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IGN Review of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
Besides being caught in limbo between disc-based games on UMD and the fully digital realm, the PSP has always suffered from something of an identity crisis. The handheld is just powerful enough to recreate scaled down versions of our favorite games on PlayStation 3, but they automatically suffer from lesser graphics and controls that have been shoe-horned onto the device. Ubisoft is one of the few developers that take the time to create a unique experience geared specifically for the strengths of the handheld. In this sense they should be commended for the effort, even if they weren't totally successful on the follow through.
The Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands retells the story of an acrobatic young Prince who must triumph over supernatural forces to save his family and his kingdom. An evil fire spirit is snuffing out royalty and the only way the Prince can end the slaughter is by befriending the God of Time's daughter. Players run, jump, and perform perfectly timed leaps past environmental dangers while occasionally engaging in some light sword-play.
Instead of mimicking the console version of the game and going for three dimensional gameplay, the Forgotten Sands on PSP is rendered in polygons, but plays like a side-scroller. The Prince's ability to control time (a mainstay of the series) is also relegated to specific objects. That means he can freeze a whirlwind in place or speed up an enemy's movements. When it comes to dying, players simply get a set number of do-overs before they respawn at strategically placed save points throughout each level. It's a great design decision and allows for an engaging, challenging experience that is perfectly suited to the handheld.
As the game progresses, players are able to wield more control over objects in the environment. Objects are automatically highlighted by a glowing orb known as Helem, who also provides little tutorials to the player throughout the game. Telling Helem to speed up or slow down time is handled through the L and R buttons. So as players jump and climb around objects they'll also have to tap the shoulder buttons with expert timing to clear the path ahead. Helem, is mostly in the right place when you need her to be, though you can also move her with the analog nub, though this is awkward and not recommended. In the more difficult sections, practice eventually makes perfect, though maybe not without multiple playthroughs.
In addition to the platforming there are a few end-bosses. These battles are a nice way to spice up the gameplay but they also feel uninspired and repetitive. The game wouldn't suffer a bit if these segments were simply dropped from the game or shortened considerably.
One way this title shines on the PSP is through its reward system at the end of each level. Players are ranked according to the number of collectable gems they've picked up, how quickly they completed the level, and how many lives were used in the process. It encourages players to replay each level and reach for the ultimate speed run. And most levels are just difficult enough to act as a learning experience that prepares the gamer for their second, more successful go around.
The environments certainly look pretty and load quickly, which greatly improves the likelyhood that players will want to go back and perfect their skills. And as players collect gems they can use the sparkly items to upgrade the Prince's health and combat skills. Combat is so ancillary to the gameplay that these upgrades are hardly worth paying attention to, but they also don't detract from the experience. I only encountered three or four slight hitches during the game where the action paused for a second while loading, and at points the audio dropped out and only returned in the next section.
Up through the last third of the Forgotten Sands I absolutely enjoyed the experience. But during one of the sections where the Prince must escape a rolling boulder, the difficulty ramps up significantly. In fact the section requires such expert timing that after more than 50 tries I still couldn't advance through the level. I won't presume to know why this section of the game is so mind-bogglingly difficult. It could have been a lack of play-testing or maybe a conscious decision to make players really hone their skills before progressing. I do know that I found myself near the end of the game unable to continue, and almost unable to remember what was so enjoyable about the game in the first place.
So while I'm sure it's technically possible to advance past this section, it certainly left me with a bad taste in my mouth. And while I have nothing against extreme difficulty, it should at least be consistent across the game.
©2010-05-18, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved
The Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands retells the story of an acrobatic young Prince who must triumph over supernatural forces to save his family and his kingdom. An evil fire spirit is snuffing out royalty and the only way the Prince can end the slaughter is by befriending the God of Time's daughter. Players run, jump, and perform perfectly timed leaps past environmental dangers while occasionally engaging in some light sword-play.
Instead of mimicking the console version of the game and going for three dimensional gameplay, the Forgotten Sands on PSP is rendered in polygons, but plays like a side-scroller. The Prince's ability to control time (a mainstay of the series) is also relegated to specific objects. That means he can freeze a whirlwind in place or speed up an enemy's movements. When it comes to dying, players simply get a set number of do-overs before they respawn at strategically placed save points throughout each level. It's a great design decision and allows for an engaging, challenging experience that is perfectly suited to the handheld.
As the game progresses, players are able to wield more control over objects in the environment. Objects are automatically highlighted by a glowing orb known as Helem, who also provides little tutorials to the player throughout the game. Telling Helem to speed up or slow down time is handled through the L and R buttons. So as players jump and climb around objects they'll also have to tap the shoulder buttons with expert timing to clear the path ahead. Helem, is mostly in the right place when you need her to be, though you can also move her with the analog nub, though this is awkward and not recommended. In the more difficult sections, practice eventually makes perfect, though maybe not without multiple playthroughs.
In addition to the platforming there are a few end-bosses. These battles are a nice way to spice up the gameplay but they also feel uninspired and repetitive. The game wouldn't suffer a bit if these segments were simply dropped from the game or shortened considerably.
One way this title shines on the PSP is through its reward system at the end of each level. Players are ranked according to the number of collectable gems they've picked up, how quickly they completed the level, and how many lives were used in the process. It encourages players to replay each level and reach for the ultimate speed run. And most levels are just difficult enough to act as a learning experience that prepares the gamer for their second, more successful go around.
The environments certainly look pretty and load quickly, which greatly improves the likelyhood that players will want to go back and perfect their skills. And as players collect gems they can use the sparkly items to upgrade the Prince's health and combat skills. Combat is so ancillary to the gameplay that these upgrades are hardly worth paying attention to, but they also don't detract from the experience. I only encountered three or four slight hitches during the game where the action paused for a second while loading, and at points the audio dropped out and only returned in the next section.
Up through the last third of the Forgotten Sands I absolutely enjoyed the experience. But during one of the sections where the Prince must escape a rolling boulder, the difficulty ramps up significantly. In fact the section requires such expert timing that after more than 50 tries I still couldn't advance through the level. I won't presume to know why this section of the game is so mind-bogglingly difficult. It could have been a lack of play-testing or maybe a conscious decision to make players really hone their skills before progressing. I do know that I found myself near the end of the game unable to continue, and almost unable to remember what was so enjoyable about the game in the first place.
So while I'm sure it's technically possible to advance past this section, it certainly left me with a bad taste in my mouth. And while I have nothing against extreme difficulty, it should at least be consistent across the game.
©2010-05-18, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved