Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
Encyclopedia
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is a multi-platform video game produced by Ubisoft
which was released on May 18, 2010, in North America and on May 20 in Europe. The games mark a return to the storyline started by Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is the title of four separate games with different storylines. The main game was developed for PlayStation 3
, Xbox 360
, and Microsoft Windows
, while the other three are exclusive for the PlayStation Portable
, Nintendo DS
, and Wii
.
The PSP
and Wii
versions were developed by Ubisoft Quebec
; the PS3
, Xbox 360
and Windows
versions were handled by Ubisoft Montreal
with the help of Ubisoft Singapore; and the Nintendo DS
version was made at Casablanca.
, and concluded by Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
. On December 14, 2009, Ubisoft UK released the first details of the story on their official video portal.
The game is an interquel, taking place in the seven year gap between Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
and Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
. The Prince character is supposed to be a cross between the character models in these two games. He is again voiced by Yuri Lowenthal
.
Here, Malik proposes that he is fighting a losing battle, and needs to rely on a last resort or be forced to retreat. The Prince strongly objects, but Malik refuses to listen to him, and, releases Solomon's Army using a magical seal. Solomon's Army is an assortment of different creatures, all made of sand, supposedly enough to outnumber the grains of sand in the desert. The Prince and Malik both manage to obtain halves of the seal which was used to unleash the army, protecting them from being turned into sand statues, which was the fate of the rest of the kingdom. The seals also allow them to absorb the power of the enemies they defeat.
Malik is separated from the Prince, who finds a portal to the domain of Razia, a Djinn. Razia tells the Prince that the Solomon's army was not Solomon's, but was an army sent to kill him. She tells him the only way to re-imprison Solomon's Army is to reunite both halves of the seal used to bind them. Razia gives the Prince special powers, and has him set out to find Malik, and the other half of the seal. When the Prince finds Malik, he isn't interested in stopping the Army of Solomon, but instead wants to destroy it and use its power to become a more powerful leader. The Prince finds Razia again, and asks her about this, and she proposes it's an effect of absorbing too much of the power of Solomon's Army, and that the power she gave the Prince offered him protection from this effect.
The Prince again sets out to find Malik, this time to forcibly take his half of the seal, but Malik is stronger and manages to escape. Pursuing Malik again, the Prince finds Ratash, the leader of Solomon's Army, pursuing anyone in possession of the seal. After the Prince outruns him, he concludes Ratash must now be chasing Malik, and so sets out to aid him. The Prince arrives in the throne room to find Malik and Ratash fighting, and he aids Malik. The Prince and Malik seem to kill Ratash, and Malik absorbs his power, shattering his half of the seal. Malik then runs off, seemingly in a hysterical fit, using some of Ratash's powers to escape.
The Prince pursues him, and again finds Razia instead. Razia explains that Ratash cannot be killed by any ordinary sword, and that what actually happened was quite different than what the Prince saw. Ratash has actually killed Malik, and possessed his body. The Prince doesn't believe this, and sets out to find the Djinn Sword, which Razia says can kill Ratash.
Along the way, the Prince chases Ratash, witnessing Ratash gaining so much power back, that he can mutate Malik's body back to his original form. The Prince loses a battle to Ratash, and the Prince is convinced that his brother is in fact dead now. Then when he meets Razia once again, he starts questioning her intentions and asks her why she cares for Malik's kingdom and why she did not kill Ratash herself. Razia says she has "a part to play". She, then, eventually reveals that she was once one of the four leaders of Djinns and did not leave the city as the other Djinns had because she promised to King Solomon she would take care of the his kingdom to the best of her ability. When Prince finds the Djinn Sword, he takes it to Razia, who holds it in her hand and disappears into it. When the startled Prince calls out her name, she speaks to him from the sword and explains that to kill a Djinn the magic of an other Djinn is reqiured and this is her "part to play". Then Prince asks her what will happen to her after killing Ratash with the sword, she answers, "We will see". With this sword, the Prince again sets out to find Ratash. When he does, Ratash is now gigantic, literally fed by the sandstorm which has come over the palace.
