The titular Prince of Persia has been through a lot since his debut in 1989. I vividly recall playing the original for the first time, and having to studiously figure out the jump mechanics, discovering a love of the platforming genre along the way. It was a tough game, and otherPrince of Persiatitles have followed in its footsteps.
That includesThe Rogue Prince of Persia,which does exactly what it says on the tin.It’s a roguelike that uses the classic Prince formula, with a few refinements of its own, thanks to the studio Evil Empire, a steward ofDead Cells.
Rogue Prince’s Combat Is A Triumph
It’s The Main Reason I Kept Going
I was enamored byRogue Prince of Persia’scombat from minute one. As you may expect, the prince has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. He’s extremely mobile for one, andcan clamber around on structures in the background, which is a key element that adds a lot of depth to each arena, whether it’s massive in size or a tiny room.
It took a bit to get used to looking for background platforms, but it soon became second nature.Before long, you’ll be flipping around on enemy heads and dazzling them with combos, weaving in quick dashes, and platforming prowess as part of your repertoire. It’s a lot of fun, and the randomization of weapons for each run doesn’t hurt the game’s depth in the slightest.
Each weapon and item combination drastically alters your playstyle, and it’s a blast to experiment with all of them to find the one you really click with. Each skirmish (including boss fights) can be approached in a multitude of ways, when you account for each loadout and the variety of platforming/dodging options available to you at the very start of the game.
I was particularly impressed withthe medallion system, which are equippable relics that provide passive buffs. Some of them have a risk-reward element to them (with explicit negatives for bigger positives), and others make you wait to power them up later in the run fully.
It feels empowering because you can make it really far in early runs without having to rely on RNG ending everything.Even tough bosses can be bested by quickly learning and dodging their attacks, which is exactly what I want to see out of a genre that often ends runs on a sour note through no fault of the player.
Exploration Can Wear On You
Environments Can Get Repetitive
Environments can make or break a rougelike game. Although I would hesitate to call any particular locale underwhelming,I do wish there were a little more variationin the game’s level layouts. Heading into a new zone is exciting for the first time, but repeat runs can run the risk of being repetitive, especially if you have a similar seed in a subsequent run.
It doesn’t help thatthe story isn’t the most enthralling tale spun from thePrinceuniverse. Your job is to save your kingdom by wielding a mysterious respawning force, which fits directly into the roguelike nature of the game. It’s cute, but the intro is very brief, and we don’t really get to see the prince’s friends and family beforehand to truly have a link to this world.
While the story unfolds as you progress from zone to zone, the game’s art style carries a significant amount of intrigue. Many NPCs and supporting cast members feel paper thin in terms of characterization, with a few exceptions.Some more panache in that department would have gone a long wayin terms of establishing this particular Prince universe.
Progression, however, is anything but exhausting. Unlike many other roguelikes, progression inThe Rogue Prince of Persiais straightforward and rewarding. After each run, I felt like I was earning something meaningful, whether it was a skill point or currency I could spend toward unlocking new items, weapons, or even skins.
Skill points are well done here, offering a sense of “leveling up"while catering to multiple playstyles. Initially, you can choose to make your Prince more offensive or defensive, and later skills blur the line between the two.
Speaking of skins, there are a lot of them to earn, socompletionists are going to have a field dayrunning through the game multiple times to acquire everything. While some of them are a little too costly, it all adds up so that each run feels like it matters for long-term progression.
Come For The Combat, Stay For Everything Else
There’s A Lot To Like With Rogue Prince
Although it’snot quite as explosive asThe Lost Crown, I can recommendThe Rogue Prince of Persiafairly easilyfor those who prioritize action over exploration. While it doesn’t have the legs that a lot of the more popular roguelikes do, it doesn’t waste your time, and it’s easily possible to clear a chunk of the game by mastering the basics.
Even if you finishThe Rogue Prince of Persiaquickly, odds are you’ll have a fun time if you remotely enjoy snappy action platformers. The game’s inherent randomness is a lot more forgiving, and pure skill can go a long way.
The Rogue Prince of Persia
Reviewed on PC
The Rogue Prince of Persia is an action-adventure roguelike game from Evil Empire, the development team that worked on Dead Cells. Entering early access in 2024, this title looks to bring the world of Prince of Persia to a new roguelike setting, including high-speed combat, parkour, and several weapons and upgrades to help each subsequent run play out differently.
ScreenRant was provided with a PC code for the purposes of this review.
