Editor’s notice: Ubisoft India offered IGN India a PC key of Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown for this evaluate.
For anybody who began their gaming journey within the late Nineties or early 2000s, it’s greater than seemingly that the Prince of Persia collection holds a particular place of their coronary heart. The franchise gained recognition round this time throughout a number of platforms, be it the DOS period of Home windows or the PlayStation 2 period on the console facet.
Ubisoft bought the rights to the franchise in 2001 and took it to new heights of recognition. The writer went from power to power with the discharge of The Sands of Time, Warrior Inside, and The Two Thrones. Anybody who performed video games through the 2000s remembers how well-liked these video games have been within the nation’s gaming cafés as nicely. On condition that the final main Prince of Persia (PoP) sport was launched nearly 15 years again, in 2010, it was excessive time for Ubisoft to revisit the franchise. Now, the writer is again with Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown. Is it a worthy successor for the PoP franchise, and is it value your cash? Let’s take a look at the solutions to those questions and extra within the full evaluate of Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown.
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Variations, expectations, and the sport of extremes
This newest entry is not the same old 3D sport with a third-person view that all of us keep in mind from the Prince of Persia collection. As an alternative, it’s a 2.5D side-scroller.
Now, earlier than we dive into the evaluate, I need you to cease your attainable assumption that Misplaced Crown is only a minor sport within the collection with not a lot effort put into it, since you could be significantly mistaken. Contemplating the variations between the earlier mainstream titles within the PoP franchise and this sport, it’s pure to have low expectations. Nonetheless, Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown is a labour of affection, and builders at Ubisoft Montpellier have put quite a lot of effort into creating the sport.
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To start with, Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown encompasses a new, standalone story distinct from the mainline PoP video games. This makes the title accessible to individuals who have by no means performed a PoP sport earlier than. Regardless of my low expectations in the beginning, I completely loved The Misplaced Crown. I used to be pleasantly shocked by the quantity of effort and a spotlight to element invested within the story, platforming, gameplay mechanics, visuals, and music of the sport.
Even with all the trouble and a spotlight to element, Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown will seemingly be a divisive sport. You will both find it irresistible or dislike it as a result of it’s a Metroidvania title. Not everybody enjoys a non-linear platformer the place they have to revisit elements of the map they’ve already explored and unlock extra areas to find. I perceive why some individuals won’t be keen on that, however Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown managed to maintain issues participating for me and did not flip the navigation and exploration facets of the map right into a chore.
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Story of Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown
Whereas the story differs from the earlier Prince of Persia video games, The Misplaced Crown is ready in a well-known universe. We observe the journey of Sargon, a member of The Immortals, an elite military comprising warriors.
After efficiently defeating a Kushan Empire common through the Empire’s invasion of the crumbling Persian Empire, Sargon receives recognition and reward for his valiant efforts from the Queen. Nonetheless, the celebration is short-lived when Prince Ghassan is kidnapped and brought to the sacred Mount Qaf. This place homes the Citadel and is the house of the Simurgh, an imposing chook creature from Persian mythology. Sargon mounts a rescue, however after all, issues don’t go as deliberate, and he finds himself trapped within the place together with his ragtag bunch of Immortals. Your purpose within the sport is to uncover the mysteries behind this place and discover the Prince.
It ought to be evident that this isn’t a story-heavy sport. In addition to, the one side that didn’t impress me a lot was the opposite characters within the sport past Sargon. They don’t seem to be memorable and don’t have anything to write down house about after ending the sport. Nonetheless, the principle story and extra particulars from the lore objects scattered all through the in-game world had sufficient narrative momentum to maintain me hooked. The sport even consists of side-quests should you actually need to delve deeper into the story.
Fight
The fight felt crisp and extremely satisfying proper from the second I began taking part in the sport. You wield your double-handed sword to slash enemies, and the responsiveness of the in-game mechanics is exceptional.
However there’s extra depth to the fight past easy slashing. Enemies supply several types of assaults, just like the reckless assault, which lets you parry and set off a “Vengeful Counter.” Then there’s the unstoppable assault, which you’ll be able to’t parry or interrupt, forcing you to dodge. I appreciated the variability in fight mechanics, making certain you do not depend on a single technique all through the sport.