Despite this, the Prince uses the sword to kill Ratash, and when the sandstorm and battle both subside, he finds Malik laying next to him, dying. Malik says to tell their father that Prince will be a mighty leader, then dies. There are also shots in the game, showing that the people, who were turned into sand, are reverted back into their normal selves. The Prince then sets out to inform his father of Malik's death.
In a post-credits narration, the Prince finds the Djinn sword and calls Razia's name but to no answer, so he decides to return the sword to where he found it, so to lay Razia to rest and as he could no longer bear to hold the sword, and then with Malik's kingdom under Malik's advisors' rule, the Prince leaves to inform his father of his brother's death.
. The DS
, PSP
and Wii
versions are developed separately and will feature different gameplay than the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows versions. With Ubisoft's feature Uplay, players may unlock Ezio, the main character from Assassin's Creed II
.
In the PS3/Xbox 360/PC game, throughout the game the Prince learns new powers. The biggest new feature is the addition of elemental powers, which bring a new dimension to the core gameplay, because of the way these powers interact with each other and the Prince's other abilities. There are four core powers in the game: Fire, Ice, Wind and Earth. Each of them translates to a different power during combat, such as the ability to "solidify" water fountains and turn them into climbable columns. Besides these core powers, there are also minor powers, that can be purchased to enhance the Prince's abilities from Razia. These minor powers include a shield and the power to summon small tornadoes. The combat in the game is similar to combat mechanics found in The Sands of Time. The Prince will be able to fight multiple enemies in one battle, up to 50 at once. An important part of the combat is "crowd control" and evading enemies, as well as combos. There is no blocking and quick time event
s are used only to finish bosses in the game.
on May 18, 2010 in North America, and May 20, 2010 in Europe. It was developed by Ubisoft Quebec
exclusively for the Wii. The game features a completely different storyline and setting from other versions, as well as gameplay mechanics, as the game makes use of the Wii's motion control as well as conventional buttons. While other versions of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands feature powers such as water or time manipulation to aid the player, the Wii version has its own unique set of powers: It features a "Spirit Hook", which serves as a grip which the player can deploy in certain areas on walls; a "Whirlwind", which acts like an elevator
the player can deploy in certain places on the ground; and a "Magic Sphere", which the player can deploy in midair to act a safety net, breaking the player's fall and suspending them there.
The Wii version of the game also features local multiplayer, in which a second player can aid the first player by freezing on-screen enemies or traps for them, or helping to unlock secret areas. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for the Wii also features some bonus content, such as unlockable in-game character skins, art galleries, developer diaries, bonus levels, and the original 1992 version of Prince of Persia. The game received generally favorable reviews, having received a 77/100 at reviewer aggregate Metacritic, and it is popularly referred to as having last generation graphics and dull combat, but was generally praised for its unique and creative gameplay mechanics.
The game features a plot in which the prophecy is written that a member of Prince's royal family will bring an end to an evil fire spirit Ahihud's dark reign over hidden mystic land. To ensure his survival, the evil spirit's minions hunt down those with the royal blood of Persia. Prince escapes his tower, where he is kept protected by his father, and pursues a mysterious guiding light, which turns out to be Helem, a spirit of Time who promises to help the Prince defeat his enemy. Together, they journey to mysterious, hidden kingdom which is revealed to be the holy site where the first god came to create universe. The kingdom is fully under control of Ahihud, who aims to devour the land's magical energy, the Elixir. The player has to confront Ahihud's sand monsters, collects Elixir to boost his own strength and vitality, and find portals to spirits realm, where Helem's sisters is to be freed. Each freed Sister of Time grants Prince a new ability to control time, like freezing a selected spot or creature, or hasting it. After making his way through the mystic land, Prince defeats Ahihud's two most powerful servants, the gigantic guardian of the palace and the sand assassin, who was created to hunt down Prince's relatives. In the end, Prince is able to kill Ahihud in his own domain in spirits realm, fulfilling the prophecy and restoring the mystic land to its former glory.
is a handheld 2D
side-scroller
installment to the franchise, in a similar fashion to the series' previous DS installment, Prince of Persia: The Fallen King
. The game is entirely stylus
-controlled, featuring no button use. To maneuver, the player must hold the stylus in the direction relative to the Prince character where the player wants to move. To climb, the player must hold the stylus part way up a wall, to jump, the player holds the stylus at the other end of the gap. Combat in the game is stylus-controlled as well. To defeat enemies, the player must slash them. This is done by moving the stylus diagonally across the enemy the player intends to attack. The player can also manipulate the power of the sands with the stylus; if the player rubs a streak of sand with the stylus, it becomes a pillar of sand, which the player can use to jump across gaps.
