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Here's an underrated gem, Prince of Persia 08
- Thread starter The Dude
- Start date
cyber_ninja
Member
Loved all the previous POP games, but this one I disliked a lot. I gave up on it after an hour or so. I guess it wasn't for me.
Hexa
Member
I thought it was the worst PoP game. The platforming was a step back, the combat was a lot worse and repetetive, and the story had a crappy cliffhanger end that made no sense. The two main characters relationship was cool, and the art/music was nice, but that's not enough to hold it up imo.
J
JeremyEtcetera
Unconfirmed Member
How much are you willing to sell that highly modified prototype 3ds for? I'd love graphics like this on the go.
Discotheque
Banned
It looked great but the gameplay and structure just felt like a huge step down from sands of time
Loved the presentation though which got me to finish it
Loved the presentation though which got me to finish it
SirNinja
Member
Later that same year, actually. Unfortunately there were several plot threads introduced in it that were never resolved (and probably never will be - if this series ever returns, I seriously doubt it'll pick up from the 2008 continuity).
I think the combat let the game down a bit. The fact that it is always just 1v1 or technically 2v1 in your favour removes a lot of the tension. It looked stylish and I loved how Elika weaves in and out of the Prince's attacks as they fight together but the enemy AI left a lot to be desired. There was no challenge only a few gimmicks of when to attack or positioning on the battle ground.
The lack of dying isn't an issue for me. It kind of reminds me of Dark Souls in how death is just a small set back, though obviously DS did it a bit better with all the mechanics working with it.
The parkouring, one of the reasons I like the series, is pretty much auto pilot until the later segments. I still enjoy it and it is fun to watch. Restoring the lands to life was a relaxing and satisfying feeling. As was collecting the remaining light seeds afterwards. One interesting idea they had is to allow you to rush to an enemy spawn and kill it before battle begins. This isn't done particularly well because it is sometimes difficult to see where enemy spawns are but I think this is how the game should be played. Emphasis on speedy parkouring to stop combat before it begins. The combat is there to slow you down and honestly there is too much of it. A way to eliminate it before it begins was a good idea that just needed a bit more polish in execution.
Prince and Elika's character development was great. A lot of games feature "side kick" characters that run around doing their own thing according to AI or scripts. Elika isn't quite like that. She moves around a little and follows closely but she feels almost part of the Prince mechanically because she automatically saves you from failed jumps, she acts as your double jump and you have control of her in combat with a button to make her attack. This means in combat Elika can be as aggressive as I want her to be and she is always throwing me to the next platform and not just there for switches like most other games. Another bonus is that there is very little in the game which forces you to split up from her. None of this "Wait here, I need to go do some video game chores to lower this platform" type stuff.
The banter and humour was pretty good too. It certainly grew on me. I expected it to be a bit over bearing given it was only ever between the Prince and Elika but that didn't happen.
In a word. The game was fun. I wonder if there is a good speed run of the game. Might be fun to watch.
The lack of dying isn't an issue for me. It kind of reminds me of Dark Souls in how death is just a small set back, though obviously DS did it a bit better with all the mechanics working with it.
The parkouring, one of the reasons I like the series, is pretty much auto pilot until the later segments. I still enjoy it and it is fun to watch. Restoring the lands to life was a relaxing and satisfying feeling. As was collecting the remaining light seeds afterwards. One interesting idea they had is to allow you to rush to an enemy spawn and kill it before battle begins. This isn't done particularly well because it is sometimes difficult to see where enemy spawns are but I think this is how the game should be played. Emphasis on speedy parkouring to stop combat before it begins. The combat is there to slow you down and honestly there is too much of it. A way to eliminate it before it begins was a good idea that just needed a bit more polish in execution.
Prince and Elika's character development was great. A lot of games feature "side kick" characters that run around doing their own thing according to AI or scripts. Elika isn't quite like that. She moves around a little and follows closely but she feels almost part of the Prince mechanically because she automatically saves you from failed jumps, she acts as your double jump and you have control of her in combat with a button to make her attack. This means in combat Elika can be as aggressive as I want her to be and she is always throwing me to the next platform and not just there for switches like most other games. Another bonus is that there is very little in the game which forces you to split up from her. None of this "Wait here, I need to go do some video game chores to lower this platform" type stuff.
The banter and humour was pretty good too. It certainly grew on me. I expected it to be a bit over bearing given it was only ever between the Prince and Elika but that didn't happen.
