Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Review
After more than a decade in the wilderness, Prince of Persia makes a triumphant return with The Lost Crown, and it's nothing like what longtime fans might expect – in the best possible way. Trading the 3D action-adventure formula for a gorgeous 2.5D Metroidvania approach, Ubisoft Montpellier has crafted what might be the most compelling entry in the series since The Sands of Time. This isn't just a nostalgic throwback; it's a bold reimagining that understands what made the original games special while embracing modern design sensibilities. Set in the mythological realm of Mount Qaf, The Lost Crown follows Sargon, a member of the elite Immortals guard, as he searches for the kidnapped Prince Ghassan. The moment you step into this world, you're struck by the attention to detail in both visual design and world-building. Ancient Persian architecture towers above you, adorned with intricate patterns and bathed in otherworldly light, while the haunting soundtrack weaves traditional Middle Eastern instruments with contemporary orchestration. Every screen feels deliberately crafted, telling a story through environmental design that rivals the best Metroidvania titles. What immediately sets The Lost Crown apart is its respect for player intelligence and skill. This isn't a hand-holding experience designed to appeal to the broadest possible audience. Instead, it's a game that trusts you to explore, experiment, and overcome genuine challenges. The difficulty curve feels perfectly calibrated, introducing new mechanics and abilities at a steady pace while never overwhelming newcomers to the genre. Even in these opening hours, it's clear that Ubisoft Montpellier has studied the masters of the Metroidvania genre and learned all the right lessons.
The Lost Crown's gameplay represents a masterclass in Metroidvania design, built upon a foundation of incredibly tight controls and satisfying progression mechanics. Sargon moves with the fluid grace you'd expect from a Prince of Persia protagonist, whether he's wall-running across ancient surfaces, air-dashing between platforms, or engaging in the game's excellent combat system. The platforming feels weighty and precise, demanding skill without ever feeling unfair, while the time-manipulation abilities that define the series are seamlessly integrated into both traversal and puzzle-solving. Combat strikes an excellent balance between accessibility and depth. Basic attacks flow into elaborate combos, while parrying and dodging require precise timing that becomes second nature with practice. The variety of enemies keeps encounters fresh, from nimble assassins that test your reflexes to massive bosses that demand pattern recognition and strategic thinking. What's particularly impressive is how combat abilities integrate with exploration – learning a new sword technique often opens up previously inaccessible areas, creating that perfect Metroidvania loop of discovery and empowerment. The progression system deserves special mention for its thoughtful implementation. Rather than overwhelming players with skill trees and numerical upgrades, The Lost Crown focuses on meaningful abilities that fundamentally change how you interact with the world. Each new power feels significant, whether it's a time-slowing ability that makes impossible jumps feasible or a dash attack that breaks through specific barriers. The game's Memory Shard system, which allows players to mark important locations with screenshots and notes, shows a deep understanding of the genre's potential for player confusion and frustration.
While Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown may not revolutionize video game storytelling, it delivers a compelling narrative that successfully reinvents the series' mythology for a new generation. The story centers on Sargon's quest to rescue Prince Ghassan from the mystical Mount Qaf, but quickly evolves into something more complex and morally ambiguous. The writing strikes a careful balance between epic fantasy and intimate character development, grounding its mythological elements in recognizable human emotions and conflicts. Sargon himself proves to be a worthy protagonist, displaying both the acrobatic prowess and inner conflict that define the best Prince of Persia characters. His journey from loyal soldier to questioning hero feels organic, driven by the increasingly strange and morally complex situations he encounters. The supporting cast, including his fellow Immortals and the mysterious inhabitants of Mount Qaf, are given enough depth and personality to feel like real people rather than quest-dispensing NPCs. Voice acting across the board is solid, with particular praise due to Sargon's performer for conveying both determination and vulnerability. The narrative's greatest strength lies in its world-building and atmosphere. Mount Qaf feels like a living, breathing place with its own history and secrets, revealed through environmental storytelling, ancient murals, and cryptic dialogue. The game doesn't over-explain its mythology, trusting players to piece together the larger picture through exploration and observation. While the main story follows a somewhat predictable path, the journey is filled with enough surprises and emotional beats to keep players invested until the satisfying conclusion.
Visually, The Lost Crown is a stunning achievement that showcases the artistic potential of 2.5D game design. The hand-drawn character animations are fluid and expressive, bringing Sargon and his enemies to life with remarkable detail and personality. Every attack, jump, and idle animation demonstrates the care and craftsmanship that went into the game's visual presentation. The environments are equally impressive, featuring intricate Persian-inspired architecture that feels both authentic and fantastical, with lighting effects that create genuine atmosphere and mood. The art direction deserves particular praise for its consistency and vision. Rather than simply copying existing Persian art styles, the development team has created something that feels both respectful of its cultural inspirations and distinctly original. Color palettes shift dramatically between different regions of Mount Qaf, from the sun-drenched courtyards of the lower levels to the ethereal, time-distorted chambers of the upper reaches. Environmental effects like flowing water, shifting sands, and magical auras are rendered beautifully without overwhelming the core gameplay. The audio design is equally impressive, with a soundtrack that seamlessly blends traditional Middle Eastern instruments with modern orchestral arrangements. The music never feels intrusive or repetitive, instead enhancing the atmosphere and emotional impact of key story moments. Sound effects are crisp and satisfying, from the metallic clash of sword combat to the satisfying thunk of a perfectly-timed wall jump. Voice acting, while occasionally inconsistent in quality, generally serves the story well and adds to the game's overall sense of authenticity and immersion.
The Lost Crown delivers a generally stable experience across all platforms, though some technical hiccups prevent it from achieving technical perfection. Frame rates remain consistently smooth during both platforming and combat sequences, which is crucial for a game that demands precise timing and quick reactions. Load times are reasonably brief, though players on older hardware may experience slightly longer waits when transitioning between major areas. The game's memory management is generally solid, with few instances of texture pop-in or asset streaming issues that might break immersion. However, some minor technical issues do occasionally surface. Rare audio glitches can cause dialogue to cut out unexpectedly, and certain particle effects may cause brief frame drops on lower-end systems. The Nintendo Switch version, while impressively optimized overall, does show some visual compromises in terms of lighting effects and texture detail. These issues are relatively minor and don't significantly impact the core gameplay experience, but they prevent the game from feeling completely polished.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown represents exactly the kind of creative risk-taking that the gaming industry needs more of. Rather than playing it safe with a predictable sequel, Ubisoft Montpellier has crafted something that feels both respectful of the series' legacy and genuinely innovative. This is a Metroidvania that stands proudly alongside genre classics like Hollow Knight and Ori and the Will of the Wisps, offering the same sense of discovery and mastery that makes the best games in this category so compelling. The game's greatest achievement is how seamlessly it integrates Prince of Persia's signature elements – time manipulation, acrobatic platforming, and Persian mythology – into the Metroidvania framework. Every ability feels purposeful, every area rewards exploration, and every challenge can be overcome with skill and persistence. While the story may not break new ground and some technical issues occasionally surface, these are minor complaints in the face of such accomplished game design. For both longtime Prince of Persia fans and newcomers to the series, The Lost Crown represents an excellent entry point and a promising direction for future installments. It's a game that respects your intelligence, rewards your curiosity, and delivers the kind of satisfying gameplay loop that keeps you playing long into the night. This is how you successfully revive a beloved franchise.