» Review: Prince of Persia (Xbox 360, PS3)

The Prince returns with a fresh approach in the latest in the long-running Prince of Persia video game series.

Eschewing the dagger that allowed rewinding of time from the Sands of Time trilogy, the Prince finds himself in the middle of a battle for the existence of the world – this time with a helper and a sharp new cel-shaded look.

Accompanying the Prince is Princess Elika, who he rescues from a group of the king’s guards. She guides him as they combine to battle an evil god imprisoned beneath the tree of life but who is seeking to free himself and bring destruction to the world.

The Prince again lends his fighting talents and acrobatic abilities to the cause. He climbs and runs along walls to reach places to do battle, as in previous games. He also adds some new tricks – including ceiling running – to the mix.

Elika is at your side, pulling your fat out of the fire whenever you try something that is too dangerous. For instance, if you attempt a jump that is too far, she will save you.

This game mechanic sounds like it would make the game too easy, but it really doesn’t. If you try to transverse a dangerous stretch of real estate and fall at the end, Elika will return you to the start, so it basically equates as a save point. The interaction helps develop a bond between the duo that will become important toward the end of the game.

Elika also comes in handy when fighting enemies, as she can launch magic attacks while you handle sword and gauntlet attacks. She can also help to toss you greater distances when making jumps. Combat is largely limited to bosses or mini-bosses, with the attacks by large numbers of smaller enemies from the Sands of Time series gone.

As you defeat a boss, Elika can restore the fertile ground in the area to its original condition, banishing the “corruption” that flows from the evil Ahriman.

As an area is restored to its previous glory, a large number of “light seeds” are released and, when gathered, open up new areas of the map. As each new area is revealed, a new power becomes available that allows faster travel and access to previously inaccessible areas.

The game looks fantastic, bursting with color and detail. Gameplay leans more heavily toward travel than combat, which is a bit of a letdown at times. Long stretches of the game consist of negotiating through areas, gathering light seeds and occasionally encountering a mini-boss.

Combat, when it occurs, consists of a lot of to-and-fro, as you attack and defend, with Elika aiding the effort. As your skill increases, you can break out longer combos, mixing magic, acrobatrics and swordplay.

There is also a running dialogue between the Prince and Elika that is informative and often amusing but is mostly optional for those who want to stick to the action.

Traveling in world has been simplified, with one button handling jumping, one for grabbing and one for using special plates that speed the travel greatly. It’s simple, yet doesn’t diminish the gameplay enjoyment.

Prince of Persia revitalizes the franchise and leaves a wide-open door for sequels, which are sure to follow.