In a recent interview with The AU Review, Ubisoft Producer Abdelhak Elguess shed light on the studio’s decision to revisit the Prince of Persia franchise with The Lost Crown. He also explained why they made so many changes to the series after all this time.
During the interview, Elguess emphasized the company’s desire to both honor the series’ legacy and inject a modern touch. This translates to updates across the narrative, combat system, and overall structure. While acknowledging the reverence for classic entries like Sands of Time and the 1989 original, the team aimed to modernize elements to resonate with contemporary audiences.
In tune with modern inspiration, even the revamped combat system borrows from the dynamic animation of Spider-Verse and the fluidity of anime/manga, creating visually striking and impactful encounters. Additionally, The Lost Crown delves deeper into Persian mythology, offering a fresh perspective on the series’ setting and lore.
Elguess highlighted several key features that were changed to create a newer environment in the game. The ability to seamlessly combine various skills allows for adaptable and dynamic gameplay. This included needing to take classics to the franchise and modify them to make them both familiar and new.
The rewind mechanic, traditionally associated with the Prince, has been shifted to the antagonist, while the protagonist wields new time-warping powers to counter. Elguess expressed particular excitement about the teleporting rewind ability, which lets players move forward in time while rewinding specific actions. This innovative approach to time manipulation offers a unique gameplay dynamic and encourages creative experimentation.
Metroidvania-style exploration intertwines with a narrative featuring companions known as Immortals. The choice of a 2D side-scroller format isn’t intended to define future Prince of Persia titles, as Elguess draws a comparison to the diverse Mario franchise. He views The Lost Crown as a distinct iteration within the series, highlighting the advantages of the 2D perspective in enhancing platforming precision and combat intensity.
