The source of the problem could have been the actual content of what was on display. The biggest failure of the playable code on offer in London (incidentally the same ‘pirate galleon’ level that was seen at E3) was that it couldn’t capture what is most likely to make Warrior Within as memorable as it’s predecessor. To put it another way, when Prince of Persia: Sands of Time launched in late-2003 to the warmest of critical receptions, it was roundly accepted that the weakest part of the title was it’s combat sections, which (although spectacular at first thanks to the acrobatics of the eponymous Prince) quickly became repetitive and dreary. To their credit, Ubisoft’s Montreal studio took the criticism on board. A more intricate combat system was devised for the follow-up title, allowing the Prince to perform a greater variety of attacks, blocks, combos and counter-attacks. There’s just one small problem – whisper it, but it’s still rather dull.
Actually, it was a rather large problem, especially when almost the entire playable demo at Game Stars consisted of combat and little else. Just as Ubisoft had promised, the Prince’s new inventory of fighting manoeuvres had expanded admirably. Yet using moves even slightly more elaborate than old-fashioned vertical and horizontal swipes of your sword felt slightly pointless when the enemies thrust in front of you were so dim-witted. Thus, combat quickly reverted to the hack-and-slash gameplay of the first title – it came dangerously close to a 'hit-the-buttons-fast-enough-and-you'll-be-fine' scenario. The new attacks and fanciful flips and somersaults were there to be used, but were simply not needed. It can only be hoped that enemies provide a more beefy challenge in the final build, but with the game so near to completion, PALGN is anticipating another underwhelming combat experience.
Combat was just a small part of the first game however, and it would be unfair at this stage to assess the game solely on what this demonstration had to offer. Mercifully though, there were also hints of what made Sands of Time such an enjoyable, refreshing experience. It was reassuring to see, for instance, that the Prince is as nimble and as agile as ever – swinging horizontally around masts whilst decapitating opponents and then finishing with a leap and an elegant forward somersault poses no significant problem – just as in the first game, looking good in Warrior Within is easy, even when you’re equipped with the limited gaming skills of PALGN.
The game holds it’s own graphically as well, and proves a visible step up from the first title. The noticeably less chunky character models provide the most striking difference, thanks to what looked like a much-increased poly count and improved facial features. Animation is even more silky smooth than before as well, with the Prince’s various flips, turns and somersaults linking together flawlessly (not that the first game exactly suffered in this department) – because of this, controlling the hero is as satisfying as it ever was.
Starting off on the deck of a rocking galleon also afforded PALGN the opportunity to see the new particle effects first-hand, with gallons of rain being handsomely whipped about by Ubisoft’s virtual wind, all without a hint of slowdown. Going below deck revealed some decent-if-not-spectacular water effects, whilst the indoor environments are cluttered with more objects than before, some of which can be kicked and knocked about in the midst of battle. Environments, as the latest screenshots suggest, are notably darker now, lending the game a practically gothic visual style, particularly when compared to the dusty, Persian halls and chambers of the first title.
A lack of the kind of intelligent, Ico-style environmental puzzles that defined the very best bits of Sands of Time was saddening. Having said that, it should also be noted that offering a cryptic, lengthy conundrum for showgoers to solve is probably a fairly certain way of losing the attention of attendees, especially when there’s the chance to offer people fast-paced, acrobatic combat. PALGN only hopes Ubisoft Montreal don’t forget what made the original Prince of Persia such an invigorating experience.
Loading...