The player also has the advantage of sand "powers": If the player dies, they can taps an hourglass symbol on the touchscreen and rewind time to the last time they were safe. The player can also slow down time if there are any obstacles that are moving too fast for the player to traverse. The player has a limited number of times they are able to use these powers, as they have a set number of sand orbs, which allow them to manipulate these powers. Should the player face death without rewinding time, they will be reverted to their last obtained checkpoint. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for the DS also features an economic system, allowing players to collect ruby throughout their adventure for various feats, and in between levels, exchange the ruby with the merchant for additional power-ups, such as additional in-game costumes, weapon upgrades, health bar extensions, and additional sand orb slots. There are also sessions of the game in which the player rides a horse, using the stylus to steer the horse left or right to evade obstacles.
The plot of the DS version centers on the Prince character being abducted by a cult. This cult brings the Prince to an ancient temple in India and uses his sword, which houses the Djinn queen Razia, to obtain a blood sacrifice from him. Using the Prince's royal blood and Razia's Sand powers, the cult liberates an evil force locked in the temple, erasing the Prince's memory and stealing Razia's powers in the process. The temple collapses as the evil is freed, and the Prince falls into a pit. At the bottom, Razia's spirit leads the Prince to his weapon, and tells him that the ceremony he was abducted for is the reason why he doesn't remember anything. She informs him further that he is a prince, and that he and Razia are longtime friends, which the Prince believes. He decides to follow her instructions warily, as he doesn't remember anything himself. They escape from the bottom of the collapsed temple and Razia tells the Prince that their quest must be to hunt down and kill the three members of the cult who abducted them.
The three cultists stole the Prince's memories and Razia's Sand powers during the ceremony and therefore mutated into gigantic Sand monsters. Razia says killing them will give the Prince back his memories, and Razia her powers. The Prince and Razia then set out across India to hunt down and kill the three cult members, which they succeed in doing. With all their powers and memories restored, they now set out to hunt down and kill resurrected leader of the cult, who is slowly conquering the world, starting with Babylon. They succeed in killing him, but at the cost of Razia's life. The Prince throws the sword in which Razia resided off of the top of a tower in Babylon, and it dissolves in the desert sand.
and several other popular gaming sites.
While not a direct video game adaptation or containing elements of the film, the game's release coincides with the May 2010 release of Disney's
film adaptation
of the video game, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
, starring Jake Gyllenhaal
, Ben Kingsley
.
A Digital Deluxe Edition of The Forgotten Sands is also available on Steam. It includes two new skins, a new exclusive map for survival mode, the game's OST, as well as a free copy of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. A free copy of Prince of Persia: Warrior Within was given to those who pre-ordered The Forgotten Sands on Steam. Another combo of the Deluxe Edition also includes the Official Strategy Guide from Prima.
system (DRM), requiring the user to be connected to Ubisoft's servers in order to play. This new version loads part of the game's content from the server and will not allow the player to continue if a connection to the server does not exist. On 28 June 2010 the DRM was cracked by replacing the code with offline equivalents.
and PC
. Its main criticism was overly simple combat and short length. The PS3 version received a score of 7.0 from Videogamer, 7.5 from Gamespot
, and an 8.0 from IGN
and IGN UK.
The Wii
exclusive version also was well received, scoring an 8.0 from IGN
, 8.0 from Nintendo Power
's June 2010 issue and 84% from Official Nintendo Magazine. Particular praise was given by all three magazines to Graphics, Sound, complex level design and the "Sand Power" move set, the combat system was generally considered too basic, and the game camera occasionally annoyingly constrictive.
Ubisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
which was released on May 18, 2010, in North America and on May 20 in Europe. The games mark a return to the storyline started by Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a third-person action-adventure computer and video game published by Ubisoft. It was released on November 21, 2003 and is a reboot of the landmark video game series Prince of Persia, created by Jordan Mechner in 1989.The Sands of Time, developed internally at...
. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is the title of four separate games with different storylines. The main game was developed for PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, and Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, while the other three are exclusive for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
, Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, and Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
.
The PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
and Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
versions were developed by Ubisoft Quebec
Ubisoft Quebec
Ubisoft Quebec is Canadian video game developer Ubisoft's North American studio located in Quebec City, Quebec. Founded as a subsidiary of Ubisoft in June 2005, initially developing low-profile projects, the studio now has over 300 employees...
; the PS3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
versions were handled by Ubisoft Montreal
Ubisoft Montreal
Ubisoft Montreal is a Canadian video game developer owned by French publisher Ubisoft.Ubisoft's North American studio is located in Montreal, Quebec...
with the help of Ubisoft Singapore; and the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
version was made at Casablanca.
Setting
The Forgotten Sands returns to the storyline established by Prince of Persia: The Sands of TimePrince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a third-person action-adventure computer and video game published by Ubisoft. It was released on November 21, 2003 and is a reboot of the landmark video game series Prince of Persia, created by Jordan Mechner in 1989.The Sands of Time, developed internally at...
, and concluded by Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones is an action-adventure computer and video game developed and published by Ubisoft Montreal. It was released in December, 2005 in North America for the Xbox, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and the Nintendo GameCube...
. On December 14, 2009, Ubisoft UK released the first details of the story on their official video portal.
The game is an interquel, taking place in the seven year gap between Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a third-person action-adventure computer and video game published by Ubisoft. It was released on November 21, 2003 and is a reboot of the landmark video game series Prince of Persia, created by Jordan Mechner in 1989.The Sands of Time, developed internally at...
and Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is a video game and sequel to Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Warrior Within was developed and published by Ubisoft, and released on December 2, 2004 for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, and Microsoft Windows. It picks up where The Sands of Time left off,...
. The Prince character is supposed to be a cross between the character models in these two games. He is again voiced by Yuri Lowenthal
Yuri Lowenthal
Yuri Lowenthal is a voice actor that has voiced several anime and video game characters. He also voiced Kamal for the alternate reality game I Love Bees....
.
Plot
The plot of main game, developed for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, begins as the Prince is riding through a desert on his horse, on a quest to see his brother, Malik, and learn about leadership from him. When the Prince arrives at Malik's kingdom, he finds it under attack by an army who he proposes wants a treasure buried deep within. The Prince infiltrates Malik's kingdom, and meets up with Malik in the treasure vaults.Here, Malik proposes that he is fighting a losing battle, and needs to rely on a last resort or be forced to retreat. The Prince strongly objects, but Malik refuses to listen to him, and, releases Solomon's Army using a magical seal. Solomon's Army is an assortment of different creatures, all made of sand, supposedly enough to outnumber the grains of sand in the desert. The Prince and Malik both manage to obtain halves of the seal which was used to unleash the army, protecting them from being turned into sand statues, which was the fate of the rest of the kingdom. The seals also allow them to absorb the power of the enemies they defeat.
Malik is separated from the Prince, who finds a portal to the domain of Razia, a Djinn. Razia tells the Prince that the Solomon's army was not Solomon's, but was an army sent to kill him. She tells him the only way to re-imprison Solomon's Army is to reunite both halves of the seal used to bind them. Razia gives the Prince special powers, and has him set out to find Malik, and the other half of the seal. When the Prince finds Malik, he isn't interested in stopping the Army of Solomon, but instead wants to destroy it and use its power to become a more powerful leader. The Prince finds Razia again, and asks her about this, and she proposes it's an effect of absorbing too much of the power of Solomon's Army, and that the power she gave the Prince offered him protection from this effect.
The Prince again sets out to find Malik, this time to forcibly take his half of the seal, but Malik is stronger and manages to escape. Pursuing Malik again, the Prince finds Ratash, the leader of Solomon's Army, pursuing anyone in possession of the seal. After the Prince outruns him, he concludes Ratash must now be chasing Malik, and so sets out to aid him. The Prince arrives in the throne room to find Malik and Ratash fighting, and he aids Malik. The Prince and Malik seem to kill Ratash, and Malik absorbs his power, shattering his half of the seal. Malik then runs off, seemingly in a hysterical fit, using some of Ratash's powers to escape.
