π’ DAHAKA IS COMING! YA'LL BETTER RUN! π’
Ah, good, water. We're safe. π§β
(seriously, why is the freaking guardian of time's weakness water? I never got that)
We're stepping into inshrined territory for me here. This game is one of my favorite games of all time, easy. So this will mostly be a gush fest through and through, although I have some suggestions as to how to make the experience better should they ever choose to remake this classic.
ThereforeβοΈ In this edition of Through the Lens π, we'll be taking a look at Ubisoft Montreal's bloody, time manipulation, action adventure from 2004: Prince of Persia: Warrior Within Roll it! π½
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π· UP TOP πΆ
Ah yes. I remember loving this game's soundtrack to bits. imagine my surprise when years later I discovered online that everybody hated it. π There's a lot of that with this game which we'll get into later. But I as with the other stuff, I don't care what the mass populous thinks about this soundtrack - it's great.
It's filled with action-pumping guitar solos that match the game's fight scenes perfectly. You also have slow melodic, environmental setting tracks that fit the bill just so. π Give it a listen while reading this piece, eh?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2445mpK8kQ
I played the entire trilogy upon each release. You are probably asking yourself why I didn't start with Sands of Time, the first game. Well, I already wrote a piece a while back about the trilogy in general. There I outline my general feelings on the series and thoughts on each game. I now feel like I have a lot more to say about the second and third games - thus, here we are!
This was one of my first "banging my head against the wall" games. I remember playing it on Hard and getting absolutely destroyed. But as a kid, you have unlimited time, and as such you are able to take those punches on the chin. π I remember feeling like such a badass at the time for managing to beat the game (true ending. btw) on hard.
I'm sure it wasn't as difficult as I remember, but it instilled a love for hard games in me that has stayed to this very day.
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π· THE WARRIOR πΆ
Thematically, the sequel is vastly different than the first installment. And therein lies people's biggest gripe with this game. Gone are the days of our wholesome, lovable prince. Now, he is a vengeful, blood-thirsty warrior shouting profanities as he slices through his enemies. βοΈ
The game is just more adult in general. I mean, the first cutscene has a lady wearing a thong, caressing her demonic minions to kill our protagonist. It's pretty bizarre. π And seeing how this was the first Prince of Persia game that I've ever played, I thought this was the norm. Come to find out the first game has a much more Disney-esque tone, with plentiful family-friendly content. I now understand why people were so upset with the edginess demonstrated in Warrior Within.
Regardless, I really loved this game for its bloody nature. I guess it was the puberty in me talking, but I couldn't get enough of chopping monsters' heads off and watching their blood sprinkle across the battlefield. All while listening to the legendary Godsmack. π
Something that's underrated about these older games is the in-game gallery that you would get of weapons, monsters, and environments. In-game concept art was always fun to unlock, as you felt like you were unlocking permanent account progression. I understand that that's a thing of gamer's past, but I can still miss it dammt! π€
It was a glorious time in my life, one which I could take back. One which I hope would be remade for a modern audience. I'm still holding out hope that that happens.
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π· BLOODSHED πΆ
The gameplay in this game holds up to this very day. This is the type of combat I enjoy. It's not like the Arkham system where you can just spam your buttons and get by. You have to be spatially aware and use the correct combos at the right time. And this game has a lot of combos, most of them locked behind higher tier weapons that you unlock through playing the game.
There is of course the main shtick of this game which is our homie Dahaka, the time guardian. At certain points in the game, this unstoppable beast will chase you. These sequences are the most heart-pumping, sweaty sequences out there. And my personal favorite. π You get to battle Dahaka as the final secret boss if you've found all the health upgrades scattered throughout the map. And he is hella difficult. I'd given up on beating him until one day my niece came over and wanted to see this secret final fight. And guess what? I actually beat him. π
You of course still have the patented time manipulation powers the series is known for - time reversal, time slow, sandblasts. These are mandatory to solve some puzzles and also are pretty fun to use in combat. The whole concept of reversing time to stop your death I also find to be a great gameplay mechanic. π―
Lastly, my only gripe with this game is the static camera angles. If this game ever got remade I would ask for the camera to have normal third-person movement. As is, most of the time you perish because of the sudden shift in camera angles. An antiquated design for sure that isn't even really charming, it's just old. π
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π· LEGACY πΆ
Unfortunately, the bold design choices of this game were just that - too bold. I feel like this game's reputation for most people is tarnished beyond repair. But such is life. And their loss, frankly. π
This is an amazing game, with one of the best combat systems in gaming. It is in my top 3 favorite games of all time for sure and I'm sure there are people out there that feel the same.
You can buy it on Steam today, but unfortunately, the HD version does not work as fully intended. You can still play the game but not as well as you might hope. It's an old game that badly needs the new trendy remastered treatment. I'm talking Dead Space and Resident Evil levels of remastering.
If that happens, I can die a happy man. π
Thank you for reading, you rock! (and maybe roll) πππ
Shout-out to the πPIZZAπ gang, π€ gang. π€
My next Through the Lens will most certainly be The Two Thrones. I have a lot to say about that game as well. π Until then, I hope I've brought some of you folks back in memory lane. And if not, give this one a shot. The resolutions might be bad, and the camera is janky, but if you can look past that you will be rewarded with one of the best action-adventure games ever made. And that's a promise.
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I hope you have a fantastic start to your week! π
Return from Prince of Persia: Warrior Within π½ Through the Lens to ΠΠΎΡΠΊΠΎ's Web3 Blog
