'Prince of Persia' has always appealed to gamers with its combination of Middle Eastern scenery and 'Matrix'-style acrobatics, and the series' third installment only adds to that reputation. 'Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones' once again places the player in the sandals of the tormented Arabian hero, but adds some new rules to make it worth coming back.
In 'Two Thrones,' the Prince returns to Babylon, having twisted time around to avoid his death and gaining the love of the mystic Empress of Time. But by altering time he has undone his efforts of the first game, and the evil vizier he thought dead has returned and laid his home to waste.
Things quickly turn sour for the Prince as the vizier sacrifices the Empress, leaving him stranded at the end of the city. Even worse, two full games of exposure to the mythical Sands of Time has contaminated him, giving rise to a Dark Prince who encourages him to sacrifice his humanity and occasionally possesses him.
Plot-wise, 'Two Thrones' is easily the strongest of the series ' there is less confusion about messing with the timeline and more focus on the Prince's drive for revenge. The inclusion of the Dark Prince makes matters more interesting, as the Prince's brooding is replaced by witty conversations with an inner voice.
Fans of the 'Prince of Persia' series will find 'Two Thrones' still follows the same formula. The Prince has to navigate through a ruined area by a series of increasingly impossible athletic feats, running up and down buildings, vaulting from poles and shimmying along ledges. Along the way, players slice up any obstacle with a series of brutal combos.
'Two Thrones' also brings back the best thing from previous games: the ability to control time. Players use the Sands of Time to rewind the action a few seconds, making difficult kills and jumps easier to achieve. Additionally, players can slow the action to attack first and get through closing doors.
There are a few new activities for the Prince to engage in, which are both the most exciting and frustrating parts of the game. 'Two Thrones' incorporates speed kills reminiscent of 'Manhunt,' where the Prince can spring on enemies and slice them apart before they even know he's there. With cinematic deaths and the possibility of leaping to a second foe, stubborn players will retry multiple times for the right moment.
What really makes 'Two Thrones' unique is the Dark Prince's Daggertail, a spiked chain that is possibly the best melee weapon since 'Jedi Knight' placed a lightsaber in the player's hands. The Dark Prince can use the Daggertail to pull foes closer and strangle them, stretch it to a column for a lethal tripwire and hit multiple targets with a whirlwind attack. After endless swordfights, it is a welcome change, and one of the most visually stunning parts of the game.
If the Dark Prince has one flaw, it's that his use is limited. The Prince is possessed randomly and forced back by water, so the player cannot call him up for difficult jumps or boss combats. Additionally, the Dark Prince loses health regularly and can only regain it through killing opponents, meaning that unless enemies are close he cannot take time to explore.
These limits don't make the Dark Prince any less fun to play, or distract from the overall appeal of 'Two Thrones.' Ubisoft has breathed new life back into the series with new tactics and characters, creating a fast-paced and grim world that is simply too short to fully enjoy.
