Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Reviews
Ubisoft ditches its normal formula and finds the ideal way to bring gaming's original Prince back to life.
A palatable metroidvania with a mediocre story, my biggest frustration with The Lost Crown is how long it takes to get to the good stuff.
Returning to a 2D perspective lets Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown perfect its controls and combat while capturing everything that was great about the heyday of the series.
It bears little resemblance to any of its predecessors, but The Lost Crown is one of the best Metroidvania games of recent years and a highly enjoyable challenge.
For those wanting more in the same vein as 3D adventures like The Sands of Time, this ain't it. But it is a return to relative form for a series whose last mainline outing landed 14 years ago – it's just disappointing that this very good game was held back from true greatness.
The Lost Crown makes it hard to put the controller down, constantly urging players to follow its paths just a little further. Following its persistent pull to explore more of Mount Qaf is easy, though, thanks to how good it feels to do so. Between its first-rate platforming and engaging combat and progression, The Lost Crown’s various parts coalesce into a sublime loop. Gameplay is king, and this Prince of Persia understands that.
Prince of Persia boldly reinvents itself as a metroidvania, and it feels like it has found its new home.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is an exceptional Metroidvania that’s as accessible as it is punishing. It’s an impressive accomplishment, one that exemplifies how approachable doesn’t mean dumbed down. I’ve certainly had my fair share of frustrations during my multiple hours with it, but I’ve also come away from The Lost Crown feeling more excited about the genre than I have been in a long time.
The glimpses of tedium definitely hamper the experience, but few games have managed to get me so excited just for reaching the next boss. If you are a fan of Metroidvania-style games or even just a fan of fast-paced combat with a focus on boss fights, you’ll love this iteration of the Prince (of Persia).
Prince of Persia returns in style with an exceptional adventure that excels in everything it sets out to do, that does everything so well that it's hard to find faults with it and that you never want to end. After many years missing, the Prince has returned, but he has returned as the king of action and platform games.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is not only the first major video game of 2024, but it's also one of the best metroidvania of recent years.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is one of the finest metroidvanias I've ever played and a fantastic way to start 2024. Thrilling and kinetic platforming, thumping combat, and a vast game world that demands exploration, and makes it a joy to do. It's time to kick nostalgia firmly in the unmentionables; this is the best Prince of Persia ever.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown shows that this long-running franchise still has plenty of life left in it. The main narrative is sharp, with interesting twists and reveals about the universe at large. It’s only surpassed by the combat, which challenged me in all the right ways.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a good metroidvania that makes its intriguing gameplay its most appreciable aspect, which offers many accessibility-related options that allow the game experience to be fully customized. Although it is not flawless in some aspects, such as an uninspired character design and a difficulty balance that is not properly calibrated, Ubisoft Montpellier's new game is a must play for all fans of the genre and the Prince of Persia franchise.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The saga's return to the 2D platform genre in the form of a modern metroidvania leaves us with a challenging and sometimes desperate, but always delightful experience.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a smart game that makes you feel even smarter. It’s a Metroidvania that’s learned from the best, but without sacrificing any element of its own personality – for better and for worse.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a fantastic return to the franchise's roots, and one of the strongest examples of the genre I've played.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a superb Metroidvania that reignites the franchise in exciting ways and only gets better the longer you play it. Meticulously crafted platforming mixed with exhilarating combat makes for a game that is nearly impossible to put down.
Through a blend of a Metroidvania structure and a dutiful nod to its side-scrolling past, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a lean and assured mechanical treat.