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The workforce at Ubisoft Montpellier, who’re engaged on Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown, consists of devs who labored on the sensible Rayman Origins and Rayman Legends, in addition to veterans from the Prince of Persia Sands of Time trilogy. Within the three hours spent with the sport, the spirit of each these sequence felt current. From the get-go controlling, the brand new protagonist, Sargon, felt fluid and straightforward to get all over the world. Wall leaping is pleasing; sliding and swinging your swords round works effectively.
The story begins with Sargon, part of a gaggle of elite warriors referred to as the Immortals. Simply earlier than celebrating their newest victory in defending Persia, the titular Prince Ghassan is kidnapped with the Immortals being betrayed by one among their very own, with the mighty warriors giving chase. They wind up at Mount Qaf, a fantastical location that has grow to be cursed, trapping all who enter. Monsters roam, and time itself is unravelling. The Immortals should cease their former buddy from utilizing the Prince for a mysterious blessing.
As Sargon explores the areas of Mount Qaf I discovered the opposite Immortals as they throughout the map doing their half within the mission. The story unfolds because the cursed land begins to toy with everybody trapped there. When you don’t spend a lot time with the Immortals at the start falls aside, it was good to get a greater concept of those completely different personalities between the early scenes and, as they’re all affected by Mount Qaf in numerous methods.The brash and outsized Orod is a stand-out for some levity, with the remainder of the crew additionally making their mark regardless of not being closely concerned. I hope to enter how this all performs out as soon as I get extra time with the sport.
Ubisoft categorises PoP as a Metroidvania, which is clear as quickly as you get to Mount Qaf. I didn’t should journey far earlier than coming throughout chests or areas inaccessible. Early on, you might be launched to reminiscence shards, the place you may hit a button and depart a marker on the map so you realize to return whenever you’ve gotten new talents. The Misplaced Crown has additionally been impressed by the Darkish Souls sequence; there’s restricted potions that may solely be refilled on the checkpoints. As I explored the Mountain, I discovered myself opening up shortcuts to avoid wasting Sargon a while with the extra platform-heavy paths. For each space I found, it felt like I used to be uncovering branches off to different adjoining areas, offering a tease of areas to return.
The traversal feels clean and Sargon can actually hoof it, which is crucial as there could be a whole lot of backtracking whilst you’re discovering your approach. Typically, I’d have a couple of tries at getting someplace seemingly out of attain. The wall soar helps attending to onerous to succeed in spots, with an air sprint launched early on making the motion really feel even higher. Simply holding down the set off to provoke the dash offers a lift in velocity to assist when transferring by way of acquainted areas, and even to simply preserve momentum going.
Initially beginning with Sargon’s two blades, in the middle of the preview I additionally unlocked a Bow and Chakram. The bow after all is nice for hitting targets from afar, so long as you’ve gotten the arrows. The Chakram within the small time I used it was helpful for activating mechanisms, which concerned some enjoyable puzzles to work out round utilizing it for a number of mechanisms.
Fight isn’t simply swinging the blades round both, Sargon can construct up a meter for various talents which you’ll earn through the sport. The primary meter allowed me to unleash a strong charged assault, but when I let the meter refill twice, I may create a bit of therapeutic space. The Immortal Artaban can also be readily available to assist train you further combos that may actually increase in your assaults and dodging. Being pressed for time, I didn’t get to check out a lot of the coaching space, however I may see I used to be nonetheless scratching the floor of what Sargon can do in battle.
Throughout the three-and-a-half-hour preview, I acquired to discover a couple of completely different areas of Mount Qaf. The completely different areas are luckily fairly distinct, with their very own kinds of enemies and obstacles. The forest has fungus platforms and extra feral variants of the cursed enemies. The book-filled Sacred Archives are below the safety of the Jailer, who has no qualms about capturing you and letting you rot in jail. Some areas I solely had a short while inside, riddled with out of attain areas or sealed off doorways which Sargon will little question return to within the full sport. I did take pleasure in when attending to a number of the out of doors areas, there’s shattered statue that blocks your pursuit of the Prince which was a neat quest to revive the statue and get nearer to stopping the traitor.
Within the time I had with the sport I performed proper as much as a significant story second that has me desirous to see what occurs subsequent. Whereas I suspected the place the story was heading, the characters and the story to that time had acquired me on board for a minimum of this a part of the sport. I loved attending to know concerning the completely different personalities inside the Immortals as a workforce, and because the scenario inside Mount Qaf unfolds.
There have been a couple of small boss battles, with a bigger one in opposition to a Manticore. I practically acquired it within the first go, which changed into a good few makes an attempt to slay the beast. The entire bosses, just like the common enemies, have recognisable patterns and also you’re greater than outfitted to get round them. With the bosses and particularly the Manticore I discovered they will hit onerous shortly and in the event you muck up a parry they’ll do much more harm, introducing some actual danger and reward to these greater fights.
Whereas The Misplaced Crown is a brand new sport inside the Prince of Persia sequence, time performs an element as soon as once more. From what I’ve seen, it doesn’t imply rewinding or freezing time. All through Mount Qaf and interacting with the opposite Immortals or some other poor souls trapped there, it’s obvious that point is messing with everybody in numerous methods. As I acquired additional into the completely different areas, I discovered areas the place velocity was affected or platforms may very well be conjured from anomalies. In some circumstances, I acquired the slightest glimpse of what may lie forward once I may get there later; they have been tantalising sufficient to anticipate finding out what was past these factors later within the sport.
You may see from the footage (and included on Vooks) that The Misplaced Crown isn’t going for super-realism or something. Nonetheless, it appears good with its extra exaggerated fashion. Some actually cool issues are occurring with shiny, flashy colors to intensify the Immortal’s powers, principally Sargons. Ubisoft is aiming for a strong 60 frames throughout all variations, and from what I noticed, it holds up effectively. As a result of it’s not a remaining model, I gained’t know in the event that they nail that till a bit nearer to launch, however the sport ran effectively and will sustain with all my working and leaping round and make me look good whereas doing it.
I’m wanting ahead to taking part in Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown in full. It’s my understanding I’ve solely performed a small fraction of the sport, so I can solely converse to the opening hours. Should you like fluid motion/traversal in your platformers and want extra wall leaping in your life, then Prince of Persia may scratch that itch. Maintain an eye fixed out for the complete evaluation nearer to launch.
For full disclosure, Ubisoft flew me out to their workplace and lined transport bills. I additionally ate two little strawberry danishes and a few rockmelon.
Prince of Persia: The Misplaced Crown is out on January 18th, 2024. There may even be a demo launched on January eleventh, 2024 as effectively. Subsequent yr will not be that far-off!
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