Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Comments by Tom Bramwell

Fuck! So its GOOD THEN!!! WOW!

'Our only complaints here are that there is no 60Hz mode (and the game is slightly bordered as a result), and that criminally there's no widescreen mode'

The main reason i wont to buy PS2 games these days,i simply refuse to reward lazy bastard developers with my money anymore......

PS2 first, down to some SCEE deal I believe.

/wallet cries/

\o/ 7th!

Nice review Mugs, gonna wait for the Xbox version though (damn your black heart Sony) although I am very tempted to get the PS2 version.

i loved the original of this, anyone remember the puzzle with the mirror image of you running around? what memories!

i hear though that the xbox version of this looks rather more special than it's ps2/gc counterparts.

I tried the PS2 demo this weekend and while the setting is brilliant and the visuals are top-notch, it bored me after just a few minutes, although I was really looking forward to it.

And now this review, and Ico is mentioned a few times...must try the demo again me thinks.

Mine is in the mail. Should get my US Xbox version in a couple of days. Can't wait, ofcourse till then I have my damn foriegn policy analysis project to complete! :(

Definitely one of the top five games of 2003, no doubt, and one of the best platformer-uh-action-adventures in quite a while. Not quite as revolutionary as the first Prince of Persia-game when it came, but pretty darned close. Fluid animations, a really well-responding control scheme, but somewhat tedious battles from 50-60% into the game.

A definite must-have.

Good review, but for god's sake don't spoil the bloody plot man! Don't you want me to buy this thing?

WOW! Its better than Halo then ;)

Sony BASTARDS BASTARDS BASTARDS

Okay. So I could just buy the PS2 version, but I prefer my Xbox, and I hear the Xbox version looks better.

BASTARDS!

Hmmm... sounds great - the comparisons with ICO particularly peaked my interest. But why the wait for the Cube / Xbox versions (yes i know why, but WHY!!??)?

Might wait for the Cube anyway, just to see if the graphics get tarted up at all.

Why wait?

Well, actually, waiting's not so bad. I still need to finish KOTOR, which will probably take me another couple of weeks anyway, and next on the purchase list is Crimson Skies. That will probably take me up until Christmas, so I suppose I'm not really in the market for a another game until sometime around then...

in gamekult.com they are talking about a Pc release .... for the 4th of december

HOORAY! HOORAY! THRICE HOORAY!

As someone who still owns the Master System version of POP (And does play it on occasion!) it's GREAT to see this game has got it so right.

POP2 and POP3D were terrible follow-ups (3D wasn't seriously bad. Just like so many 3D platformers, one mistake = falling a LONG way!), so I'm overjoyed this is so good.

So many 2D games have "borrorwed" or enhanced POP concepts. It's about time POP had a good facelift - hurrah! Glad I preordered it!

Looks like I'm with the rest of you in being frustrated at having to wait 'til January to get an Xbox release in this country. I'd absolutely love to have this to play at home over Xmas, reliving my childhood memories of PoP in the comforting environment of me own home ;)

Definitely be getting this when it comes out over here on the 'box, and no mistake. It looks absolutely lovely.

But what the hell am I going to get to play over Christmas? I mean, first Deus Ex 2 and now this. Stupid yurrup-peons with their foreign languages and suchlike. ;)

Ain't nothing to do with Yurp - it's Sony that's paid Ubisoft off to get a 'time-limited' 'exclusive'.

I'll wait to see what the Cube version plays and looks like... there's too much to play out now anyway.

First things, great review! Written well enough to entice me to preorder (the Xbox version). Had a feeling this game would be special, both it and Far Cry stood out most for me at ECTS - but the UbiSoft ladies standing around this one won it for me :)

Anyways, mugs and the Eurogamer staff, any chance you include mention of the forthcoming Xbox/GC versions, and in any future review where they exist? Just in case the interested buyer might be unaware. Also, how about some release dates? That may be too risky though - what with how erratic they are these days.

Definately getting this one. The fact that it was mentioned in the same breath as ICO was quite something too. Thing is, I have a PS2, and a top-whack (3GHz, Radeon 9800Pro) PC, so which version should I hang on for? I'm guessing PC (?)

Ta.

PS2 looks to be THE platform for these type of games and Ico2 info is said to be in the next issue of OPS2M. Now THAT is the game sequel I really want. :')

in gamekult.com they are talking about a Pc release .... for the 4th of december

The 5th I believe, that's the date all the online stores have. Much as I wanted to play this on the big widescreen TV slouched on my sofa, I'm not going to wait until January for the XBox version when I can be playing the PC version in a couple of weeks. It'll look a lot nicer too I'm sure.

There's no chance you'd catch me playing a multiplatform game like this on the PS2, it'd be like having a Porsche sat in your driveway and walking past it to take the Skoda for a spin.

Haven't picked it up myself yet, but I hear that all three versions look pretty much the same. There's supposed to be some differences in the unlockable bonus games though.

people people theres always PGR2 to play until this on the xbox

Seems that by delaying key quality software on other consoles wil open bragging rights over the holiday period saleswise for Sony. A masterstroke in marketing? Beh, who cares.

