When Ubisoft first showed off Sargon jumping around in a side-scrolling perspective, the internet basically had a collective meltdown. People wanted a high-fidelity remake of Sands of Time, not a "mobile-looking" platformer. But then the game actually launched. Prince of Persia The Lost Crown gameplay turned out to be some of the most refined, punishing, and frankly brilliant action-platforming we've seen in a decade. It’s not just a throwback; it’s a total reimagining of what movement should feel like in a Metroidvania.
Honestly, the 2D shift was the smartest thing the developers at Ubisoft Montpellier could have done. By stripping away the clunky camera issues of 3D action games, they focused entirely on "flow."
The Feel of Sargon’s Movement
Movement is everything here. If Sargon felt heavy or sluggish, the whole thing would have fallen apart within the first twenty minutes. Instead, he’s incredibly snappy. You’ve got a slide, a wall-jump, and an air dash that feels like it has actual weight behind it.
The game operates on a principle of momentum. You aren't just moving from Point A to Point B. You're threading a needle through spinning blades and spiked walls. It’s fast. Like, really fast. Most people don't realize how much the Prince of Persia The Lost Crown gameplay borrows from Rayman Legends—which makes sense given the studio's pedigree—but it injects a level of lethality that Rayman never had.
Combat and the Parry System
Combat isn't just button mashing. It’s built around a parry system that feels closer to Sekiro than a traditional platformer. If you mistime a parry against a yellow-flashing attack, you’re going to lose a massive chunk of your health bar. But if you hit it? You get a cinematic counter-attack that looks like something straight out of a high-budget anime.
Sargon uses dual blades, Qays and Layla. They’re quick. You can juggle enemies in the air, shoot them with your bow to keep the combo alive, and then use a "Simurgh Dash" to close the gap. It's aggressive. You can't just sit back and wait for openings because the AI is surprisingly proactive. They will flank you. They will use projectiles. They will force you to use every inch of the screen.
Time Powers: More Than Just Rewinding
We all remember the rewind mechanic from the old games. It was iconic. But in The Lost Crown, the developers took the concept of time and turned it into a spatial puzzle tool. The standout ability is definitely the "Shadow of the Simurgh."
Basically, you press a button to leave a "shadow" of yourself in a specific spot. You keep moving, doing whatever you need to do, and then press the button again to instantly teleport back to that shadow.
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Think about the implications for a second.
You can leave a shadow in mid-air, lure an enemy toward a trap, and then teleport back to safety before they even know what happened. Or, in a platforming section, you can throw yourself toward a certain death to grab a collectible and "blink" back to your shadow on solid ground. It’s a genius way to evolve the series’ DNA without just repeating the "oops, let me rewind five seconds" trope.
Map Navigation and the Memory Shard Innovation
Metroidvanias usually have one massive problem: getting lost. You see a door you can't open, you play for five more hours, and then you completely forget where that door was.
Ubisoft Montpellier fixed this with "Memory Shards."
It’s such a simple idea you wonder why nobody else did it first. You can take a literal screenshot of the game world and pin it to your map. So, instead of a generic icon saying "locked door," you see a thumbnail of the actual obstacle. It keeps the Prince of Persia The Lost Crown gameplay moving at a breakneck pace because you aren't constantly second-guessing where to go next. You just look at your map, see the visual cue, and realize, "Oh, I have the gravity bow now, I can finally hit that switch."
Boss Fights and Difficulty Spikes
Let’s be real: this game is hard. It’s not "cozy."
The boss fights, like the encounter with Jahandar the manticore or the duel against Vahram, are genuine tests of skill. These fights require you to memorize patterns and use your time powers defensively. Vahram, in particular, is a masterclass in boss design because he uses the same powers you do. He slows down time, he teleports, and he forces you to react in milliseconds.
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One thing people get wrong is thinking this is a kids' game because of the stylized art. It’s not. Some of the late-game platforming challenges in the "Sands" area are as difficult as anything you'll find in Celeste or Hollow Knight. You will die. A lot.
