Metroidvania games aren’t for everyone. The action-adventure platformers often require physical dexterity for combat, shrewd puzzle-solving ability, and loads of patience when exploring. But for those that can endure the demands of this genre, they find a gaming home for life. Metroid Dread, Hollow Knight, Ori and the Blind Forest have defined the genre for quite some time; but a new champion has entered the arena. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown might just be the best metroidvania game ever.
Superior Combat
Fighting in The Lost Crown is just plain fun. Players can string together attack combos that are 8-10 moves long, with dodging and tech abilities that feel like a Super Smash Bros. battle. The game also allows significant modification to Sargon (the protagonist), which allows players to customize according to their fighting style. I chose to power up his arrows for range attacks and also his dodge attacks to match my personal preferences.
Deep Storytelling
The Lost Crown is on par with other metroidvanias in terms of its immersive storytelling. The game is chock full of artifacts and special items that completions may track down to delve deep into the lore. Conveniently, each subsection of the game tracks these artifacts to assist players in finding and discovering all the lore. I found it particularly rewarding to track down the lost prophecies, which also granted loot and raw materials to improve my character.
But the game’s cutscenes set it apart, particularly in the early game. I felt like I had entered a high quality animated film. The pacing and intrigue hooked me early and kept me returning to discover all the story’s secrets.
Fantastic Boss Fights
The boss fights in The Lost Crown are second to none. The attack patterns and beautiful blending of the visuals with the story make no two bosses feel the same. In some games within the genre these fights tend to feel like clones, a rinse and repeat operation that makes the game grow stale. With The Lost Crown, I found myself having to evolve and to learn new combat skills for that particular fight; my previous combat tendencies became exposed and the same old moves just wouldn’t do. The boss AI also adapts to player tendencies and punishes players who use the same moves too many times. As such, I felt truly immersed with each experience and a swell of pride upon victory.
No Rage Quitting
Perhaps best of all is that Ubisoft made Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown highly accessible. Veterans of the metroidvania genre know there’s always that moment when seemingly every corridor has been explored and no clear path forward exists. It’s enough to make even veteran gamers quit. The Lost Crown gives players scaffolded help options–players can buy a hint with in-game currency (not real money) or turn on accessibility options that mark key objectives, guiding players on where to go next.
Even when players know where to go, at times particular sets of obstacles can present a frustrating challenge. After a dozen or so failures to navigate a corridor, the game reminds players that they can turn on platform assistance to make that section easier. I love that these options are available, even if I’m too stubborn to use them. As a busy parent, I don’t have the endless hours I once did to play through games. That shouldn’t preclude me or others from enjoying these games.
Tell us what you think! Is Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown the new standard for metroidvania games? Share your reactions in the comments below or join the discussion on Boss Rush Network’s Discord and Facebook.
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