Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Worth to Buy?

Set in a side-scrolling Metroidvania format, the game casts you as Sargon, a young Persian warrior belonging to an elite group known as The Immortals. The central narrative revolves around Sargon's quest to rescue the kidnapped Prince from the mysterious Mount Calf.

Diving into gameplay, The Lost Crown offers a rich blend of platforming and puzzle-solving. The combat dynamics strike a delicate balance between difficulty and reward, requiring mastery of Sargon's diverse abilities to navigate regular enemies and formidable bosses. Despite some combat abilities appearing less impactful, the overall engagement factor remains high. The Metroidvania design introduces a sprawling map within Mount Calf, encouraging exploration through combat scenarios, challenging platforming, and intricate puzzles.

As for the game's duration, The Lost Crown promises a substantial investment of around 20 hours, depending on your play style and engagement with the storyline. While lacking specific post-game content, the opportunity to revisit Mount Calf allows you to wrap up any missed elements. However, replaying the game may become less appealing over time.

Turning to the storyline, The Lost Crown introduces a unique narrative with initial intrigue and time-bending elements. However, the plot becomes predictable, and the storytelling is hindered by cutscenes with a cheap appearance. Sargon's character, while compelling, undergoes an underdeveloped and rushed arc of self-discovery, contributing to the narrative's weaknesses.

Graphically, the game adopts a cartoony art style that excels in stylish cutscenes but may elicit mixed reactions during actual gameplay. While the stylized art direction is notable, some elements may appear dated or generic. The gameplay mechanics and overall experience remain the main selling points, making it advisable to review gameplay videos before purchasing.

The Metroidvania map design stands out as one of The Lost Crown's strengths, with the expansive Mount Calf filled with secret rooms and hidden areas. However, backtracking, a common aspect of the genre, becomes cumbersome in the initial stages but is alleviated after discovering fast travel points. Memory shards, a valuable quality-of-life feature, enhance the exploration experience by aiding in planning return journeys.

Boss fights emerge as some of the most memorable and exhilarating moments, though the repetition of certain bosses can potentially dilute the overall excitement. While the narrative may not be the most captivating, The Lost Crown shines in its gameplay, platforming, and combat mechanics. It stands as one of the series' best entries, offering a satisfying return to its roots while embracing new challenges and innovations.

Ultimately, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a commendable addition to the gaming landscape, catering to fans and newcomers alike. Its worthiness depends on individual preferences for platforming, combat, and exploration within the Metroidvania framework, as the game compensates for its narrative shortcomings with engaging gameplay and a fresh perspective on the Prince of Persia series through the character of Sargon.