Accessibility Done Right
Despite the difficulty, the game is weirdly accessible. There are "Guided" and "Exploration" modes. Guided mode puts markers on your map, while Exploration lets you figure it out yourself. You can even adjust how much damage you take or how much "Athra" (your energy meter) you gain.
This is a controversial topic in gaming—the "easy mode" debate—but here it feels handled with respect. The developers want you to see the end of Sargon's journey, even if you don't have the reflexes of a 19-year-old pro gamer. You can even skip some of the more frustrating platforming sections if you die enough times. It’s a "safety net" approach that doesn't cheapen the core experience for those who want the challenge.
Mount Qaf: A World of Nuance
The setting, Mount Qaf, isn't just a series of brown hallways. It’s a cursed citadel where time is literally broken. You’ll go from a lush forest to a frozen sea where the waves are literally stopped in time.
The level design is intricate. Shortcuts loop back on themselves in ways that feel very Dark Souls. You’ll spend thirty minutes pushing through a difficult gauntlet only to kick down a ladder and realize you’re back at a "Wak-Wak Tree" (the game’s version of bonfires).
There’s a real sense of history here, too. You find lore items that explain how the Immortals—the elite group Sargon belongs to—fell apart. It’s not shoved down your throat with twenty-minute cutscenes. It’s told through the environment. You see the statues of the gods, the ruined libraries, and the broken machinery of a civilization that tried to mess with time and lost.
Acknowledging the Friction Points
Is it perfect? No.
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Some of the side quests are a bit "fetch-heavy." You’ll occasionally run into a character who wants you to find some sand jars or a missing person, and it can feel like padding. Also, the parry timing can occasionally feel slightly inconsistent depending on the enemy's animation height, which might frustrate players used to the frame-perfect precision of something like Street Fighter.
But these are minor gripes in a game that otherwise feels incredibly polished. The Prince of Persia The Lost Crown gameplay is a reminder that 2D isn't a step backward. It’s just a different lens.
Technical Performance
On a technical level, the game is a beast. It runs at 60 FPS (and even up to 120 FPS on certain consoles/PCs) with almost no hitching. In a game built on precision, frame drops are a death sentence. Ubisoft clearly prioritized performance over hyper-realistic textures, and the result is a game that feels buttery smooth.
The soundtrack, composed by Mentrix and Gareth Coker (the Ori guy), is also worth mentioning. It blends traditional Persian instruments with modern synth, creating an atmosphere that feels both ancient and alien. It swells during combat and fades into haunting melodies while you're exploring the Depths. It’s essential to the experience.
Mastering the Flow: Actionable Tips
If you’re just starting your journey through Mount Qaf, keep these things in mind to make your life easier.
- Don't ignore the Amulets. You have a limited number of slots, so don't just pick what sounds cool. The "Blessing" amulet (which gives you extra health) is a lifesaver early on. Later, focus on anything that increases your parry window.
- The Bow is a melee tool. You can use the bow to extend combos. If an enemy is flying back after a heavy hit, a quick arrow can keep them stunned long enough for you to dash in and finish the job.
- Abuse the Shadow. Don't just use the Shadow of the Simurgh for puzzles. In combat, place a shadow, bait a boss's big "unblockable" red attack, and teleport away at the last second. It’s your best defensive tool.
- Upgrade your Swords first. You’ll be tempted to upgrade your health or your quiver, but damage is king. The faster you kill enemies, the less time they have to hit you. Visit the Forge as soon as you have the Azure Damascus Ingots.
- Slide through enemies. Sargon’s slide has a decent amount of invincibility frames. If you’re cornered, sliding through an enemy is often safer than jumping over them.
The most important thing to remember is that this game rewards curiosity. If a wall looks suspicious, hit it. If a platform looks unreachable, remember it for later. The Lost Crown isn't a game you beat; it’s a world you master. By the time you reach the final boss, the movements that felt difficult in the beginning—the wall-jumping, the air-dashing, the time-shifting—will feel like second nature. That is the mark of a truly great action game.