The Prince pursues him, and again finds Razia instead. Razia explains that Ratash cannot be killed by any ordinary sword, and that what actually happened was quite different than what the Prince saw. Ratash has actually killed Malik, and possessed his body. The Prince doesn't believe this, and sets out to find the Djinn Sword, which Razia says can kill Ratash.
Along the way, the Prince chases Ratash, witnessing Ratash gaining so much power back, that he can mutate Malik's body back to his original form. The Prince loses a battle to Ratash, and the Prince is convinced that his brother is in fact dead now. Then when he meets Razia once again, he starts questioning her intentions and asks her why she cares for Malik's kingdom and why she did not kill Ratash herself. Razia says she has "a part to play". She, then, eventually reveals that she was once one of the four leaders of Djinns and did not leave the city as the other Djinns had because she promised to King Solomon she would take care of the his kingdom to the best of her ability. When Prince finds the Djinn Sword, he takes it to Razia, who holds it in her hand and disappears into it. When the startled Prince calls out her name, she speaks to him from the sword and explains that to kill a Djinn the magic of an other Djinn is reqiured and this is her "part to play". Then Prince asks her what will happen to her after killing Ratash with the sword, she answers, "We will see". With this sword, the Prince again sets out to find Ratash. When he does, Ratash is now gigantic, literally fed by the sandstorm which has come over the palace.
Despite this, the Prince uses the sword to kill Ratash, and when the sandstorm and battle both subside, he finds Malik laying next to him, dying. Malik says to tell their father that Prince will be a mighty leader, then dies. There are also shots in the game, showing that the people, who were turned into sand, are reverted back into their normal selves. The Prince then sets out to inform his father of Malik's death.
In a post-credits narration, the Prince finds the Djinn sword and calls Razia's name but to no answer, so he decides to return the sword to where he found it, so to lay Razia to rest and as he could no longer bear to hold the sword, and then with Malik's kingdom under Malik's advisors' rule, the Prince leaves to inform his father of his brother's death.
Gameplay
Forgotten Sands is available on all major gaming platforms and is to "feature many of the fan-favorite elements from the original series as well as new gameplay innovations", according to a press release from UbisoftUbisoft
Ubisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
. The DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
, PSP
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
and Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
versions are developed separately and will feature different gameplay than the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows versions. With Ubisoft's feature Uplay, players may unlock Ezio, the main character from Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II
Assassin's Creed II is a historical third-person action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. It is the second video game installment of the Assassin's Creed series, and is a sequel to the 2007 video...
.
In the PS3/Xbox 360/PC game, throughout the game the Prince learns new powers. The biggest new feature is the addition of elemental powers, which bring a new dimension to the core gameplay, because of the way these powers interact with each other and the Prince's other abilities. There are four core powers in the game: Fire, Ice, Wind and Earth. Each of them translates to a different power during combat, such as the ability to "solidify" water fountains and turn them into climbable columns. Besides these core powers, there are also minor powers, that can be purchased to enhance the Prince's abilities from Razia. These minor powers include a shield and the power to summon small tornadoes. The combat in the game is similar to combat mechanics found in The Sands of Time. The Prince will be able to fight multiple enemies in one battle, up to 50 at once. An important part of the combat is "crowd control" and evading enemies, as well as combos. There is no blocking and quick time event
Quick Time Event
In video games, a Quick Time Event is a method of context-sensitive gameplay in which the player performs actions on the control device shortly after the appearance of an on-screen prompt. It allows for limited control of the game character during cut scenes or cinematic sequences in the game...
s are used only to finish bosses in the game.
Wii
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands was released for the WiiWii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
on May 18, 2010 in North America, and May 20, 2010 in Europe. It was developed by Ubisoft Quebec
Ubisoft Quebec
Ubisoft Quebec is Canadian video game developer Ubisoft's North American studio located in Quebec City, Quebec. Founded as a subsidiary of Ubisoft in June 2005, initially developing low-profile projects, the studio now has over 300 employees...
exclusively for the Wii. The game features a completely different storyline and setting from other versions, as well as gameplay mechanics, as the game makes use of the Wii's motion control as well as conventional buttons. While other versions of Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands feature powers such as water or time manipulation to aid the player, the Wii version has its own unique set of powers: It features a "Spirit Hook", which serves as a grip which the player can deploy in certain areas on walls; a "Whirlwind", which acts like an elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
the player can deploy in certain places on the ground; and a "Magic Sphere", which the player can deploy in midair to act a safety net, breaking the player's fall and suspending them there.
