The Rogue Prince of Persia, A Humble Review

The world of gaming is a magical place where you never know what's around the corner. Just a few years ago, the return of the Prince of Persia seemed highly unlikely, and it didn't seem like anyone was determined to revive the once-esteemed but unfairly forgotten series about the most famous Persian. 

And while fans were eagerly awaiting a high-budget return to the scene with a remake of The Sands of Time, two excellent titles suddenly appeared that definitely deserve your attention. Last year's Lost Crown was a fantastic but accessible adventure with a multitude of diverse enemies, while The Rogue Prince of Persia, with its unique blend of Persian ambiance and parkour, decided to give us a good challenge.

If you are looking for something completely different, check out our Worms Armageddon review!

The Mystical Atmosphere of The Rogue Prince of Persia

The Persian ambiance and parkour this time nicely fit into the roguelike format, which shouldn't be surprising given that Rogue was designed by the same people who brought us Dead Cells. Right from the start, it's clear that the mystical atmosphere of PoP, where time is manipulated and death is a part of the game, ideally fits into the roguelite concept and even narratively justifies it, which isn't always the case with games of this type. This atmospheric element truly immerses you in the game's world.

The narrative side is the weakest segment of the game. The story in The Rogue Prince of Persia can be retold in a few basic, cryptic lines about the Hun siege, a historical event where the Huns, a nomadic people from Central Asia, invaded and ravaged Europe and Asia in the 4th and 5th centuries, the Prince's captured family, and the tireless fight for the liberation of Persia. All characters except the Prince are one-dimensional; there is no voice acting, and the entire element of meta-conversation about repeated encounters with characters through time barely exists.

According to the rules of the genre, the story slowly unravels with each death, and the "real ending" is obtained by playing through the game multiple times. The story never intrigued me or made me want to play further. Still, the rich universe of the Middle East is superbly represented through audiovisual presentation. At the same time, the gameplay faithfully brings to life all the main attributes associated with the Prince of Persia.

A Symphony of Parkour and Combat

The Rogue Prince of Persia delighted me at first glance with its timeless cartoon-like presentation and bright colors that really create that atmosphere of ancient Persia. The levels you move through are diverse enough not to be boring, but thematically consistent, so expect royal palaces and gardens, occupied walls above which the bloody sun shines, desecrated libraries, and torch-lit mines.

More importantly, each of these levels is accompanied by excellent music that constantly pushes you further. It's a thematic cross between the Middle East and modern techno music, made so well that it subconsciously puts you in that blissful flow where you jump around and rhythmically nod your head.

For example, one of the levels takes place in an enemy camp full of Huns, and the accompanying music irresistibly reminds me of the guttural singing used by the famous band The HU, which I warmly recommend! Not to prolong, Rogue Prince of Persia seriously competes as the game with the best music this year, and we guarantee you won't remain immune to its fast and wild beats. (Editor's note: the reviewer obviously didn't play Expedition 33 and Death Stranding 2).

The authentic PoP experience is also strongly expressed in the gameplay loop, where acrobatic skills and military combat take center stage, not magic. When it works as it should, the gameplay is beautiful and fun, primarily due to the movement system.

Death, Upgrades, and Progression In The Rogue Prince Of Persia

In Rogue Prince of Persia, acrobatics aren't just part of the makeup and aesthetics but a key way to progress. Without relying on magic, you reach all areas exclusively by jumping and climbing walls, with animations smoothly transitioning from one to another and interruptable at will, which practically means that the levels are your playground.

Mastering Persian parkour enables you to jump on enemies' heads or attack them from behind, making it especially useful for securing the perfect position to push them into various spatial traps, such as spikes, carnivorous plants, or high cliffs, thereby resolving them instantly.

Interestingly, spatial puzzles were never challenging for me, and there are only a few optional routes in the game that offer a classic PoP challenge with rotating blades, fire, poison, and all other wonders that are ideal for treating low blood pressure. Given that it's a roguelite title, expect procedurally generated levels with various rewards and resources that you then use to strengthen yourself in your camp, which you reach every time you die.

Following the example of roguelite titles, each death sends you back to the start, with gradual strengthening of your character through permanent upgrades, making it easier to progress further. I must admit that the progression system is a mixed bag. For example, dying while playing unlocks various talismans, temporary upgrades that you collect during each playthrough. They range from banal ones with minor damage boosters to gold-worthy ones like those that grant extra life or the ability to set enemies on fire.

Diversity in Combat, But at a Cost

The limited number of talismans you can carry only increases the allure of greed when the player must choose between several useful powers. Besides talismans, you unlock various weapons with which you cut down Huns. Each weapon has its advantages and disadvantages, and it's nice that each brings a different feel to combat, so it's not the same whether you're hitting with bare fists, a sword, daggers, or heavy blows.

Suppose we add to this the fact that each weapon has its special attack and that each can be temporarily upgraded in specialized shops hidden in levels. In that case, we arrive at a fine diversity that prevents boredom, which is crucial for roguelite titles. Unfortunately, permanent upgrades unlocked by killing enemies and collecting experience points are beneficial but lack imagination and usually boil down to extra health potions or a few more coins at each new attempt.

Unlocking temporary or permanent upgrades requires spending gold coins or dark souls, and both currencies almost exclusively come from killing enemies. Now, combat with enemies, especially the smaller ones, is actually the most challenging part of the game. Big bosses can be counted on one hand and have never presented a problem, which is a very debatable design decision.

For example, the final boss in the game is the Hun general, and he has two phases, both of which I solved on the first try without too much difficulty. On the other hand, passing the first levels at the beginning would regularly give me headaches and make me question my life choices.

The Allure of Gameplay and Music In The Rogue Prince Of Persia

Of course, the point of roguelite titles is that you have to try again and again and learn from your mistakes, gradually becoming better. Still, I think the ratio of boss difficulty to regular enemies is in an illogical proportion because I regularly sweated more during a casual encounter with a few thugs than in grandiose battles with Hun generals.

The technical side of the game is satisfactory but not without its awkward problems. I had embarrassing moments when the game didn't immediately register my commands, which, given the very fluid gameplay, is quite noticeable. Additionally, I experienced two instances of a frozen screen, forcing me to restart the game, which isn't ideal. Patches regularly arrive, so the technical state will undoubtedly be better by the time our review is released.

My passage through the primary campaign lasted less than ten hours, but it's worth noting that I didn't unlock all medals, upgrades, or weapons, not even many additional costumes. In any case, I continue to play the game even after the review, although I must admit that it's not particularly rich in content.

What keeps me playing is the infectious gameplay and excellent music, which we thoroughly enjoyed listening to on our C6-100-SRG headset, the most critical aspect of a game like this. But I can't help but notice that the "endless" procedural levels start to repeat, and I more or less know what kind of challenge awaits me in each part.

In Conclusion

This game would significantly improve with some DLC that deepens the story or introduces new biomes, as it stands, I get the impression that The Rogue Prince of Persia is tailored for a very narrow audience.

 If you're a fan of titles like Dead Cells and enjoy atmospheric, challenging games, you won't go wrong with this one. On the other hand, if you're among those players who want a Persian adventure in a more relaxed tone, you'll fare much better if you opt for last year's The Lost Crown.

Game Rating:8.5/10

The game rating is 8.5/10  because it excels in atmospheric presentation, music, and fluid gameplay, but falters in narrative depth and has some technical issues.

Recommended Age: 12+

I would recommend this game to kids aged 12 and above, due to its challenging nature, occasional violence, and complex gameplay mechanics.