Your assaults additionally construct up a power-up gauge known as “Athra.” When it’s full, you’ll be able to unleash an “Athra Surge,” akin to a Tremendous-Saiyan-like assault, full with its personal fast assault cutscene. There are several types of Athra Surges. Later within the sport, a bow is launched, which serves not solely in fight but additionally helps you to shoot arrows at particular targets to traverse the world.
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Visuals
As I discussed above, Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown is a 2.5D sport. However this doesn’t imply it impacts the visuals of the sport in any approach. The truth is, I actually recognize the visible fashion of The Misplaced Crown. It is not precisely cel-shaded, however it has an identical vibe. The sick cutscenes preserve the identical graphical fashion because the gameplay.
The transitions between cutscenes and side-scrolling views are seamless and well-executed. You do not really feel like you might have all of the sudden shifted from a full-motion video to a very totally different visible fashion after the cutscene ends; it’s easy and is not jarring, which, in any other case, could break your immersion.
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The platforming mechanics, together with sliding, working, and wall-jumping, are fairly responsive and trendy, complementing nicely with the fight.
One distinctive characteristic in Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown is the “Recollections” operate. Since it is a Metroidvania sport, you typically encounter puzzles or areas you’ll be able to’t entry instantly however can return to later. With the “Reminiscence Shards” merchandise, you’ll be able to create “reminiscences” on the map, like a snapshot of your location on the map. It helps you keep in mind and simply return to a specific spot later.
Along with drawing heavy inspiration from real-life Iranian mythologies, places, and creatures, Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown additionally incorporates influences from genuine Iranian music as a substitute of generic Arabian tunes. It embraces Persian music and devices whereas additionally mixing them with different genres like rock and steel, suiting the assorted conditions and settings of the sport. This artistic fusion comes from the collaboration between Gareth Coker, identified for his online game compositions, and Mentrix, an Iranian-born Muslim musician.
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I used to be significantly impressed by the addition of a Persian (Farsi) language dub by the localisation group. I instantly switched to it to completely immerse myself within the genuine expertise, so to talk. It’s clear that the group at Ubisoft handled this sport with care, not solely when it comes to its gameplay, but additionally in its respectful portrayal of the inspiration it attracts from. It is a important plus level for me.
Is shopping for Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown value it?
For my part, Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown is value contemplating should you take pleasure in platformer video games and are a fan of the Prince of Persia collection. The sport maintains the essence of the collection, providing a well-known expertise. Even for individuals who will not be accustomed to the collection, The Misplaced Crown could be very welcoming and approachable. It provides an satisfying expertise with loads of enjoyable available, no matter prior data of the collection.
On PC, the bottom sport is priced at ₹2,499 on the Epic Video games Retailer, whereas the Deluxe Version prices ₹2,999. These costs are affordable contemplating the content material provided. The sport can be accessible on the Ubisoft Retailer, however I would not advocate shopping for from there as a result of it has no regional pricing (the sport prices €49.99 — ₹4,400 only for the Normal Version).
Nonetheless, the PlayStation model of The Misplaced Crown is comparatively costly, priced at ₹3,499 for the bottom model and ₹3,999 for the Deluxe Version.
On Xbox, the sport is obtainable with the Ubisoft+ membership, which prices ₹899 for one month. This subscription gives entry to The Misplaced Crown and different Ubisoft titles, making it a cheap possibility for Xbox gamers.
A Prince of Persia Metroidvania 2.5D side-scroller was not on my bingo card in 2024, however the sport left me pleasantly shocked. Whereas The Misplaced Crown is probably not a high-budget blockbuster title, Ubisoft actually understood the project and delivered a title that gives loads of enjoyment. It is a strong sport with its fast-paced and satisfying fight, attention-grabbing story and setting, and incorporation of genuine Persian mythology and artwork. I can advocate The Misplaced Crown not solely to Prince of Persia followers but additionally to platformer lovers normally.