Summary
ThePrince of Persiafranchise made a pretty big splash upon its 1989 debut, with the original game’s fluid movement animations and controls being fairly groundbreaking at the time. ButPrince of Persia’s two sequels weren’t quite so memorable. That pattern repeated with the reboot trilogy in the early 2000s, withPrince of Persia: The Sands of Timebeing one of the most beloved titles ofthe sixth console generation, whileThe Warrior WithinandThe Two Thronesdidn’t quite live up to those heights.
But after a 14-year-long hiatus, thePrince of Persiafranchise is back, and arguably, it’s better than ever. Released back in January,Prince of Persia: The Lost Crownmarked the long-awaited return of the action-platforming franchise, and it was quickly followed byThe Rogue Prince of Persiain May. It seems as though thePrince of Persiafranchise is going to stick around a while longer, and its refreshing revival should encourageAssassin’s Creedto revisit one of its past ideas.
Prince of Persia May Have Paved The Way for an Assassin’s Creed Chronicles Revival
Prince of Persia’s Comeback Proves Smaller-Scale Spinoffs Work
The vast majority of mainlinePrince of Persiaentries have been action-adventure games that put a heavy emphasis on melee combat and fluid traversal. WhilePrince of Persia: The Lost Crownticks all of these boxes, it adds a distinct flair of its own, giving the usualPrince of Persiaformulaa modern Metroidvania twist. Hearkening back to the series' roots with its 2.5D perspective,Prince of Persia: The Lost Crownoffers an exhilarating adventure that sees players dash, dodge, slash, hack, and teleport their way through a mythology-inspired setting, which all feels familiar but fresh.
The Rogue Prince of Persiaputs another unique spin on the franchise’s formula, this time dipping the series' toes into the roguelike genre. WhileThe Rogue Prince of Persiais still in early access, it already shows a lot of promise. AlongsideThe Lost Crown,The Rogue Prince of Persiaproves that a smaller-scale, slightly more experimental spinoff can go a long way in rejuvenating a long-standing franchise, something that should spur Ubisoft into bringing backAssassin’s Creed Chronicles.
Assassin’s Creed Chronicles Deserves a Revival
Originally released in April 2015, January 2016, and February 2016,Assassin’s Creed Chronicleswas a set of three smaller-scale 2.5D adventures that saw players control three different Assassins during three unique time periods. Across the board,Assassin’s Creed Chroniclesreceived pretty poor reviews, with many critics citing the game’s overly safe approach to story and gameplay as a major downside. But the idea behindAssassin’s Creed Chroniclesshouldn’t go to waste.
There are so many historical settings that fans wantAssassin’s Creedto explore, and while not all of them would fit a fully-fledged AAA experience, they could thrive in a smaller-scale adventure. If a newAssassin’s Creed Chroniclesgame could take the best parts ofPrince of Persia: The Lost Crown’s Metroidvania designand translate it to the stealthy action series, then it would stand a real chance of breaking the franchise’s mold and offer fans something exciting and new. Much likeThe Rogue Prince of Persia, Ubisoft could even task an Indie developer with working on the project, keeping the bulk of the publisher’s resources available for the mainline series.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
WHERE TO PLAY
Dash into a stylish and thrilling action-adventure platformer set in a mythological Persian world where the boundaries of time and space are yours to manipulate. Play as Sargon and evolve from sword-wielding prodigy to extraordinary legend as you master acrobatic combat and unlock new Time Powers and unique super abilities.UNLEASH YOUR INNER WARRIORUse your Time Powers, combat, and platforming skills to perform deadly combos and defeat time-corrupted enemies and mythological creatures.LOSE YOURSELF IN THE PRODIGIOUS MOUNT QAFDiscover a cursed Persian-inspired world filled with larger-than-life landmarks and explore a variety of highly detailed biomes, each with their own identity, wonder, and danger.LIVE AN EPIC ADVENTUREImmerse yourself in a Persian mythological fantasy through an intriguing and original story as you use your wits to solve puzzles, find hidden treasures, and complete quests to learn more about this corrupted place.
