Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands Xbox 360

Released on 21/05/2010

• PoP: the Forgotten Sands Review

  Royally good fun

  While its release has clearly been timed to coincide with the launch of the first film based on the franchise, we're pleased to say that The Forgotten Sands is not simply a movie tie-in designed to cash-in on the wider buzz currently surrounding the Prince of Persia series. Set between 2003's The Sands of Time and 2004's Warrior Within, the game sees players take on the role of the Prince as he embarks on an epic adventure to save his brother Malik's kingdom from a mighty army bent on destruction.

  Despite offering an entertaining story featuring some well-realised characters - most notably the nimble, usually charming and occasionally insecure Prince - the game's plot is light and somewhat predictable. But just like a Hollywood blockbuster, the real fun lies in the action, and in this area The Forgotten Sands delivers.

  Turn back time

  True to the franchise's roots, PoP: the Forgotten Sands combines multi-enemy combat and acrobatic platforming across environments that are often dizzying in scale and beauty. Essentially, it takes all of the best bits from previous series entries and streamlines them to create a new, fast-paced adventure.

  Forgotten Sands resurrects fan-favourite elements such as the ability to rewind time, which enables you to turn back the clock and cheat death if you mistime a leap, while introducing new gameplay mechanics that see you harnessing the forces of nature to manipulate your environment. You'll learn to freeze jets of water, turning them into climbable poles or bars that you can swing on to scale the beautiful architecture, and acquire the means to “recall” missing pieces of the environment bit-by-bit to help you reach your intended destination.

  Takes all of the best bits from previous Prince of Persia games and streamlines them to create a new, fast-paced platforming adventure.

  Unlike 2008's Prince of Persia reboot, which was more of an on-rails experience in which it seemed like a single button tap was enough to achieve your stated goal, The Forgotten Sands feels more challenging, offering players a greater degree of control over proceedings..

  While the use of fixed camera angles and clear signposting means it's generally a linear experience, this allows you to focus on timing and combining the various acrobatics at your disposal. You'll wall-run, climb, jump, slide and swing to avoid deadly traps, chaining together moves to traverse the game world and reach your destination. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands' best puzzles require you to use your full range of abilities in quick succession, which is challenging, satisfying and looks fantastic in motion.

  While 2008's Prince of Persia focused on combo-fuelled battles against lone opponents, Prince of Persia The Forgotten Sands sees you taking on multiple foes at once. This re-introduces the element of crowd control, which requires a pleasing mixture of slashing moves and evasion techniques such as jumping over enemies' shoulders or rolling away from attacks. Enemies range from traditional foot-soldiers to impressive looking giants, which need to be evaded and stunned with repeated attacks before you can apply a finishing move.

  Fast-paced and polished
  

  Though it plays second fiddle to the platforming sections, the combat is definitely more satisfying than it was in the previous Prince of Persia game. It's also made more enjoyable by the ability to unlock magic attacks such as ice blasts and ground-pounding moves that knock enemies down or turn them to dust when at full power.

  It may be a linear experience, but The Forgotten Sands is more challenging than 2008's Prince of Persia and gives players greater control over their fate. A fast-paced and polished adventure, it manages to blend the most successful elements of The Sands of Time with some fun new mechanics, meaning it should satisfy series veterans and newcomers alike.

  GAME's Verdict

  

  • Mixes the franchise's best bits with some cool new mechanics.
  • Acrobatic platforming sections are as satisfying as ever.
  • Great production values - like a high definition Sands of Time.

  

  • It maybe doesn't push the series forward enough.
  • The story is a bit light and predictable.
  • Combat still isn't as strong as the platforming.

  Review by: Tom 'Sandman' Ivan
  Version Tested: PS3
  Review Published: 27.05.10

  Published: 26/05/2010

• Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands - Review

  Stop the clocks

  Cher may have sung about her desire to turn back time, but it was Ubisoft that made it a reality. Now they're using the ability to rewind and restart to skip past the minor speedbump that was the rather easy 2008 Prince of Persia and restore the series to its roots. Roots, in this case, being the evergreen Sands of Time, which landed on PS2 and Xbox back in 2003.

