Prince of Persia Trilogy

Prince of Persia Trilogy is a reboot of the three separate games of the same series. The Sands of Time, Warrior Within, and The Two Thrones have enhanced graphics for better gaming experience. For those who have already played this series, there aren't a lot of changes; while for those who haven't tried Prince of Persia, this is one of the best game series there is so I wouldn't recommend missing it.

I enjoyed this series for the Prince's unique fighting style (and who wouldn't enjoy using the sand powers?) and a compelling story with an unforgettable character.

The Sands of Time

When King Sharaman and his son the Prince conquered the Maharajah's kingdom in India, they took with them several treasures including an Hourglass which supposedly contains the Sands of Time that can be unlocked by a dagger. The Prince took this dagger as a present to his father. The Maharajah's daughter, Farah was also taken hostage. Meanwhile the Maharajah's Vizier offered his services to Sharaman. This same Vizier wanted the power of the sands of time and by tricking the Prince to use the dagger, he was able to unleash the sands from the hourglass, plunging Sharaman's kingdom into chaos. The palace occupants turned into monsters and most likely Sharaman himself is probably corrupted. It's up to the Prince and Farah, who were somehow immune to the effects of the sands, to do something about it. They figured that if they can return the sands in the hourglass, they can probably reverse everything that has happened.

First-time players of Prince of Persia will be introduced to the Prince's signature acrobatic skills such  as climbing, jumping, and hanging from walls or poles. This game is mostly about overcoming obstacles to get from one place to the next. The fights are simpler compared to the succeeding games but players have to keep in mind that the Prince's fighting style is all about agility, so it will be a bit of challenge relying just on his strength. Learning to use his skills and the environment will make the battles more enjoyable. The Prince will also have to fight alongside Farah, which can be a bit tricky because you have to keep an eye on her. The Prince's magic is very useful and is one of the best things about this series.

The last part of the game is very tricky because the Prince loses the dagger. The player will therefore have to rely on the Prince's acrobatic skills alone without the magic. Make one mistake and you will have to redo this stage. The game might seem easy until you get to this point.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Warrior Within

In this sequel to Sands of Time, the Prince finds himself a target of a strange creature called the Dahaka. Dahaka supposedly guards the timeline or is a manifestation of timeline/fate. The Prince was supposed to die when he messed with the sands of time but he managed to avoid it. Consequently the Dahaka is after him to make sure that what is written in the timeline will be fulfilled. The prince sought advise from an old man, but he was told he can never change his fate; nevertheless, he still has to try. The only way to do so is to visit the Island of Time and find a way to prevent the Empress of Time from creating the sands. What's more, a strange creature seems to be tracking his progress. The story has two endings, one of which will be the basis for the opening of Two Thrones.

This is a lot trickier and challenging than The Sands of Time. The Prince literally will play with time as he travels both in past and present to evade the Dahaka. The bosses are stronger (and bigger) and the puzzles more complicated. It's important to keep a sharp eye on the surroundings so you wouldn't miss a room/door/item. A good memory of the map in both the past and present will also help. There are a lot of collectibles and upgrades that are easy to miss. The life upgrades in particular will also affect which of the two endings will be available. In this game, magic is your lifeline. You will find yourself relying on your sand powers more in this game.

The theme is darker compared to the previous game. The Prince is reminded by Dahaka's appearance that he's supposed to be dead. The first time I played this I jumped out of my seat when Dahaka first appeared. I think that frightening thought that he might appear somewhere kept me going and added to the excitement of the game. The background music during the chases reinforced the theme. The Prince is literally alone in this fight.

I like this game because it has depth. It might be too dark a theme compared to The Sands of Time but it acknowledges a part of us we can't shake off easily just like the Dahaka. The Prince was pushed to his limits because of his despair. When he was at his lowest, he became stronger by acknowledging his weakness. This point in the game will affect the story in The Two Thrones.

Rating: 10 out of 10

The Two Thrones

Although the Prince managed to defeat Dahaka (in one of the endings), the old man's counsel in Warrior Within was unfortunately a truth he cannot avoid. Coming home to Babylon with another character (I'm not supposed to reveal who), he finds that his city is under attack. Puzzled and disheartened at the sight of the burning city, he is separated from his companion. He discovers that he didn't have to create the sands of time himself after all (this was his goal in Warrior Within), but the Vizier found a way to do just that. Thus, the Prince's success in Warrior Within was for nothing. He now has to confront a more powerful Vizier and the Vizier's army to save himself and the city.

It may seem that there are fewer bosses, but some parts of this game are more difficult than the previous two. Even acquiring the life upgrades is trickier. Mastery of the Prince's acrobatic skills will be tested endlessly here. Planning and timing is most important because he is fighting alone; although it does not mean that there are fewer conversations throughout the game. The Prince has a companion whose voice he could hear.

This game also has some surprises. One particular scene was difficult but quite enjoyable. What's more, right after that was a boss fight. Unlike Warrior Within, it doesn't explore the Prince's character much so the player can focus more on fighting and finding a way to get to the Vizier. I also like how the last part of the story is connected to the first scene in The Sands of Time.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Rating (Overall): 9 out of 10