagger tail. Of course, Puzzles were not forgotten either, they are scattered throughout the game and when it just feels like you need one or two you will find it within minutes of realising it.
Most people would agree that the bosses in Warrior Within were boring and repetitive but rest assured this has changed completely in The Two Thrones. There are about six bosses in the game and each one of them will present a unique challenge. The best part of it being the blending of the platforming and the speed kills together into the battles making the experience even more innovative and enjoyable.
Don's Turn Off That Sound!
One of the major disappointments of Warrior Within was its hard rock musical score which while it did please some of the fans, ended up upsetting some players and reviewers alike but thankfully this has changed. The soundtrack features one of the most incredible oriental tunes that we’ve heard since the Sands of Time. The music also adapts to the situation during gameplay ranging from swift melodies to more action packed tracks when fighting. The game cinematics are also one of the best out there; they clearly show the development the studio has undergone since Sands of Time but what makes then even better is the orchestral musical score performed by Inon Zur.
That'll Do
Graphically, Prince of Persia The Two Thrones does not represent a huge leap forward due logically to the aging of the JADE Engine but the visuals are still one of the best out there especially on PS2. At the beginning, the graphics seem a bit dull but wait until you progress a little bit into the palace and then into the hanging gardens and then the final levels which will certainly blow you away. Character models, however, are a bit disappointing especially Farah’s but the prince looks fairly detailed but once you see the beautiful environments that the game offers you will forget all about it. The strongest aspect here is of course the Art Direction which is felt everywhere especially on how the environments fit within each other and create the feeling of a single coherent city.
Concluding Remarks
All in all, it is clear that the team behind the game has successfully managed to take the best bits of Sands of Time and Warrior Within, mixed them a little bit and added a few bunch of other features creating one of the most tasteful and ejoyable gaming experiences out there. It's the gameplay, Art Direction and Music that stand out tall in this game. Those Vast levels! ... Those animations! .... Those Cinematics! I could go on raving about it forever.
If there is one game that everyone should get this year it's Prince of Persia The Two Thrones! A serious contender for Game of the Year. Go Get It NOW!
