Ubisoft has been rather negatively in the headlines in recent weeks. MeinMMO editor Nikolas Hernes had actually given up on the studio until he checked out a smaller game from 2024 on Steam that he had missed.
When I was younger, I loved many games from Ubisoft. I devoured the Assassin’s Creed series up to part 3 and also loved some of the Rayman games.
At some point, I lost sight of the studio. I tried out Rainbow Six Siege, For Honor, and xDefiant, but nothing really convinced me. Even the new games in the Assassin’s Creed series couldn’t pique my interest.
At the beginning of 2024, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown was released. Since I had no previous contact with the series, I initially ignored the game. However, when several best-of lists praised this very game at the end of the year, I was intrigued: a game from Ubisoft on current best lists?
I had to find out for myself. So I started playing it and quickly realized: It’s fantastic and exactly my thing.
Gameplay-wise, it’s one of the best titles in the genre
What kind of game is it? Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown was the first new addition to the series since 2010. The game was developed by Ubisoft Montpellier. At its core, it is a classic Metroidvania game like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night or, more modernly, like Hollow Knight.
The Lost Crown is a great representative of the genre. I felt comfortable with the controls right away. The jumps and movement of the main character Sargon feel precise, and you always have full control. Attacks can be canceled with a dodge roll, which also allows for forgiveness in the combat system.
But don’t be fooled by that. The platforming is challenging, and you have to use all abilities to move through the trap-filled corridors.
The combat system is also challenging. One of the most important mechanics in Persia is parrying. It not only feels great, but it’s incredibly useful. Even tough opponents can be countered with it, provided you understand their movements.
The basic combat consists of combos that can be executed in the air or on the ground. Additionally, there are dashes, ranged attacks, or charged attacks with which you can break shields.
I was already excited about that. As a passionate Souls player, I love parrying, and with the combos, I could be creative. As a Jump & Run
fan, the precise jumping sequences were the perfect addition to the fine gameplay mix.
But aside from the gameplay, there’s another highlight for me: an absurd, almost anime-inspired presentation.
Like an exaggerated anime
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is colorful and sometimes exaggerated, which is also evident in its presentation. The story is quite simple. As a warrior, you must rescue the prince, who has been kidnapped. Instead of grounded powers, there are magical abilities.
There are classic anime tropes such as powerful forms into which the main character can transform. This is also evident in the cutscenes. They employ epic camera movements and focus on exaggerated gestures and dialogues about honor and betrayal.
In addition, there are combat choreographies with teleportations and sword swings that are only shown once the sword is sheathed again. This also reminds one of video games like Devil May Cry.
That’s what makes parrying so wonderful. When an opponent lights up yellow, you can finish them off with a successful parry. This is also beautifully staged. Sargon then makes impressive leaps onto huge scorpion needles or delivers impressive kicks to opponents’ faces. This not only rewards the player, but also makes the 2D battles more cinematic.
You have to appreciate that, but as an anime fan, it’s just right.
A great game that probably wasn’t worth it for Ubisoft
Despite the enthusiasm, I play The Lost Crown with a heavy heart. Even though the game has received many great reviews on Steam and also on Metacritic, the team behind the game has been disbanded, as Eurogamer reported. This was likely due to unmet expectations.
Plans for a sequel have been scrapped, which makes me incredibly sad, because The Lost Crown shows how much potential lies within Ubisoft.
It shows that you don’t always need the gigantic open world that often artificially keeps you engaged for 100 hours. AAA games are expensive and take an incredible amount of time. Smaller titles can bridge that gap and simultaneously play with creative ideas.
Metroidvanias are a genre that works especially well in the indie sector. However, these genres can also be wonderfully reinterpreted by large studios.
Ubisoft showed with games like Child of Light, Rayman Legends, and now also The Lost Crown how many creative ideas are in the minds of many developers. And it would be a shame if these weren’t utilized.
Big games like Assassin’s Creed should not disappear. But large studios should experiment with smaller games. The stakes are also lower than with major titles like Skull and Bones.
I hope that better times await Ubisoft in the future, and that someday I might still play a sequel to Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown with shining eyes. The team of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown will be disbanded – according to a lead from Baldur’s Gate 3, a subscription is to blame for this
