Editor’s be aware: Ubisoft India supplied 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 doubtless that the Prince of Persia sequence 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 common these video games have been within the nation’s gaming cafés as properly. On condition that the final main Prince of Persia (PoP) recreation 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 price 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 recreation with a third-person view that all of us keep in mind from the Prince of Persia sequence. As an alternative, it’s a 2.5D side-scroller.
Now, earlier than we dive into the evaluate, I would like you to cease your potential assumption that Misplaced Crown is only a minor recreation within the sequence with not a lot effort put into it, since you can be critically mistaken. Contemplating the variations between the earlier mainstream titles within the PoP franchise and this recreation, it’s pure to have low expectations. Nevertheless, Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown is a labour of affection, and builders at Ubisoft Montpellier have put a whole lot of effort into creating the sport.
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To start with, Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown incorporates 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 recreation earlier than. Regardless of my low expectations firstly, I totally loved The Misplaced Crown. I used to be pleasantly shocked by the quantity of effort and a focus to element invested within the story, platforming, gameplay mechanics, visuals, and music of the sport.
Even with all the trouble and a focus to element, Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown will doubtless be a divisive recreation. You will both like it or dislike it as a result of it’s a Metroidvania title. Not everybody enjoys a non-linear platformer the place they need to revisit elements of the map they’ve already explored and unlock extra areas to find. I perceive why some individuals may not be keen on that, however Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown managed to maintain issues partaking for me and did not flip the navigation and exploration points 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 about in a well-recognized universe. We comply with the journey of Sargon, a member of The Immortals, an elite military comprising warriors.
After efficiently defeating a Kushan Empire normal through the Empire’s invasion of the crumbling Persian Empire, Sargon receives recognition and reward for his valiant efforts from the Queen. Nevertheless, 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 impressive fowl creature from Persian mythology. Sargon mounts a rescue, however in fact, 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 recreation is to uncover the mysteries behind this place and discover the Prince.
It needs to be evident that this isn’t a story-heavy recreation. Apart from, the one facet that didn’t impress me a lot was the opposite characters within the recreation past Sargon. They aren’t memorable and don’t have anything to jot down dwelling about after ending the sport. Nevertheless, the principle story and extra particulars from the lore gadgets scattered all through the in-game world had sufficient narrative momentum to maintain me hooked. The sport even contains side-quests if you happen to actually wish to delve deeper into the story.
Fight
The fight felt crisp and extremely satisfying proper from the second I began enjoying the sport. You wield your double-handed sword to slash enemies, and the responsiveness of the in-game mechanics is outstanding.
However there’s extra depth to the fight past easy slashing. Enemies provide various kinds 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’t parry or interrupt, forcing you to dodge. I appreciated the variability in fight mechanics, guaranteeing 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 various kinds of Athra Surges. Later within the recreation, a bow is launched, which serves not solely in fight but in addition 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 recreation. However this doesn’t imply it impacts the visuals of the sport in any means. The truth is, I actually recognize the visible type of The Misplaced Crown. It isn’t precisely cel-shaded, however it has the same vibe. The sick cutscenes preserve the identical graphical type 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 instantly shifted from a full-motion video to a very totally different visible type after the cutscene ends; it’s easy and is not jarring, which, in any other case, might break your immersion.
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The platforming mechanics, together with sliding, operating, and wall-jumping, are fairly responsive and classy, complementing properly with the fight.
One distinctive characteristic in Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown is the “Recollections” perform. Since it is a Metroidvania recreation, 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 an alternative of generic Arabian tunes. It embraces Persian music and devices whereas additionally mixing them with different genres like rock and metallic, suiting the assorted conditions and settings of the sport. This inventive 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 totally immerse myself within the genuine expertise, so to talk. It’s clear that the group at Ubisoft handled this recreation with care, not solely by way of its gameplay, but in addition 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 price it?
In my view, Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown is price contemplating if you happen to get pleasure from platformer video games and are a fan of the Prince of Persia sequence. The sport maintains the essence of the sequence, providing a well-recognized expertise. Even for many who aren’t accustomed to the sequence, The Misplaced Crown could be very welcoming and approachable. It gives an satisfying expertise with loads of enjoyable available, no matter prior data of the sequence.
On PC, the bottom recreation 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 supplied. The sport can be accessible on the Ubisoft Retailer, however I would not suggest shopping for from there as a result of it has no regional pricing (the sport prices €49.99 — ₹4,400 only for the Customary Version).
Nevertheless, 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 out there with the Ubisoft+ membership, which prices ₹899 for one month. This subscription supplies entry to The Misplaced Crown and different Ubisoft titles, making it a cheap choice for Xbox gamers.
A Prince of Persia Metroidvania 2.5D side-scroller was not on my bingo card in 2024, however the recreation left me pleasantly shocked. Whereas The Misplaced Crown is probably not a high-budget blockbuster title, Ubisoft actually understood the task and delivered a title that gives loads of enjoyment. It is a strong recreation with its fast-paced and satisfying fight, fascinating story and setting, and incorporation of genuine Persian mythology and artwork. I can suggest The Misplaced Crown not solely to Prince of Persia followers but in addition to platformer lovers on the whole.