Prince of Persia: Warrior Within

[Stingray]

Who else can't wait for this one? I thought Sands of Time was not only one of the best games of last year, but one of the best games for any modern system.

 

The only gripe that I had with it was that the battles were a little too "canned". I was really excited to see that there's a totally new battle system on Warrior Within

 

From Ubi.com: Define your own combat style with the Free-Form Fighting System: An intricate new combat system lets you wage battles with no boundaries. Utilize the environment, weapons, and your enemies themselves to develop your own unique fighting style. Plus, a strategic projectile attack system allows for a variety of ranged combat tactics.

 

Should be hitting the shelves Thursday, I expect I'll grab a copy at lunch that day.

 

-S

[Albert]

Looks like it's doing a bit poorer in the reviews this time around than the original game (86% versus 93.8% for the Xbox version). Still, the first game is great (although I haven't finished it), so I'm hoping the sequel is as good.

 

..Al

[figgler]

From what I hear this game is not going to be so great.

Less than intelligent dialogue (which is a HUGE dissappointment considering TSOT awesome script), and a dark tone that's laid on much too thick. Now the Prince looks angry and he swears and cuts guys' heads off! Great.

I fully expect all the mystical wonder and fable-type elements of TSOT to be sacrificed to cash in on the rated-M-for-Mature fad we're all dealing with these days. There's no Farah, no heroism, no lessen to learn, no love story and no thinking out loud from the prince anymore either. Lots of blood and dark shadows though! Yeah, killing! Dismemberment! Swearing! That's what POP is supposed to be all about

 

I'll still buy it when it's $30 or less, but from what I've seen, I am very dissappointed in the forced and cardboard direction they are taking this time

[Stingray]

I agree that it's a shame that they chose to darken the theme considerably. Still it sounds like a very enjoyable game even if it's not the same "good guy out to save the world" hero that the prince was in the last game.

 

From ign.com (three out of five stars): Though the dark look and feel of Warrior Within were off-putting at first, once I got past those elements, I fell in love with POP all over again. Warrior Within is quite an enjoyable gameplay experience. With many of last year's complaints addressed, it would be tough for any Prince fan not to enjoy the sequel, just don't expect to love it as much as the first.  

 

-S

[Albert]

From what I hear this game is not going to be so great.  

Less than intelligent dialogue (which is a HUGE dissappointment considering TSOT awesome script), and a dark tone that's laid on much too thick.   Now the Prince looks angry and he swears and cuts guys' heads off!  Great.  

I fully expect all the mystical wonder and fable-type elements of TSOT to be sacrificed to cash in on the rated-M-for-Mature fad we're all dealing with these days.   There's no Farah, no heroism, no lessen to learn, no love story and no thinking out loud from the prince anymore either.  Lots of blood and dark shadows though!   Yeah, killing!  Dismemberment!  Swearing!   That's what POP is supposed to be all about  

 

Really, this is all pretty discouraging. A good script, storytelling and dialogue always helps to draw me into a game, and it's a shame that they have gone the bad-boy hack and slash and swear route. I don't mind "darker" games at all, as there are "darker" games that can still have a good script, lessons to learn, heroism, great dialogue, and so forth. That it's turned "darker" and abandons many of the principles that made the first game so great is disappointing to hear. I look forward to hearing some reviews from members after they've had a chance to play the game (especially those who went through the first one).

 

..Al

[Stingray]

 I look forward to hearing some reviews from members after they've had a chance to play the game (especially those who went through the first one).  

 

Well I played the first one start to finish a couple times (also played the original game on my Mac a million and one times). Even though it looks like this one will be seriously lacking in the story area, I'll still be getting it on release day. Look for my comments on it in this tread.

 

-S

[Albert]

Look for my comments on it in this tread.

 

Will do, thanks.

 

..Al

[Jess Ragan]

I knew there was going to be trouble the moment Ubi Soft started promoting the new darker atmosphere. Sacrificing the artistic direction of the series just to appeal to lamebrained mainstream gamers is the kind of cowardly marketing strategy I would have expected from Naughty Dog, not Ubi Soft or Jordan Mechner. I'll be skipping this one.

 

JR

[SimonTemplar]

I can`t wait to get my hands on Prince of Persia 2 I will not buy it, but I will rent it.

 

- Now, for a really bad game, do not buy or rent Goldeneye Rogue Agent this game is of the poorest quality and really sucks.

[sega saturn x]

Im all for the new dark tones in my eyes i want a game thats totaly dark or totaly light hearted not in the middle.