In a word. The game was fun. I wonder if there is a good speed run of the game. Might be fun to watch.
sixteen-bit
Member
I should pick this up on the next steam sale
Funkybee12
Member
The artwork in this one is far superior than any other pOp IMO. I just loved the graphics and the smothness of moving through walls and the platforming kinda reminds me of rayman legends/fiesta. It's not really challenging but it sure gives you a nice feeling doing all combinations of the moves you get to learn as you advance in the game. Battles are very repetitive and basically have no dynamic in there just parry/evade & counterattack if i remember correctly and you can't really compare this to sands of time trilogy. They're just different. Pop08 is way more user/noob friendly. Also OST is great!
They should definitely give us another pOp trilogy this generation man. Games nowadays are so user-friendly that the moment i see the 1st gameplay & how heavy cutscene based it is, i just lose interest right there. Bring us more challenging platform/puzzle 3rd person games.
They should definitely give us another pOp trilogy this generation man. Games nowadays are so user-friendly that the moment i see the 1st gameplay & how heavy cutscene based it is, i just lose interest right there. Bring us more challenging platform/puzzle 3rd person games.
John Kowalski
Banned
Loved it. Nothing but fond memories of it.
SlipperyFishes
Banned
I get a reverse TLoU vibe from the ending here.
I really wanted a sequel, but the fact we never got one makes me think about it so much more about how it could and should have gone down. It's lack of true sequel makes it even more powerful.
We've lost that "what if" from TLoU.
I thought it was a big step down from Sands of Time, which I loved (and was the only PoP game I'd played prior). I found it a big disappointment.
The art direction was really nice, but that's about the main good quality of the game. The environments weren't very interesting to traverse. (The correct path was generally highly telegraphed.) The game had almost no challenge, and the non-linear level structure added nothing interesting and probably actively hampered creating any kind of difficulty curve. (Maybe the platforming gets more interesting if you try to get all the light orb things? I wouldn't know, because I have no interest in some dumb collectathon.)
The 1:1 combat encounters were a decent idea, but there were so few of them in the game that you didn't have much of an opportunity to learn the combo system, and the encounters and boss battles weren't very interesting and got repetitive quickly.
The art direction was really nice, but that's about the main good quality of the game. The environments weren't very interesting to traverse. (The correct path was generally highly telegraphed.) The game had almost no challenge, and the non-linear level structure added nothing interesting and probably actively hampered creating any kind of difficulty curve. (Maybe the platforming gets more interesting if you try to get all the light orb things? I wouldn't know, because I have no interest in some dumb collectathon.)
The 1:1 combat encounters were a decent idea, but there were so few of them in the game that you didn't have much of an opportunity to learn the combo system, and the encounters and boss battles weren't very interesting and got repetitive quickly.
More_Badass
Member
I never got that complaint for the same reason. It's literally the same cycle of "failure > reset to spot before failure" that a reload or you died screen would offer, except it stays in-game and reinforces the relationship between the characters
How many games uses that very basic concept of checkpoints and failure for a narrative purpose, rather than just the gameplay usage of a Souls or a roguelike?
No.
The game is bad. Sure, it's pretty. Really pretty! And the pre-boss set pieces are super fun to look at.
But once you stop watching and start playing, you realize just how poor the game is. The platforming is repetitive and simplistic. The way button presses queue make it frustrating, with the character doing things you don't want him to, often.
And my god, the combat. The rest of the game may be serviceable but the combat just shits all over what would otherwise be a mediocre product, and turns it into a bad one.
The game is bad. Sure, it's pretty. Really pretty! And the pre-boss set pieces are super fun to look at.
But once you stop watching and start playing, you realize just how poor the game is. The platforming is repetitive and simplistic. The way button presses queue make it frustrating, with the character doing things you don't want him to, often.
And my god, the combat. The rest of the game may be serviceable but the combat just shits all over what would otherwise be a mediocre product, and turns it into a bad one.
Drillary Clinton
Banned
Extremely underrated game. I loved the 1 on 1 arena style combat and the platforming, especially later in the game was excellent. Let's not forget that gorgeous art style and the surprisingly good story and chemistry between the two protags. I remember the end credit scene was beautiful as well.
Too bad the DLC left a cliffhanger for a game we will never get.
Too bad the DLC left a cliffhanger for a game we will never get.
HerpDerpstreit
Member
I just started replaying this on PC. Runs perfectly in 2560x1080 and is stunning in ultrawide. Highly underrated imo.
HoodWinked
Member
hope one day they remaster this and release on pc with the epilogue.
Khalifa Jayy
Banned
Certainly not underrated here on GAF.
No, Ubisoft... don't give us a sequel and conclusion to the giant, enormous cliffhanger to the phenomenal Prince of Persia '08...
... By all means, release over two dozen Assassin's Creed games instead.
Geez, what I wouldn't give to keep this series going. Ahriman's rampaging on the loose and someone needs to stop him, after all.