True beep, they had to do something I suppose, they have fuck all else to brag about this Xmas gameswise with GT4 off the radar until after Xmas.

Man this game rocks, was playing the US X-Box version at the weekend and i have to say it's the best POP verions I've ever played... the combat was just mind blowing the spell are just jaw droping... everything is so POP and much more...

Ubi Soft had a whole seperate team to optimize the game for Xbox, so you bet it's better. Individual fingers, better lighting (GameCube comes in as a close second I hear) and of course the use of a hard drive means lesser load times (As usual, duh) and the possibility of a 60Hz version for both Xbox and GameCube makes the PS2 version look rather shameful. The bad thing about the GC version is that it reportedly has somewhat compressed voiceacting audio.

If only it weren't for Sony's stupid exclusivity campaign this Christmas (Despite having leading marketshare... guess they're a bit afraid?) we could have our hands on the superior versions.

If someone from SCEE is reading this: **** you.

I knew this would be good. Knew it. It looks fab. I will buy.

Oh yeah, and can everyone stop crying about the delay? Jesus, it's only a few weeks. Don't you have other stuff to be playing? :-)

>Don't you have other stuff to be playing? :-)

Yes, but as gamers we are all obviously of the "oooh-oooh-new-shiny-toy-me-wannit-now" frame of mind.

Sigh ... POP, Half life 2, Deus, Fable ... 2004 doesn't look any cheaper than 2003 does it?

I'm finding it so damned frustrating. There are soooo many great games on the horizon for the Xbox, but don't seem to be that many out at the moment.

Wait a second... I'm going home for Xmas and my little brother's got Rainbow 6 3, Xbox Live and Knights of the Old Republic, which I haven't played yet. Nice.

Supposedly these are the extras you get on the GC

Special GameCube Features Include:
The entire, original Prince of Persia game will be hidden within the GameCube version of the game - gamers will need to break down the correct wall to access the game, or . . .

Using the connectivity capabilities of the GameCube and Game Boy Advance, players can also unlock POP1 on the GameCube if they find all of the special switches in the Game Boy Advance version

Connectivity will immediately enable automatic health regeneration on the GameCube version

According to Gamezone. When the hell is this game out on GC in Europe?

Fell through my letterbox this morning! God, I love mail order!

And damn, is this game sweet or what? I concur with everything in the review, the only thing that lets it down to me is at times the in-game stunts don't work the way you planned (Which is a waste of sand. Still, fun to watch!), and the large and imnpressive areas mean - yep - our old friend Mr Bottomless Pit makes a reappearance!

I love this game. It's deceptively simple in style, but fiendishly complex when you get a little further in. Yeah, I've had to rewind time a little (Sometimes just for the sheer hell of it, then watching my character fall, then rewind again. I'm a sick puppy like that!), yeah, I have had my ass handed to me a couple of times. But three hours later... I'm happy. And thats an understatement. I'm insanely happy!

This is the BEST £35 I've spent since buying Kingdom Hearts last year! It's awesome. GO BUY IT! NOW!

OK, I'm going back to the game now...

EDIT: Sunday. 2:30pm. Finished Sands of Time. Left with a warm, fuzzy, tingly feeling that few games seem to provide on completion.
So what else is there to do? Start a whole new game...

Finally completed the first run-through (yes, first, since i failed to unlock the POP1. i suck, i know).

The game definitely deserves best-in-breed for this year, and is in many respects, one of the best on the PS2 platform. It would definitely get a 10 if it weren't for a few minor flaws. Too few different enemies, a lack of decent boss-monsters, and just piles of enemies on a few occasions made me curse. But still, oh, what a journey it was.

Oh, and there were a few "what the h**k am I supposed to do now? Swing from this rope here? I miss that thing. Oh. Wait. I pressed the button a millisecond too late." Such nitpicking with otherwise very unforgiving and beautiful controls make me frown (but just a little.)

Wow. Now, must return to the FFX-2 import. Wrow. More Rikku goodness.

FYI - At GAME (in Oxford St anyway, can't comment on other branches), spend £20+ on anything else, and you can pick up POP for £19.99.
I was going in for Tiger Woods anyway, and thought 'Bargain'.
Gotta finish Broken Sword 3 first though...

Yup, I too went for the £20 Oxford Street Game scenario (as Glenn would say). This and ESPN Football for £50 - bargain. And while I remember, WH Smiths have got 2 for £60 on all games at the moment.

YES!!!! I also did the GAME £20 bargain purchase

What a game - haven't had this much fun in ages!

Everybody go buy!! NOW!!! leave all other junk alone BUY THIS NOW!!!

/hopes it breaks into all format top 10

My sister works in Woolworths, and she reckons they're having a hard job selling the game... they're giving it away with a PS2 right now.

WHY IS THIS GAME NOT SELLING SO WELL?

Criminal Injustice of the 21st Century alert.