The Wii version of the game also features local multiplayer, in which a second player can aid the first player by freezing on-screen enemies or traps for them, or helping to unlock secret areas. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for the Wii also features some bonus content, such as unlockable in-game character skins, art galleries, developer diaries, bonus levels, and the original 1992 version of Prince of Persia. The game received generally favorable reviews, having received a 77/100 at reviewer aggregate Metacritic, and it is popularly referred to as having last generation graphics and dull combat, but was generally praised for its unique and creative gameplay mechanics.
PSP
The PSP version is a side-scrolling 2.5D platformer that roughly follows the same style as the other versions. It has a different storyline involving freeing the Sisters of Time, a different setting and antagonist.The game features a plot in which the prophecy is written that a member of Prince's royal family will bring an end to an evil fire spirit Ahihud's dark reign over hidden mystic land. To ensure his survival, the evil spirit's minions hunt down those with the royal blood of Persia. Prince escapes his tower, where he is kept protected by his father, and pursues a mysterious guiding light, which turns out to be Helem, a spirit of Time who promises to help the Prince defeat his enemy. Together, they journey to mysterious, hidden kingdom which is revealed to be the holy site where the first god came to create universe. The kingdom is fully under control of Ahihud, who aims to devour the land's magical energy, the Elixir. The player has to confront Ahihud's sand monsters, collects Elixir to boost his own strength and vitality, and find portals to spirits realm, where Helem's sisters is to be freed. Each freed Sister of Time grants Prince a new ability to control time, like freezing a selected spot or creature, or hasting it. After making his way through the mystic land, Prince defeats Ahihud's two most powerful servants, the gigantic guardian of the palace and the sand assassin, who was created to hunt down Prince's relatives. In the end, Prince is able to kill Ahihud in his own domain in spirits realm, fulfilling the prophecy and restoring the mystic land to its former glory.
Nintendo DS
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for the Nintendo DSNintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
is a handheld 2D
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
side-scroller
Side-scrolling video game
A side-scrolling game or side-scroller is a video game in which the gameplay action is viewed from a side-view camera angle, and the onscreen characters generally move from the left side of the screen to the right. These games make use of scrolling computer display technology...
installment to the franchise, in a similar fashion to the series' previous DS installment, Prince of Persia: The Fallen King
Prince of Persia: The Fallen King
Prince of Persia: The Fallen King is a third-person action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Casablanca. Released for the Nintendo DS hand-held game console on December 2, 2008, the game is a spin-off of the game Prince of Persia. The plot, taking place in ancient Persia, concerns the...
. The game is entirely stylus
Stylus
A stylus is a writing utensil, or a small tool for some other form of marking or shaping, for example in pottery. The word is also used for a computer accessory . It usually refers to a narrow elongated staff, similar to a modern ballpoint pen. Many styli are heavily curved to be held more easily...
-controlled, featuring no button use. To maneuver, the player must hold the stylus in the direction relative to the Prince character where the player wants to move. To climb, the player must hold the stylus part way up a wall, to jump, the player holds the stylus at the other end of the gap. Combat in the game is stylus-controlled as well. To defeat enemies, the player must slash them. This is done by moving the stylus diagonally across the enemy the player intends to attack. The player can also manipulate the power of the sands with the stylus; if the player rubs a streak of sand with the stylus, it becomes a pillar of sand, which the player can use to jump across gaps.
The player also has the advantage of sand "powers": If the player dies, they can taps an hourglass symbol on the touchscreen and rewind time to the last time they were safe. The player can also slow down time if there are any obstacles that are moving too fast for the player to traverse. The player has a limited number of times they are able to use these powers, as they have a set number of sand orbs, which allow them to manipulate these powers. Should the player face death without rewinding time, they will be reverted to their last obtained checkpoint. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands for the DS also features an economic system, allowing players to collect ruby throughout their adventure for various feats, and in between levels, exchange the ruby with the merchant for additional power-ups, such as additional in-game costumes, weapon upgrades, health bar extensions, and additional sand orb slots. There are also sessions of the game in which the player rides a horse, using the stylus to steer the horse left or right to evade obstacles.
