Ubisoft has announced that Prince of Persia has gone gold. The game is ready to debut on the Xbox 360 and PS3 on December 5th of 2008, almost 20 years after the original Apple II entry. That’s right, the original Prince of Persia was released for the Apple II in 1989, starting a long journey to becoming the video gaming hall of fame franchise that it is today. This new entry marks the first showing on a next-generation console. Having been in development for the past three years by the same great team that brought us the Sands of Time trilogy, this should be one hot title that you’ll want to get your hands on.
This installment opens a whole new chapter in the Prince of Persia universe. Set in the land of ancient Persian mythology, players will find themselves locked in an epic battle between the God of Light, Ormazd, and his evil brother Ahriman the God of Darkness. Our hero, the Prince, will arrive just in time to witness the destruction of the Tree of Life, threatening the entire world to spiral into eternal darkness. The darkness is a physical substance called Corruption, that is slowly taking over the land and the skies with it’s dark mass. Players wont find themselves fighting the Corruption alone though, as Elika has emerged to fight along side the Prince. This AI companion is endowed with magical powers, will help and interact with the Prince during combat, and may be the key to solving a few of the puzzles that you’ll encounter along the way. Players will also be able to perform deadly acrobatic moves that can only be achieved cooperatively with Elika. She will be the Prince’s guiding light throughout the story, making sure players never get lost or off track.
A brand new art style has been taken this time around as well, giving the Prince a more cartoon like feel. The “illustrative art style” has been taken on by quite a few developers, most notably Zelda: Wind Waker. Taking the visuals of a hardcore game and making them artistic has yet to become a fan favorite, but let’s hope the Prince can turn that trend around. “In so many ways the original Prince of Persia franchise set the standard for the action-adventure video game genre,” said Toney Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Ubisoft. “With the new Prince of Persia, we not only have a brand new Prince, but an epic storyline and captivating universe that gives players a truly compelling gameplay experience that continues to elevate the genre to new heights.” Living up to that statement should negate any problem fans have with the artistic style that will debut with Prince of Persia.
Players will have to master all new acrobatics and fighting tactics as they become the most agile warrior of all time. Ahriman will throw an entire horde of lieutenants at you, forcing you to utilize every new technique available as you struggle to heal the world from the Corruption. For the first time ever in the Prince of Persia franchise, the story will be non-linear, allowing players to determine which path they lead the Prince on. Players will also be able to change things up by playing as Altair from Assassin’s Creed. Check here for more info on the special character skin offered by Ubisoft. The freedom to choose how the storyline evolves, special character skins and multiple secrets to find should ensure that no play through is the same.
While we all wait anxiously for this one to drop, enjoy this trailer and browse through our multiple screen shots.
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