The Warrior Within formerly known as the Prince of Persia.

I’ve reviewed the the latest Prince of Persia game, The Forgotten Sands, which is now online at gameSlave.

I found it to be a decent, if underwhelming, rip-off of the Sands of Time, but good enough to stand on its own two feet (feet which are no doubt running up a wall at this very moment.)

So, with the latest game being a little disappointing, I thought I would dive back into the annals of memory and revisit the first three games in the series (for posterity, the wierd, cel-shaded Prince who wandered into the timeline a couple of years ago has been left off, because that game was not a true Prince of Persia title.)

So, it’s my Top Three: Prince of Persia games of my generation!

Number Three: The Sands of Time (2003)

The first of the trilogy

As the first game in the modern series, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, was quite groundbreaking. Pitting the eponymous hero against an infernal horde of sand monsters, the game was the first to use the series’ now-trademarked time powers.

Armed with the shiny and surprisingly sturdy Dagger of Time, the Prince was tasked with sealing the hourglass that contained the Sands, and after a massive adventure that took the Prince through the wide lands of Persia (and resulted in him losing most of his clothes…) he managed to complete his task, re-sealing the hourglass and undoing the past, returning the storyline to where it began.

Of course, his feisty Princess sidekick, Farah, who heroically let herself die so the Prince could complete his mission - and was brought back to life as time re-asserted itself - had no memory of their adventures, leaving the Prince to explain it as best he could:

“Most people think Time is like a river that flows swift and sure in one direction. But I have seen the face of Time, and I can tell you, they are wrong. Time is an ocean in a storm. You may wonder who I am, or why I say this. Come, sit down, and I will tell you a tale like none you have ever heard…”

The Dark Prince on his throne

Number Two: The Two Thrones (2004)

Now, while it would make sense for the final chapter of the Sands of Time trilogy to be the number one game, in my opinion, The Two Thrones was just pipped by its predecessor, Warrior Within.

That’s not to say that this chapter isn’t brilliant in its own right. Picking up shortly after Warrior Within, Two Thrones finds the Prince returning to Babylon, capital of Persia, which is now under attack by an enemy force. Pretty soon he gets his ass handed to him and ends up with a bladed whip grafted to his arm – the Daggertail.

Forced once again to fight off enemies, sand monsters and demons, the Prince also faces a worse enemy – himself. When the Sands infected the cuts left by the Daggertail, the Prince’s alter ego, the Dark Prince, was born – and he wants the throne of Babylon for himself.

What follows is a chase through Babylon, Persia and the Prince’s own mind, as he attempts to free himself of his infection before the Dark Prince takes over entirely, leaving the Prince an empty shell for his rage and bile.

With more gameplay, chariot races, massive monsters and ramped up powers, Two Thrones was an excellent end to the series, but it’s not my favourite, not by a long shot.

Number One: Warrior Within (2004)

I loved this game when I first set eyes on it.

Set shortly after The Sands of Time, Warrior Within finds the Prince a hunted and cowed man, searching for an end to his pain. As a survivor of The Sands of Time incident, during which he was destined to die, the Prince is being hunted by his greatest enemy yet - Fate.

And the instrument of Fate? The Dahaka:

 

This beastie wants you dead, and it’s prepared to do just about anything to do it and restore the timeline.

The Warrior Within

During this adventure the Prince makes several shocking discoveries – he actually created the Sands of Time, anything can be killed if you have the right weapon (even a mirror-image of yourself) and, most importantly, two swords are better than one.

Yes this game had a brilliant, twisted plot that kept you guessing, yes it was a darker, bloodier experience (which many reviewers labelled ‘emo’ and discounted - their mistake), and yes it was another brilliant adventure, this time with a darker tone, but what really sold the game for me was the combat.

The Prince, usually restricted to one blade only, could now dual wield, throw blades, make kills from atop walls and pillars and generally kick ass, all rendered in a gritty, dark world which immersed the player and kept you coming back for more.

Of course, the soundtrack being filled with heavy metal fused with Persian flutes never hurt either…