The plot of the DS version centers on the Prince character being abducted by a cult. This cult brings the Prince to an ancient temple in India and uses his sword, which houses the Djinn queen Razia, to obtain a blood sacrifice from him. Using the Prince's royal blood and Razia's Sand powers, the cult liberates an evil force locked in the temple, erasing the Prince's memory and stealing Razia's powers in the process. The temple collapses as the evil is freed, and the Prince falls into a pit. At the bottom, Razia's spirit leads the Prince to his weapon, and tells him that the ceremony he was abducted for is the reason why he doesn't remember anything. She informs him further that he is a prince, and that he and Razia are longtime friends, which the Prince believes. He decides to follow her instructions warily, as he doesn't remember anything himself. They escape from the bottom of the collapsed temple and Razia tells the Prince that their quest must be to hunt down and kill the three members of the cult who abducted them.
The three cultists stole the Prince's memories and Razia's Sand powers during the ceremony and therefore mutated into gigantic Sand monsters. Razia says killing them will give the Prince back his memories, and Razia her powers. The Prince and Razia then set out across India to hunt down and kill the three cult members, which they succeed in doing. With all their powers and memories restored, they now set out to hunt down and kill resurrected leader of the cult, who is slowly conquering the world, starting with Babylon. They succeed in killing him, but at the cost of Razia's life. The Prince throws the sword in which Razia resided off of the top of a tower in Babylon, and it dissolves in the desert sand.
Marketing and release
A trailer for The Forgotten Sands was premiered worldwide on the 2009 Spike Video Game Awards. To promote the game, a Flash minigame was posted on NewgroundsNewgrounds
Newgrounds is an American entertainment and social media website. Founded on July 6, 1995 by Tom Fulp, the site primarily hosts Adobe Flash animations and games, but also features a music-oriented page, along with an art portal...
and several other popular gaming sites.
While not a direct video game adaptation or containing elements of the film, the game's release coincides with the May 2010 release of Disney's
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
film adaptation
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (film)
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a 2010 sword-and-sorcery action film written by Jordan Mechner, Boaz Yakin, Doug Miro, and Carlo Bernard; directed by Mike Newell; produced by Jerry Bruckheimer; and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures...
of the video game, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a third-person action-adventure computer and video game published by Ubisoft. It was released on November 21, 2003 and is a reboot of the landmark video game series Prince of Persia, created by Jordan Mechner in 1989.The Sands of Time, developed internally at...
, starring Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jacob Benjamin "Jake" Gyllenhaal is an American actor. The son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, Gyllenhaal began acting at age ten...
, Ben Kingsley
Ben Kingsley
Sir Ben Kingsley, CBE is a British actor. He has won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
.
A Digital Deluxe Edition of The Forgotten Sands is also available on Steam. It includes two new skins, a new exclusive map for survival mode, the game's OST, as well as a free copy of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. A free copy of Prince of Persia: Warrior Within was given to those who pre-ordered The Forgotten Sands on Steam. Another combo of the Deluxe Edition also includes the Official Strategy Guide from Prima.
DRM
The Forgotten Sands uses an enhanced version of Ubisoft's digital rights managementDigital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
system (DRM), requiring the user to be connected to Ubisoft's servers in order to play. This new version loads part of the game's content from the server and will not allow the player to continue if a connection to the server does not exist. On 28 June 2010 the DRM was cracked by replacing the code with offline equivalents.
Reception
The game received positive reviews on PS3, Xbox 360Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. Its main criticism was overly simple combat and short length. The PS3 version received a score of 7.0 from Videogamer, 7.5 from Gamespot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
, and an 8.0 from IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
and IGN UK.
The Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
exclusive version also was well received, scoring an 8.0 from IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, 8.0 from Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
's June 2010 issue and 84% from Official Nintendo Magazine. Particular praise was given by all three magazines to Graphics, Sound, complex level design and the "Sand Power" move set, the combat system was generally considered too basic, and the game camera occasionally annoyingly constrictive.
External links
- Prince of Persia Wiki