Prince of Persia: Lost Crown review - "Royalty lost in the mobile world"

• Bringing the latest PoP adventure to mobile
• Sweet and simple with onscreen controls that work
• It's still got some fast and satisfying fight and flight moments

There are specific names that evoke an emotion when we hear them. They bring us back to a time when we first heard them or experienced them, with all the good and bad stuff that went along with it. Prince of Persia is such a name, and you might not know that the first time anyone heard it (aside from people living under Persian royalty) was when it was released for the Apple 2 in 1989.

All these years later, the most recent entry, Prince of Persia: Lost Crown (courtesy of Ubisoft), is returning to Apple as it prepares for a release on iOS devices. It's almost poetic, but we'll see just how far the Prince has come since the days of low-resolution and robotic movement.

What is Prince of Persia: Lost Crown?

The Prince of Persia timeline is another one of the gaming greats in that no one casually knows which adventure goes where and why. In Prince of Persia: Lost Crown, we're guessing it occurs sometime before the iconic Sands of Time. In the earlier days of the Persian Empire, the land was attacked by various outside forces. Though the armies can hold their ground, the enemy is powerful, so Persia must call on the Immortals: Seven champions gifted with superior strength and magic who can repel the invaders.

The story centres on the youngest of the group, a warrior named Sargon, whom the Queen and Prince of Persia personally receive for his victory. Following a short celebration, the group gets news of the Prince's kidnapping, and Sargon gives pursuit, only to find that a fellow Immortal, Anahita, is behind it. Determined to save the Prince and discover the truth behind this betrayal, Sargon sets off, and we'll follow.

We are found in Prince of Persia: Lost Crown

Since Sands of Time's unexpected and overwhelming success, the Prince of Persia games earned a reputation for acrobatic, flowing, 3D combat and platforming. So, it was something of a shock to see that Prince of Persia: Lost Crown returned to the original 2D platforming model but with vast improvements. First, it's held fast to the lessons of not making Sargon more delicate than a dandelion made of rice paper. He's tough, fast, mobile, and accompanied by stylised characters and backgrounds, so you can still enjoy the setting.

Now, we've got to talk about the combat. Prince of Persia has always been about being able to move freely in a space, bouncing between targets, off walls, and slicing enemies in half before they realise where you're slicing from.

This replaces it with hack-and-slash and beat-'em-up mechanics, where you fight enemies on both sides. However, the enemies are definitely more sophisticated than your average beast, unwilling to sit there and let you stunlock them. They'll retreat, group up, block, interrupt, and even risk it all to hit you with powerful Reckless attacks. The bosses also deserve some attention for providing a spectacle in presentation and execution, pun intended.

We must also discuss the other thing Prince of Persia set the bar for: platforming. You're running up or along walls, swinging around poles, or sliding down a tapestry when you aren't fighting. While this entry may have robbed us of a dimension, the platforming still feels good in 2D.

Sargon runs, slides, and jumps with defined pathways for getting around and engaging enemies while keeping their distance. The acrobatics are enjoyable to behold as they leap from point to point via hooks or poles, capturing some of that magical feeling from the 3D Prince of Persia titles.

Still looking for the shine

It's clear that Prince of Persia: Lost Crown was made to be a mobile experience because that's what it feels like. Compared to its peers and predecessors, it feels like it's missing that magic that made the others stick out in our memories. It's like Prince of Persia Lite, which seems apt since you aren't technically the Prince.

Instead, the Prince is the MacGuffin, and Sargon is the errand boy sent to collect it. He's more than capable, but he's also introduced as a hot-headed immortal super-being who is nowhere near as relatable or charming as a spoiled rich kid who matured through circumstance while relying on snark and humour to cope with not having the love and approval he so desperately craves.

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Although the combat and platform function well and have satisfying moments, they also limit and lack variety and creativity. You'll get access to items and combat techniques you can employ in your adventure, but those are just sprinkles on a cake that's mostly icing. When you finally take a bite, you'll feel full without having your cravings sated. This works well as a mobile entry: it's best consumed in small bites when you have a free moment.

Unfortunately, one key element stands in the way of its mobile accessibility: the hardware. Despite being a 2.5D game that's not nearly as complex as the other entries, Prince of Persia: Lost Crown is very demanding. Once you find the strength to ignore the Ubisoft Connect prompts, you'll be warned whether your device is strong enough, and it is recommended that you play this MOBILE experience with a CONTROLLER. 

It shows a lack of faith in the touch controls, especially when the control scheme has already been simplified significantly. You'll undoubtedly look at the sight of pulling out your tablet and then attacking a clunky controller to play for a few minutes on the bus.

The search begins 

Prince of Persia: Lost Crown is Ubisoft's latest addition to the Prince of Persia series, being adapted for mobile as a 2.5D action-adventure platformer. The controls work well, the graphics are smooth and pleasant, and it keeps you engaged between combat and platforming.

It still gets held back by the technical demands, lack of variety, and the reduced scope, cutting much of what made Prince of Persia great. Even so, if you're new to the series and want a sweet little adventure to play during your various breaks, you can spend them looking for the lost crown.