You've now got a whole new kingdom(and more, even) to explore, too! The loading time to get into the game is slow as a direct result, but once you're in, it loads very quickly. The graphics are great(and hold up pretty well), with enormous detail put into everything. To anyone who has completed the second game this does not build upon the one loose thread left by the end of that. As with the first two, the story progresses a little when(though not every single time) you complete a level, and this one is rather interesting and fairly well told. Now, I'm not saying that you're gonna get Force Powers this time around, but let's just say that the Prince will encounter magic that helps him more than once during this particular quest to save the Princess. The first two both had magic and supernatural forces, but the poor Prince was always at their mercy, and never given the chance to wield any of this awesome force, himself. In fact, this has more magic available to the Prince than the first two. What these do, I won't detail here, it's simply too good and should be experienced first-hand(or one could read the well-written descriptions of some of them in the manual). What makes it even more so is the fact that there are magic arrows to fire. *of* him, on the other hand.), this is a good tool and an interesting new addition. In addition to the mêlée weapons, the Prince is now also given a bow while the game doesn't allow for much sniping(*by* the Prince, at least. The extra dimension also makes dodging more interesting. The fight system of the first two returns, though it is improved upon, requiring faster reflexes still(!), and "feinting", meaning pretending to attack, is added. Each, however, is also *really* cool to fight with. Each has advantages and downsides, in speed, range and lethality. He gets to play around with more weapons than he did the first two times his trusty sword, the scimitar, of course returns, and they are joined by a staff and two triple-bladed(!) knives. Personally, this didn't bother me, perhaps because I enjoy and am used to the game-play of the classic Prince of Persia games. The game-play is perhaps less fast-paced than other 3D adventure games.
The dear Prince is hardly Lara Croft, not as agile or fast(I say it's all that clothing, but what the hey, I guess you can't be a Prince if you haven't got some fashion sense). Comparisons to Tomb Raider, the game that started the whole third-person action/adventure game thing, are pretty much inevitable. This continues the tradition started by the second, of the Prince being a little heavier to move around than the first time he was saving his princess. The basic game-play is very reminiscent of the first two, with the major difference being the camera(which is now dynamic, and usually in a third-person view) and the addition of the third dimension. In addition to all that the first two games allowed you, there are now also ropes and bars to climb and swing on/from, some moving of boxes(something that seems mandatory to include in this type of game, at least at the point this was released) and even a little swimming.
ledges, platforms, traps, puzzles requiring reflexes and skill and last but definitely not least, swordplay, is well-represented here. What was plentiful in the first two games. The introductory video brings you up-to-date on the story well, and after that you're in a situation by now familiar to the Prince. Not everything in the game works out equally well, but most of it is great. The established Prince of Persia adventure/action game-play translates rather well to 3D, and this continues the overall story well. I am delighted to say that I was thoroughly (pleasantly, that is!) surprised by this title. in 3D? It seemed to be a sure recipe for disaster. For the longest time, I would not hear of this game.