Start-Up Game: Number One - Prince of Persia

Start-Up Games are games I consider for those looking for a decent entry into the world of video games, and for those who want a great time. Any of the start-up games I recommend, I will have played, so you can rest assured you'll get an honest recommendation from someone who loves a great game.

History

Prince of Persia is considered a classic. The first game, titled Prince of Persia, was created by Jordan Mechner in 1989. It is a story that has been told before. You originally had to save the Princess from the evil vizier, Jaffar, or the Princess dies. The original game gave you an hour to complete your bold rescue, which at the time was unique to any video game. Luckily, the next-gen iteration of this story is a bit more forgiving.

Story

In the most recent Prince of Persia you play the Prince on your way home from some treasure- hunting abroad, when you and your treasure-laden donkey get lost and separated. The Prince wanders off into a clearing, when down below he observes a beautiful woman, named Elika, being chased by men with swords. The Prince saves her life, but as a result, gets caught in an epic battle between good and evil.

Presentation

The art direction and soundtrack for this game are out of this world. I have literally never seen a game look and sound so fantastic as Prince of Persia does. They immerse you almost completely into the Prince's world, and you feel like you're on a grand adventure of your own. I've seen multiple other reviews of the game, and to paraphrase GameTrailers.com, "...nothing is quite like seeing one of the lands purified of corruption [and evil]..."

Gameplay

The gameplay decisions were well done for this game. Other entries into the Prince of Persia franchise were quite a bit more difficult than this one, but I believe that making the gameplay more about the experience of the world in Prince of Persia is great to make the game more approachable for those not having heard of the Prince's exploits. The combat is pretty simple, as one button is designated for every individual action you do, and it doesn't take much to pull off a spectacular combo with the Prince and Elika. The acrobatics the Prince must pull off to get to the various areas of the game are spectacular to watch. They all look quite natural, and you'd think that an actual human being could do the things the Prince does.

The one thing I don't like about the game are the light seeds. Elika is a servant of good, and a gifted magic user. In order to increase her power and access certain areas of the game, you must collect a certain number of these light seeds that are left by the God of Light. The problem is that there are more light seeds than necessary distributed throughout the levels of the game, so when you get enough, there is no motivation to go back and get them all. It is a minor annoyance; but for those of you out there who are completionists, it could turn into a big problem.

Final Thoughts

Prince of Persia is a well made game. It has a few flaws to it, but it really is a game that tells a story that is worth telling. The gameplay is fairly simple and straightforward as far as most games go, and that is why I've made it my first Start-Up Game.

For more information about Prince of Persia, follow the links below:

Prince of Persia Ubisoft Homepage: http://prince-of-persia.us.ubi.com/index.php
Prince of Persia Xbox 360 Achievement Guide: http://www.xbox360achievements.org/game/prince-of-persia-retail/guide/
Prince of Persia PS3 Trophy Guide: http://www.ps3trophies.org/game/prince-of-persia/guide/
Prince of Persia Wikipedia Listing: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_of_Persia