Prince of Persia The Lost Crown - A Metroidvania Innovation

11 January 2024 / by Tom Schwiha
Prince of Persia The Lost Crown - A Metroidvania Innovation

Ubisoft Montpellier's latest masterpiece - Prince of Persia The Lost Crown - takes the Metroidvania genre to a whole new level. Despite some lengthiness in gameplay and underdeveloped story elements, the game presents itself as a must-play for genre fans. You'll experience how Ubisoft Montpellier, known for its outstanding 2D platform games like Rayman Origins and Legends, offers a captivating blend of combat, platforming, and time-travel mechanics in an immersive game world.

The Background and Gameplay of The Lost Crown

A Balance of Combat and Acrobatics

Prince of Persia The Lost Crown is an impressive expansion of the Metroidvania genre. With its deep combination of combat and platforming challenges, it takes you into the expansive world of Mount Qaf. The game shines with a noticeable flow in movement and combat. New abilities you acquire throughout the game enhance this effect and ensure a continuous evolution of the gaming experience.

Time travel mechanics and fresh ideas

Ubisoft Montpellier skillfully combines the classic elements of the Prince of Persia series, particularly the time-travel abilities, with innovative ideas. This results in a fascinating and dynamic game environment that will appeal to both longtime fans and new fans of the franchise.

Challenging platform tasks and intuitive combat

The game stands out for its challenging platform challenges and a fluid, intuitively understandable combat mechanics. While boss fights force you to use all the skills you've learned, combat against standard enemies often relies on basic techniques, which can occasionally lead to an unbalanced gameplay experience.

Narrative aspects and missed opportunities

In terms of the story, Prince of Persia The Lost Crown offers both highlights and disappointments. The story, set in the time-twisted Mount Qaf, presents interesting concepts that, however, do not reach their full potential. Despite some inspiring moments, the game's narrative element falls behind its gameplay achievements.

Innovative feature: Memory Shards

One particularly noteworthy feature is the "Memory Shards". These allow you to take screenshots within the game and anchor them to the map to capture important locations and tasks. This innovative idea could be groundbreaking for future game developments.

Despite flaws, a must-play

Prince of Persia The Lost Crown may feel somewhat stretched in its middle phase and some of its best story ideas remain untapped, but its core aspects are executed so skillfully that it is considered an essential game for Metroidvania fans. The combination of polished combat, challenging platform elements, and innovative features makes it an experience you shouldn't miss. There is a lot to love in this game, and it is definitely worth experiencing for yourself.

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