‘The Lost Crown’ a bold step forward for ‘Prince of Persia’ series | Video Game Odyssey

It’s been almost 15 years since the last major release in the “Prince of Persia” series, and many thought the franchise was dead before Ubisoft announced a surprising new entry. “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown” is unlike any past game in the franchise, and it manages to feel like a fresh new step forward for Ubisoft in general.

Players won’t be taking control of the actual prince this time around. Instead, the main character is Sargon, a young warrior who’s part of a group of fighters called The Immortals. After The Immortals are betrayed by one of their own who kidnaps Prince Ghassan, they go to an old city plagued by time distortions to rescue him. While the premise isn’t anything special at first, it’s elevated by a cast of surprisingly interesting characters and its use of Persian mythology.

The gameplay is another major difference between this game and the rest of the series. The majority of “Prince of Persia” games have been third-person action platformers with a focus on puzzles and acrobatic combat. “Lost Crown” is heavily inspired by 2D games like “Metroid Dread” and “Hollow Knight” where there’s a large focus on exploration and non-linear progression. The gaming market is already flooded with these “Metroidvania” games, but “Lost Crown” succeeds in being a unique experience. The game’s combat, aesthetic and abilities are well-thought-out and make the game feel truly unique.

The difficulty of the game is a pleasant surprise. Combat is fast with satisfying feedback on hits. New abilities add a lot to the combat flow as the game goes on, even something as simple as an air dash feels like a big upgrade. Bosses are challenging without being too unforgiving, and even basic enemies are smart enough to be threatening so combat doesn’t get boring between big fights. Navigating traps and puzzles in the world is also engaging.

A big mechanic in “Prince of Persia” games has been time manipulation. Slowing down, rewinding and stasis all help Sargon get through Mount Qaf. It was cool to see the developer play around with old ideas and mix in some new ones to give the game more variety and create something, unlike anything that was seen in the 3D era of “Prince” games. Time distortion is also a big part of the story, and seeing how the confident warriors in The Immortals are shaken by the confusion and death it causes adds more layers to the story.

Since the game was made to run well on the Nintendo Switch, it doesn’t boast the sharpest or most detailed graphics. The good news is that the game’s art style looks good even without the extra graphical power. It looks like a stylized anime with lots of flashy effects during combat and solid animation in the character’s movements. It’s a great-looking game no matter what platform it’s on, but you can tell it was intended for a portable system like a Switch or Steam Deck.

I wasn’t expecting much from “The Lost Crown” when it was announced. At first, it seemed like the gaming crowd would have been better off with a 3D reboot more in line with the best games in the series. That being said, this game is a pleasant surprise, and it’s more than just another “Metroidvania” game. The game’s combat, setting, platforming and puzzles all do a lot to make the game stand out and excel. “Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown” has a solid claim to the throne and earns four-and-a-half stars out of five.