Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (16+)
Verdict: Back to it’s roots, almost.
Platform: Xbox, PS2, PC.
Rating: 3½/5
The third in this series of Prince of Persia, The Two Thrones continues in the same tradition, offering you hours of platforming and acrobatic spectacle with high production values and flamboyant moves. You’ll be swinging, backflipping, wall running...it’s an acrobatic dream and as usual is animated wonderfully as you leap and spin around the ancient city of Babylon. And If your leap leads to your death then you can merely rewind time and try it again.
It is here where the game is strongest, the true heart of the series back after a misguided sequel, ditching the gothic undertones and emulating the original Sands of Time to a mostly successful degree. It does seem to lack some of the grandeur and beauty of it’s predecessor’s levels though and the platforming never really challenges, obvious hints leading the way - it’s dumbing down undermining the key component of the game.
That and an irritating camera, poorly spaced checkpoints and an out of place chariot driving section further ensure it doesn’t quite hit the mark.
The combat is a possible improvement on the original however, where it felt intrusive and repetitive but it’s extensive combos and slo-mo kills still feel like it’s mimicking other games (Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry...) and not quite pulling it off. Once again it feels unnecessary though it does sit better with the platforming this time round. Thankfully the inclusion of stealthy speed kills helps cut down on time spent fighting by giving you the opportunity to take down multiple enemies in a sequence of well timed button presses that later on require super-human accuracy.
The introduction of the Dark Prince creates a new feel to the combat and platforming with a chain-whip style weapon (Castlevania, God of War) and improved abilities but the sense of urgency he instills due to his energy constantly running out doesn’t sit well with the rest of the game. Luckily pots and vases full of energy imbued sand are littered around in true video game cliche.
Throughout the game a sultry female voice narrates, telling the story as you play alongside monologues from the prince himself. It’s a nice touch that gives weight to the action and helps keep things interesting. The dark prince also adds to the mix, introducing a scizophrenic duality to the proceedings, ironically mimicking the game itself - a game of two halves.