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With Ubisoft's successful reinvention of the Prince of Persia franchise in recent years, and with Xbox Live Arcade providing an inexpensive outlet for new retro-inspired console games, the timing couldn't be better for a 2D remake of Jordan Mechner's classic. This new iteration probably doesn't stray far enough from its roots to convert those who didn't like the original but it does provide enough variation and refinement to make long-time fans want to play through it again.
The basic design of the 1989 Apple II platform-adventure game has been retained with only minor gameplay alterations. The step-based jumping that the series made famous is present, although the controls are now more forgiving; you can turn around much faster and you don't have to have your placement quite as accurate when grabbing edges. With this new agility you can also quickly roll on the ground, bounce off walls, and perform back-flips. Purists may prefer the greater inertia and realism of the old controls, but I found the new ones an improvement, despite the fact that you have to use the analog stick (the d-pad isn't supported for reasons beyond me). The old versions feel stiff by comparison.
...the timing couldn't be better for a 2D remake of Jordan Mechner's classic..
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Fighting is still a test of simply timing your attacks and blocks; no fancy combos and special moves have been added. For this I am thankful, as making the combat system more complex would have disrupted the flow of the game. Keeping the fighting time short is welcome in a game where the clock is ticking. The one hour time limit is still present, although you can finish the game if the hourglass runs out; you will just get a slightly shorter ending. Mid-level checkpoints also make it less stressful. If you wish to turn off the game to resume later, you will have to start from the beginning of the level.
Loading between levels isn't particularly long but this leads me to my biggest complaint: on occasion the game would crash during loading, forcing me to restart my system. This was especially frustrating as it would send me back to beginning of the level I just completed, not the next one it was supposed to load. It's unfortunate that Gameloft didn't fix this before release.
The game's level design will be immediately familiar to fans of the original with all its traps and floor switches. An optional hint system has been added for those wanting a less exploration-oriented experience. With hints set on, switches are highlighted (yellow for ones that open gates and orange for ones that close them). A butterfly also sometimes appears and shows you the direction you need to go to complete the level. Some new unlockable gameplay modes have also been added: Time Attack allows you to see how fast you can complete levels, and Survival Mode is an extra difficulty setting in which you must complete the game without dying.
The most significant change from the old Prince of Persia games is its look. While it still uses a side-view perspective, the hand-drawn art has been replaced by polygons. The art direction is close in style to the The Sands of Time, and, like in that game, there are some neat slow-motion effects while dodging in combat. The fluidity of the animation manages to outdo the older versions, as does the detail. The only time that the graphics look less than stellar are in the cut-scenes where it displays characters up close, but overall, it's nicely done for a polygon remake.
Many modern remakes of video games fall into one of two categories. They are either drastically changed from the source material that they almost count as different games, or they attempt and stick to the old formula yet turn out to be soulless imitations. Prince of Persia Classic is too reminiscent of the original to belong in the first category. So, if past versions didn't click with you, this likely won't either. It's also too well crafted to fall in the second category; the charm and addictiveness is not only still there, it has been refined through slicker controls and added modes. Aside from the aforementioned glitches, this is the greatest overall rendition of the first Prince of Persia. If you are itching to experience it again, or if you're a newcomer wanting to see what the fuss is about, it makes for one of the best deals on Xbox Live Arcade.
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