... By all means, release over two dozen Assassin's Creed games instead.
Geez, what I wouldn't give to keep this series going. Ahriman's rampaging on the loose and someone needs to stop him, after all.
Genghis Khan
Member
I remember having a decent amount of fun with this game and that it was a really gorgeous art style. I feel like that's the general consensus. I admittedly don't remember the ending of the game, so I'll have to Youtube it some time soon.
butman
Member
kunonabi
Member
It's overrated if anything.
Chronology
Member
Loved this game to death; really had this great atmosphere and magic surrounding the whole world, and the level design was really compelling. Loved the original ending too (not a fan of amending it via dlc though)
FlowersisBritish
fleurs n'est pas britannique
Its a good game but certainly had a lot of problems too. I really love a lot of the ideas in it, and wished they could have been reexplored. Also that art style and just general character designs <3
I am so glad someone else thinks that! That is one of my favorite endings in a video game and I thought the DLC really ruined that nice close it had. Especially with a sequel tease that will never happen.
I am so glad someone else thinks that! That is one of my favorite endings in a video game and I thought the DLC really ruined that nice close it had. Especially with a sequel tease that will never happen.
privitsan02
Member
I actually find it to be overrated. It's definitely not a game for me or anyone who really loved the original unforgiving trilogy and definitely got away from the roots of the series, revolving around traps, trial and error.
Now I know a few who loved the original trilogy and still liked this, but didn't treat it like a Prince of Persia game. It's not a bad game, but its a very easy platformer based around two interesting characters that don't fit the setting at all and collecting orbs across the open world. The biggest slap in the face comes from the ending and absolutely horrible cliffhanger ending that will never get resolved, 8 years later. It's almost like you're playing the game in auto-pilot at times. The combat is easy, you can't die, the platforming is very forgiving and there really isn't much else to the game but that.
I'd be fine if it was called anything but a Prince of Persia game but even then, its a heavily flawed yet interesting game. Like the original Mirrors Edge. That being said, I'd totally play this any day of week over that poor man's Prince of Persia in Forgotten Sands. I don't blame Ubisoft for keeping this series in bed because its clear they don't know how to bring it back. The sands of time were such a unique and interesting core of the game design that it's very difficult to try something different while staying true to the roots of the franchise.
Best wishes.
Now I know a few who loved the original trilogy and still liked this, but didn't treat it like a Prince of Persia game. It's not a bad game, but its a very easy platformer based around two interesting characters that don't fit the setting at all and collecting orbs across the open world. The biggest slap in the face comes from the ending and absolutely horrible cliffhanger ending that will never get resolved, 8 years later. It's almost like you're playing the game in auto-pilot at times. The combat is easy, you can't die, the platforming is very forgiving and there really isn't much else to the game but that.
I'd be fine if it was called anything but a Prince of Persia game but even then, its a heavily flawed yet interesting game. Like the original Mirrors Edge. That being said, I'd totally play this any day of week over that poor man's Prince of Persia in Forgotten Sands. I don't blame Ubisoft for keeping this series in bed because its clear they don't know how to bring it back. The sands of time were such a unique and interesting core of the game design that it's very difficult to try something different while staying true to the roots of the franchise.
Best wishes.
Looks great no doubt. But it's like PoP with training wheels which ends up making it an overly easy boring slog. It's the only one of the 3D PoP's I actually gave up about 80% of the way through. I've even replayed Warrior Within and that game was hard to stomach thematically.
WrenchNinja
Member
I think this was my first platinum. Really enjoyed the Epilogue too. Was pretty sad that it never got a sequel and Assassin's Creed essentially killed the Prince of Persia franchise.
There are plenty of reasons to dislike Forgotten Sands (the HD one not the Wii one) but it is the pinnicle of the series from a gameplay standpoint. Sadly it comes to a halt shortly after you master all the mechanics.
Replaying the 3rd one right now and it holds up really well on PC. I recommend you use supersampling at 4k to really get the best out of it.
KingdomHeartsFan
Member
I remember playing Forgotten Sands and thinking dam they can still make good PoP games so I decided to pick this up and regretted it.
Mass_Pincup
Banned
No way to die might be the silliest complain I've ever seen in a game.
You lose, you just happen to be back into the game faster and not having to retreat to much back or having to sit and watch a loading screen.
How is that bad?
Team Alucard
Banned
It's the most beautiful game I've ever played and it has one of the greatest endings ever, but good lord is the game play awful. It's like an amalgamation of everything that's bad about Ubisoft game play mechanics.
Complistic
Member
Was too easy but still a very fun game.
If you ask me the DLC ruined the beautiful ending of the base game. I'll pretend that was the reason why a sequel never came, and not that most people didn't like the game.
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