Ubisoft has been showing a lot of love to the Prince of Persia franchise this year. Not only did fans already receive a fantastic 2D Metroidvania title in The Lost Crown, but we now have a roguelite entering Early Access that is made by Dead Cells developer Evil Empire (plus a remake of The Sands of Time is still in development). Called The Rogue Prince of Persia, it’s a promising blend of Evil Empire’s roots with the legendary gaming franchise that proves a refreshing spin on a series that had felt stale before this year’s incredible resurgence.
ComingSoon got to go hands-on with The Rogue Prince of Persia for 30 minutes. The good news is that there is a strong base that will only get refined from here on out. As mentioned, this will be out first on Steam Early Access on May 14, allowing fans to give feedback to Evil Empire and Ubisoft, although the core gameplay is already quite polished and in place — so you don’t have to worry about playing a game that is half functional or anything like that. Besides some longer-than-ideal load times, everything I experienced felt like it could’ve been a finished product.
The first thing fans will notice is the unique art style. It’s quite the departure for Prince of Persia, as it provides a very colorful and artistic flair rather than more realistic depictions. This heavily stylized look is most reminiscent of 2008’s excellent reboot, which had a watercolor-esque vibe to its 3D world. Here, the creatures and world really shine as the colors really pop off the screen. It’s definitely more Dead Cells-y in its vibe, although you can tell Evil Empire is also embracing the Middle East in its art and design as well.
As for the game itself, The Lost Crown serves as a good starting comparison as this is another 2D action platformer. However, this feels a bit looser in general as you have quite a bit of maneuverability from the start, as you can run up and across walls, and combat relies less on countering. You get main and secondary weapons (which use up energy in place of ammo), and I got to try a few different play styles, from quick double swords to larger weapons that had more of a wind-up and did more damage. Fans of Dead Cells will definitely get a kick out of trying the different types of weaponry and coming up with their preferred fighting style.
As you continue on during a run, you’ll come across temporary buffs that can be purchased (such as more health) and more powerful weapons. This is where the roguelite nature really shines, as the gameplay feels quite satisfying, and the pressure really starts mounting once you’ve got a good collection of items, as you don’t want to lose them without making some progress. There are also abilities that can be equipped, which will alter your playthrough — like making kicks that launch an enemy into a wall, set them ablaze — and add another layer of strategy.
There are also permanent upgrades to unlock, so even a run that ends in death is rarely a full loss. You’re always making some sort of progress, which is important to staying motivated as it is a pretty difficult game in its current state. The first boss battle I got into — a fight against a ferocious minotaur — wound up whooping me in both of my two tries, although the second encounter was much more competitive. Getting into a rhythm and dodging head-on attacks can be difficult, so there’s definitely a learning curve — although it’s worth noting the game introduces its mechanics quite well.
While it was only the opening 30 minutes, I came away quite impressed by The Rogue Prince of Persia and can’t wait to play more. Evil Empire’s pedigree is fully on display, and this will thrill fans of their prior roguelite while also offering up a fresh spin on Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia franchise. It’s a really cool collab that I hope to see more of in the future, as it is a great way to reinvigorate and keep a legacy series relevant.
Disclosure: Ubisoft invited ComingSoon to a digital event for its The Rogue Prince of Persia preview.
