Honestly, people were skeptical when Ubisoft first showed off the trailer for Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. After years of waiting for the Sands of Time remake to emerge from development hell, seeing a 2.5D side-scroller felt like a consolation prize to some. They were wrong. Dead wrong.
It’s rare for a long-running franchise to find its soul by looking backward, but that’s exactly what happened here. By ditching the cinematic third-person camera and embracing the "Metroidvania" genre, the developers at Ubisoft Montpellier—the same wizards behind Rayman Legends—captured the precise, punishing, and rewarding feel of the 1989 original while making it feel like something from 2024. This isn't just a spin-off. It’s a masterclass in game design that respects your time and your intelligence.
Sargon, our new protagonist, isn't a prince. He’s a member of the Immortals, an elite group of Persian warriors. When the actual Prince Ghassan is kidnapped and taken to the cursed city of Mount Qaf, Sargon has to jump in. The story gets weird. Time is broken. Perspectives shift. It’s heady stuff, but the real star isn't the plot—it's how it feels to move Sargon through this crumbling, mythological world.
Why the combat in The Lost Crown hits differently
Combat in Metroidvanias can sometimes feel like a secondary chore, something you do just to clear a path. Not here. Sargon carries dual blades called Qays and Layla, and they feel incredibly snappy. You aren't just mashing X. You’re parrying, sliding, and launching enemies into the air for juggle combos that feel like they were ripped straight out of Devil May Cry or Street Fighter.
The parry mechanic is the heartbeat of the game. If you time it right, you get a cinematic animation that deals massive damage. If you miss? Well, on Heroic or Immortal difficulty, you’re basically a stain on the floor. It’s unforgiving but fair.
There’s also the Athra Surges. These are special moves you build up by fighting well. Some are offensive, like a massive shockwave, while others are tactical, like a healing zone. You have to choose which ones to equip at Wak-Wak trees, which serve as your checkpoints. It adds a layer of build-crafting that most people didn’t expect from a Prince of Persia title.
I talked to a few high-level speedrunners who've already started breaking the game down, and they’re obsessed with the animation canceling. You can cancel almost any move into a dodge or a jump. This means the skill ceiling is sky-high. You start the game feeling like a capable soldier and end it feeling like a literal god of time.
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Navigating Mount Qaf without losing your mind
Mount Qaf is huge. It’s a sprawling labyrinth of forests, frozen temples, and gritty sewers. In a typical game of this genre, you’d spend half your time staring at the map, trying to remember why you couldn't get past that one glowing door three hours ago.
The developers solved this with a "Memory Shard" feature. This is genius.
Basically, you can take a screenshot of the game world and pin it directly onto your map. No more wondering "was that the door that needed the bow or the one that needed the air dash?" You just click the pin, see the picture you took, and move on. It’s such a simple, elegant solution that it’s honestly embarrassing other games haven't been doing this for a decade.
The platforming is the real Prince of Persia legacy
If you grew up playing The Sands of Time or even the 2D classics, you know the franchise is built on platforming. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown understands this better than any entry in the last twenty years.
It starts simple: wall jumps and slides.
Then it gets complicated.
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By the mid-game, you’re combining a double jump, a mid-air dash, a teleportation shadow, and a time-reversal mechanic just to get across a single room filled with spinning blades. It’s rhythmic. It’s almost like a dance. When you nail a long sequence without touching the ground, the satisfaction is immense.
The game also includes some of the best accessibility options I’ve seen in a platformer. If a particular jumping puzzle is too frustrating, you can toggle a "Platforming Assist" that lets you skip the sequence. It’s a bold move that acknowledges not everyone has the twitch reflexes of a teenager, but it doesn't diminish the challenge for those who want it.
Breaking down the Time Powers
- Rush of the Simurgh: This is your standard air dash. Essential for crossing gaps and dodging boss sweeps.
- Shadow of the Simurgh: This is the game-changer. You leave a "ghost" of yourself in one spot and can teleport back to it instantly. Use it to bypass traps or to trick bosses into attacking thin air.
- Dimensional Claw: You can grab objects—or even enemies—and pocket them in a pocket dimension to throw later.
- Clairvoyance: This allows you to see things that exist in a parallel version of reality, making platforms appear or disappear.
The way these powers stack is where the complexity lies. You aren't just using one power at a time; you're layering them. You might leave a shadow on a moving platform, jump off to hit a switch, and then teleport back to the shadow before the platform moves out of range. It’s brilliant.
Visuals and the "Persian Mythology" aesthetic
Some people complained about the "stylized" graphics when the game was revealed. They called it "mobile game-ish." They were wrong about that, too.
In motion, the game is gorgeous. The colors pop, and the frame rate is buttery smooth, targeting 60 FPS (and even 120 FPS on some consoles). The art style allows for clear "readability." When a boss is about to hit you with an unblockable attack, you see a red flash. When it’s a parryable attack, it’s yellow. If the game looked "hyper-realistic," these cues would get lost in the visual noise.
The music, composed by Mentrix and Gareth Coker (who did the Ori games), is a mix of traditional Persian instruments and modern cinematic synth. It gives Mount Qaf an eerie, ancient vibe that feels distinct from the usual generic fantasy tropes.
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It’s a massive game, but is it too long?
If you just rush the main story, you're looking at about 20 to 25 hours. But if you're a completionist who wants to find every hidden lore scrap and finish every side quest, you’re looking at 40+ hours.
Does it overstay its welcome?
Maybe a little in the final third. There are a few "go here, collect three things" objectives that feel a bit like padding. However, the boss fights usually show up right when things start to feel repetitive, and they are spectacular. The fight against Vahram, in particular, is one of the most mechanically interesting encounters in the genre. It forces you to use every single power you’ve learned up to that point.
What most players miss: The Amulet system
Don't ignore the amulets. These are equippable items that modify your stats. Some are boring (extra health), but others completely change how you play. There’s one that creates a shockwave every time you parry, and another that turns your bow into a multi-shot weapon.
Most people stick to the same three amulets the whole game. That’s a mistake. You should be swapping them out constantly depending on the environment. If you're in a section with lots of spikes, equip the amulet that reduces environmental damage. If you're fighting a fast boss, equip the ones that speed up your Athra generation.
Actionable steps for your first playthrough
If you’re just starting Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, keep these points in mind to avoid frustration:
- Prioritize the Bow: You get the bow early. Upgrade it at the Forge as soon as possible. Not for the damage, but for the utility. It triggers switches and keeps your combo meter alive from a distance.
- Use the Map Pins: Seriously. Don’t trust your memory. Every time you see something weird you can’t interact with yet, take a Memory Shard photo.
- Learn the Slide Parry: Sliding into an enemy and then immediately parrying is a great way to close distance safely.
- Explore the Depths Early: You’ll find the Scrapper merchant down there. He sells keys and items that aren’t available anywhere else. It’s a creepy area, but the rewards are worth the stress.
- Don't Fear the Difficulty Slider: You can customize damage taken, parry windows, and enemy health individually. There is no shame in tweaking the game to fit your specific playstyle.
The game is a triumph because it knows exactly what it is. It doesn't try to be an open-world RPG or a live-service grindfest. It’s a focused, challenging, and incredibly polished action-adventure that proves Prince of Persia still has a lot of life left in it. Whether you're a veteran of the series or someone who has never touched a Metroidvania, this is a title that demands your attention. It’s easily one of the strongest entries in the entire Ubisoft catalog.
If you're looking for your next challenge, head to Mount Qaf. Just be ready to die a few times before you master time itself.