We at GameCube Europe are fond of the Prince. Really, we are. We have goodreason to be. If it weren't for the likes of our favourite mustachioedplumber, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time would be arguably the finestplatformer on the GameCube – as it stands, it's one of the best games ofthis generation. That said, even the greatest games have their flaws – andwith the Sands of Time, these lie in the games' lifespan and the somewhatsimplistic nature of the otherwise excellent combat system. Therefore,expectations are high for the sequel, which aims to rectify these flaws –increasing the game length and adding more depth to the combat – whileretaining all that made the first game so enjoyable.

 

The return of the Prince sees a much darker storyline than the previousgame. When the Prince opened the Hourglass containing the Sands of Time, hewas meant to die – but in surviving the events that took place in thepalace, he has changed fate – and fate does not like to be changed. Enterthe Dahaka – a being sent to restore destiny to how it was meant to be –which means killing our fair Prince. The Dahaka has never been defeated –which means the Prince has no choice but to run from it, traveling acrossthe land, staying in places for no longer than a few hours at a time, whilehoning his skills as a warrior.

 

The darker storyline is emphasised by the visuals, which are much moregloomy and atmospheric, as well as more detailed than the samey corridorsand passageways of the Sands of Time. Immense sprawling temples and a hugeship are just examples of the massive levels where the Prince will battlehis foes.

Speaking of battles, Prince of Persia 2 is a much more combat-orientatedgame than the first. The combat system will, as previously mentioned, havemore depth than before, allowing the Prince a greater diversity of combosand techniques, such as sliding down curtains or running along walls whileswinging his swords wildly. The Sands of Time themselves also make areturn, once again forming an integral part of the combat – along with anew power that slows down everything except for the Prince himself.However, seeing as the Prince no longer has the Dagger which he used tocontrol time in the last game (he now wields two machete-like swords),exactly how the Sands will feature in the game remains to be seen.

 

On the other hand, as the Princes' skills improve, so does the difficultyof the game. The enemies you encounter will be both smarter and greater innumber – and these are just the standard grunts. For this time round, thePrince will encounter some ferocious and gigantic bosses, which willrequire ingenuity and skill on your part to defeat.