  Forgotten Sands is a sequel to that game, though you wouldn't know it. If you're worried that your lack of familiarity with a seven-year-old game will hold you back, don't sweat it - the debt is thematic rather than narrative, with visual style and controls carried over while the story follows its own path.

  This being Prince of Persia, that path is likely to take you up, over, through and round a dizzying array of vertigo-inducing obstacle courses. You're dashing through a war torn Arabian palace, trying to save your brother from the evil influence of a gigantic demon, but the tissue-thin plot is really just an excuse to get you up and (free) running.
  

  King of the swingers

  Crisp control means you can throw yourself, literally, into the challenge with confidence, safe in the knowledge that the Prince's balance and aim won't let you down. The camera occasionally wobbles as it points the way ahead, but any frustration will come from your own sloppy timing rather than any technical stumbles along the way.

  Whether you're vaulting over deadly traps, or swinging to safety hundreds of feet above ground, simply clambering around the game's adventure playground levels is a joy in itself, and while the scenery never changes from start to end, everything looks and feels just right. And, of course, if you do make a fatal mistake, you can always reverse time a little and try again. The feature may be old and a little overexposed, but it remains incredibly useful.

  The repertoire of parkour-inspired moves is expanded with the rather brilliant ability to turn numerous water features solid at the press of a shoulder button. Turning waterfalls and fountains into pillars and walls, and back again, it opens up a clever new avenue for navigational puzzles, and tests your skills at timed button presses to the limit. The precision required perhaps gets a little too fussy in the final stretch before the obligatory big final boss battle, but any frustration is converted into elation when you finally master a tricky sequence.
  

  Dying for a slash

  Combat isn't quite as inventive, falling back on the old hack-and-slash melee style popularised by God of War and Devil May Cry. The Prince doesn't have the same rich combo heritage to draw on, however, and with no block move the fights are reduced to tumbling away from enemies before battering the buttons to chop them into sand. At least you won't get lonely - the improved graphics engine means you can be facing upwards of fifty enemies at a time.

  Each monster destroyed earns you some experience, which in turn transforms into skill points that you can use to unlock and develop your stats, as well as four elemental magic powers. These leave fiery trails behind you, send waves of ice crashing forwards, summon tornadoes or encase you in stone armour. None are as impressive as you'd hope, even at their highest level, but they're effective enough at clearing a space during a massive ruck.

  After the 2008 game, which often felt only loosely connected to Prince of Persia's long gaming heritage, this is an unmistakable return to form.

  Don't come looking for surprises or new ideas, but if you pine for the swashbuckling days of yore, a weekend in the Prince's company is still hard to beat.

  

  Hot Dessert
  + A return to form for a classic series.
  + Some fiendish level design.
  + Exploration is a thrill.

  Arid Desert
  - Later sections require a lot of patience.
  - Slim story and dull characters.
  - Nothing to do with the movie.

• Ubisoft eyeing up the movie biz?

  It made some seriously cinematic games over the years, but now the French publisher Ubisoft is taking the plunge and opening up a movie division with the ultimate aim of creating films and TV shows based around its video games.

  That according to the Hollywood newspaper Variety, anyway thanks for the spot, Eurogamer who announced last week that Ubisoft Motion Pictures is being formed, headed by Jean-Julien Baronnet, who already worked with famous directors like Luc Besson, the man behind Leon and The Fifth Element.

  It early days, so wee not sure yet which Ubisoft games will be getting the big screen treatment, but Ubisoft already been sending out questionnaires asking gamers if they want to go to the cinema to see movies based on Ghost Recon or Assassin Creed.

  We reckon that Ezio Auditore renaissance adventures would be particularly well-suited for a life on the silver screen: Assassin Creed has action, adventure, and a weird sci-fi twist that should ensure blockbuster dominance.

  As Eurogamer points out, though, Ubisoft already had a bit of a run-up at Hollywood, in the form of last year Prince of Persia movie, starring Jake Gyllenhaal. What did you make of that one?

• Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands - Review

  
  

  

  Stop the clocks

  Cher may have sung about her desire to turn back time, but it was Ubisoft that made it a reality. Now they're using the ability to rewind and restart to skip past the minor speedbump that was the rather easy 2008 Prince of Persia and restore the series to its roots. Roots, in this case, being the evergreen Sands of Time, which landed on PS2, Xbox and PC.

  Forgotten Sands is a sequel to that game, though you wouldn't know it. If you're worried that your lack of familiarity with a seven-year-old game will hold you back, don't sweat it - the debt is thematic rather than narrative, with visual style and controls carried over while the story follows its own path.

  This being Prince of Persia, that path is likely to take you up, over, through and round a dizzying array of vertigo-inducing obstacle courses. You're dashing through a war torn Arabian palace, trying to save your brother from the evil influence of a gigantic demon, but the tissue-thin plot is really just an excuse to get you up and (free) running.
  

  

  King of the swingers

  Crisp control means you can throw yourself, literally, into the challenge with confidence, safe in the knowledge that the Prince's balance and aim won't let you down. The camera occasionally wobbles as it points the way ahead, but any frustration will come from your own sloppy timing rather than any technical stumbles along the way.

  Whether you're vaulting over deadly traps, or swinging to safety hundreds of feet above ground, simply clambering around the game's adventure playground levels is a joy in itself, and while the scenery never changes from start to end, everything looks and feels just right. And, of course, if you do make a fatal mistake, you can always reverse time a little and try again. The feature may be old and a little overexposed, but it remains incredibly useful.

  The repertoire of parkour-inspired moves is expanded with the rather brilliant ability to turn numerous water features solid at the press of a shoulder button. Turning waterfalls and fountains into pillars and walls, and back again, it opens up a clever new avenue for navigational puzzles, and tests your skills at timed button presses to the limit. The precision required perhaps gets a little too fussy in the final stretch before the obligatory big final boss battle, but any frustration is converted into elation when you finally master a tricky sequence.
  

  

  Dying for a slash

  Combat isn't quite as inventive, falling back on the old hack-and-slash melee style popularised by God of War and Devil May Cry. The Prince doesn't have the same rich combo heritage to draw on, however, and with no block move the fights are reduced to tumbling away from enemies before battering the buttons to chop them into sand. At least you won't get lonely - the improved graphics engine means you can be facing upwards of fifty enemies at a time.

  Each monster destroyed earns you some experience, which in turn transforms into skill points that you can use to unlock and develop your stats, as well as four elemental magic powers. These leave fiery trails behind you, send waves of ice crashing forwards, summon tornadoes or encase you in stone armour. None are as impressive as you'd hope, even at their highest level, but they're effective enough at clearing a space during a massive ruck.

  After the 2008 game, which often felt only loosely connected to Prince of Persia's long gaming heritage, this is an unmistakable return to form.

  Don't come looking for surprises or new ideas, but if you pine for the swashbuckling days of yore, a weekend in the Prince's company is still hard to beat.

  GAME's Verdict:

  The Good

  • A return to form for a classic series.
  • Some fiendish level design.
  • Exploration is a thrill.

  The Bad

  • Later sections require a lot of patience.
  • Slim story and dull characters.
  • Nothing to do with the movie.

  Published: 18/05/2010

• Popcorn and Joysticks - GAME goes to the movies!

  
  

  With Prince of Persia returning to consoles in the very same month the Hollywood version hits the big screen, what better excuse to look back at how others have fared when games and films overlap?

  

  Prince of Persia

  The Game: Nimble, athletic acts of derring-do played out against a colourful Arabian Nights backdrop since 1989. The graphics have changed, but gameplay still focuses on the simple pleasures of swishy swordplay and stunts that laugh in the face of physics.

  The Movie: Based on the 2003 game, The Sands of Time, this shamelessly entertaining romp captures the daredevil thrills of the game perfectly, while inserting appropriate amounts of character and story. The yummy Jake Gyllenhaal and the yummier Gemma Arterton supply the eye candy and witty banter, while Ben Kingsley camps it up as the villainous Vizier.

