Four Fat Chicks -- Prince of Persia 3D Review

Prince of Persia 3D

Review by Old Rooster
February 2002

Skinny and the Prince

Skinny Minnie's fine review of Tomb Raider 4, with that series emphasis on "jumping/adventuring," got me thinking about an oft-overlooked and certainly underappreciated title from two years ago—Prince of Persia 3D, or POP3D to its friends.

Our adventuring community likely remembers the rich Prince of Persia tradition, beginning with the 1989 original by Jordan Mechner, launching, in the publisher's phrasing, "the beginning of the action/adventure genre." This was followed, a few years later, by an updated side-scrolling effort. Each was set in 12th Century "Arabian Nights" Persia, with palace intrigue and colorful villains. POP3D follows this setting but ups the ante immensely with a sprawling, intricate, gorgeous 3D perspective.

With this latest iteration, we find our hero, the Prince, needing to escape the confines of a dungeon, find and rescue his wife and, if he has time, save the kingdom from evildoers and their henchchicks. This establishes the framework for an adventure that wonderfully combines puzzle-solving, acrobatic jumping, and exciting fighting.

How Is the Game Set up and Managed?

POP3D needs about 400 MB free on your hard drive, and it does require at least a 4 MB 3D accelerator, quite minimal by today's standards. The included manual of 44 pages is excellently done, presenting required control options, enemy/weapon information, and a nice backstory. Controls are configurable for either keyboard or gamepad. Quick save and load are a boon, particularly compared to games suffering from "consolitis."

Like the Tomb Raider series, the perspective and camera are behind the shoulder. The view automatically shifts, and this does present some moments of frustration, especially if you find yourself against a wall or in a corner. Here, a few steps forward may be required in order to reorient the camera. Although mouse support isn't present, number-pad, shift and arrow keys do allow a full 360-degree stationary view of your surroundings.

How Does POP3D Look and Sound?

Running in 800x600, everything from the claustrophobic dungeons to the opulent palace is colorfully and richly presented. Movement and frame rate on my PIII 450 was fast and fluid. This is one of the more beautiful adventure games available now, let alone considering it's two years old.

The "Arabian Nights" melodies, changing each level, reflect an appropriate mood. Except for cutscenes, character voices are rare, with sound effects satisfactory.

"You Need to Find a Sword If You Wish to Survive" —Prince's Helper

You escape your dungeon, soon realizing that a weapon is required ... and is rather hard to find. As the Prince moves through the levels, we find a good deal of linearity, with some false leads but little need for burdensome backtracking. Actually, in spite of pics suggesting otherwise, fighting is not how you'll spend most of your time in the world of POP3D. Rather, puzzle-solving, planning your route, avoiding nasty falls and traps (darts, spikes, whirling blades), and tricky jumping/climbing/rope swinging will occupy the bulk of your gameplay time.

However, when required, the swordplay is one of the best features of the game. As you engage an enemy, a different camera perspective and music level kicks in, leading to an increased adrenaline rush. The fighting is not frantic, but almost studious, with the Prince having three forward thrust moves and one blocking maneuver, as well as a feint option. Both your and your enemies' health levels are displayed. The enemies get tougher further into the game, but you're also given additional weaponry, including a six-foot stave, assassin knives, and bow and arrows. The artificial intelligence of the enemies is well-done, and there are numerous examples of having to think about how to approach a foe, rather than just "blasting away." Indeed, the discretionary "sneak effect" of walking around guards is often preferred to the valor of an assault.

The fourteen levels present a range of beauty, clarity and complexity—from the dungeon to the rest of the palace, the floating ruins, the dirigible, and the Tibetan cliffs. Motion-capture video enables an impression of moving through an entertaining, cartoon-like film (cf. Aladdin). Indeed, violence and gore (adjustable) are inoffensive, and I can fairly safely recommend this as a "full-family" adventure activity. The intent of the publishers, with Mechner's contribution, was to have a 70% to 30% adventure/fighting balance, and I think they've succeeded fairly well.

Is POP3D Fun and Recommended?

"Yes" is my answer to both parts of this question, if you enjoy the prospect of an enthralling and rich action/adventure that offers a colorful world and a paced, almost relaxed, kind of play where you're always wondering, "What's around the next corner?" Getting to that corner will involve puzzle-solving, acrobatic leaping and some challenging fighting. But, in the process, you are given time to explore, think and observe. Moving around that corner, to the ultimate finish of the game, leaves one with a satisfied and grateful feeling. Mechner and the rest of the team should be proud of their fine product, and I'd strongly suggest that it's more than worth the $6 or $7 you'll find it for at many stores and outlets.

What I Liked the Most

The graphics are gorgeous and "realistic;" puzzles are fun and challenging; sword fights are thrilling.

What I Liked the Least

Camera angles are sometimes awkward; archery is difficult; it can be quite tough in spots.