  Verdict: Since the original game was inspired by Errol Flynn's swashbuckling antics, Prince of Persia was always ripe for the movie treatment. Thankfully, they got it right.

  

  Street Fighter

  The Game: The fighting fan's franchise of choice for over twenty years, this venerable series continues to go from strength to strength with the superbly balanced refinement of Super Street Fighter IV, released last month. Crazy characters with sublime gameplay - it doesn?t get much better than this.

  The Movies: Oh dear. The 1994 movie version is terrible, but has at least taken on a certain cheesy charm over the years, if only for the bizarre pairing of Jean Claude Van Damme as Guile and Kylie Minogue as Cammy. The laughably bad 2009 movie slipped past cinemas and went straight to DVD, more dull than demented. For a truly faithful film experience, fans should stick to the Street Fighter II anime.

  Verdict: Bizarre characters smashing each other to a pulp should be perfect B-movie fodder, but the lack of plot combined with dense backstory keeps tripping Street Fighter up.

  

  Ghostbusters

  The Movie: A seminal combination of action, comedy and horror, the 1984 original is still one of the most enjoyable and quotable blockbusters around. The 1989 sequel repeats the formula to disappointing effect, but the cast manage to keep things lively even as the story droops into slimy sentimentality.

  The Game: There have been several Ghostbusters games over the years, but it wasn't until 2009 that we got something that truly recaptured the movie's unique tone. Having Dan Ackroyd and Harold Ramis on script duty helped, but getting the notoriously reluctant Bill Murray to return was a real coup. Strip away the fan-pleasing scenarios and dialogue and it's just another corridor shooter, but a shamelessly entertaining one all the same.

  Verdict: It took twenty five years, but the result was an affectionate game that expanded and honoured its source material rather than just exploiting it.

  

  Super Mario Bros

  The Games: Really? You need this explaining? The most successful videogame franchise in history. A catalogue of nigh perfect game design. A series that continues to inspire and innovate, whether its New Super Mario Bros on the DS or Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Wii. If you hate Mario, you have no soul. That?s science, people.

  The Movie: Urgh. Look away, children! Taking the bright, inviting worlds created by Miyamoto and drowning them in an oily mess of techno-grunge architecture and smug 1990s blockbusterisms, this is one of the worst films ever made. Bob Hoskins has the moustache and dungarees, but the film bears no resemblance to the games, either in quality or intent. Horrible.

  Verdict: Burn it with fire. The perfect videogame hero, Mario simply doesn't translate to live action. Never try this again, Hollywood.

  

  Resident Evil

  The Games: Bombastic sci-fi horror with a parade of tough cops and military types creeping around mansions and secret labs trying - and spectacularly failing - to contain the monster-making T-Virus. Since Resident Evil 4 the games have become more about action than atmosphere, much to the annoyance of some fans.

  The Movies: Well, they've got the sci fi and horror bits, and key characters from the games crop up occasionally, but this surprisingly hardy series exists more as an alternate off-shoot from the games than a literal translation. The lack of blood and guts is the number one complaint from fans used to brain-bursting headshots.

  Verdict: Both are as daft and camp as each other, but apart from sharing a title and some characters, there's not much connection between the two. Harmless dumb fun.

  

  Tomb Raider

  The Games: Posh girl Lara Croft travels the globe, locating ancient relics, battling supernatural forces and shooting endangered species while wearing the very latest in bottom-and-boob hugging outfits. Some would say her appeal has dimmed in recent years, as developers struggle to find new ways to do the same old thing, but she's still a force to be reckoned with.

  The Movies: All the pieces are there, but the fact that both the Angelina Jolie-starring efforts have been average (and that's being generous) suggests that you need more than an ass-kicking babe and exotic locations to make a good movie.

  Verdict: The movies are accurate enough in translating all the important elements of Lara to the big screen, but her exploits are inevitably more interesting when you're controlling every leap and scramble.

  Published: 18/05/2010

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