[Stingray]

From a pure storytelling point of view I can at least follow the logic behind making the prince a darker character. After all he had just finished fighting hoards of zombie sand creatures, which would certainly darken your world outlook somewhat.

 

**WARNING - Sands of Time spoiler below**

 

Also he risked his neck to save the princess who in the end wanted nothing to do with him. This could certainly piss off even the most lighthearted of fellows.

 

/Spoiler

 

I realise of course that I'm only rationalising. This was done entirely to be able to sell games to the "if it ain't rated M it's crap" crowd, but I can at least see how it's possible that this character might have gone in the direction that ubisoft chose to send him.

 

-S

[figgler]

I hear you and I've thought that too. I'd be mighty jaded because of Farah also, that tease. Not so sure I'd be severing heads and such, but whatever. POP2 is going to have mention her in some way to sell me on the story of this game. Whether it be in a flashback or even if he uses that magic word of hers at some point (...something with a c) I'll be impressed. 'Course I'm dreaming and I do not at all expect this to happen.

[Stingray]

According to a couple of the reviews that I read there is a tie-in with Farah in WW, but I don't want to give away too much about the plot for those who are waiting to play the game.

 

-S

[Stingray]

Just went out to get a copy of this at lunch today and was told that it wouldn't be out until tomorrow. Was the release date changed or did I just get the ususal FoS electronics store clerk? I can't get into the official website to check. I would have sworn it was supposed to be released on the 2nd.

 

-S

[Stingray]

Well okay, I just got into the official site after trying unsucessfully all morning. Release date still says Dec. 2nd. Guess I'll try another store after work.

 

-S

[PuddWakkr]

I'm a few hours into the game and I like it so far. What turned me off to the first one was all of the monsters that kept respawing. I hate games like that. So far this one doesn't fall into that category so I'm liking it much more. Also the overall scope of this one feels bigger than the last one, and it seems that whatever that fuzzy effect they used on screen in the first one has been toned done in this version which I like as well. So far nothing that makes me dislike POP WW, but if I get to a section where a seemingly never ending horde of baddies keeps respawing - I'm done.

[Albert]

I'm a few hours into the game and I like it so far. What turned me off to the first one was all of the monsters that kept respawing. I hate games like that. So far this one doesn't fall into that category so I'm liking it much more.

 

I'm not crazy about games that abuse monster respawning either, although it has been useful in a fwe games where you want to quickly level up your characters' stats. I especially hate it in Final Fantasty-style games where you're roaming around trying to get from point A to point B and you keep hitting random encounters, although that is a slightly different issue.

 

..Al

[figgler]

Well the monsters in TSOT don't really respawn. There is definitely a finite number of bad guys in any given section. Once you kill them all, they don't come back. Ubi had to have them "teleport" in I'm guessing because the game can only handle a certain number of characters before slow down kicks in

[Stingray]

Did nothing but play this game last night. I think I can safely say that if you enjoyed Sands of Time you'll enjoy this one.

 

The overall gameplay feels very similar but with vastly improved combat. Like PuddWakkr pointed out they seem to have done away with the endlessly respawining sand creatures (which made the battles in the last game feel so tedious) in favor of having smaller battles more often, and throwing in some more powerful, non-boss type enemies. The battles are a lot tougher but also a lot more fun due to the huge number of attack moves & combos available. Be careful with that jump/ roll button ( X on PS2) when you're near edges, as it's fairly easy to throw yourself over during a fight. On that note, it's also possible to pick up an opponent and toss them over a ledge as well. Mucho fun to be had there.

 

The first major boss battle, which is against some dominatrix looking chick is a lot tougher than the final boss in Sands of Time. I finally came up with a strategy that seems to work pretty well. Attack her two or three times with your primary weapon from the front, roll around behind her and attack a couple more times, roll around & repeat. Don't even bother with your secondary weapon, I was able to do very little damage to her with anything other than my sword.

 

On the subject of secondary weapons, since you don't have the Dagger of Time in this one you are able to pick up weapons that enemies drop. This is a great new feature, as you can change your secondary weapon pretty much as often as you like. You can also throw your secondary weapon (circle on PS2), which is really helpful when fighting a fast moving enemy.

 

Another new feature are the time portals. When you travel through one the castle transforms from a crumbling wreck to it's former glory. There seem to be a lot more enemies in the past and all of the traps are fully functional then.

 

Now a couple of things that I don't like. I thought the music in the last game was much better. I wasn't playing very long before I went into the options screen and turned the music way down, it got on my nerves fairly quickly. I also found the slurping sound that the prince makes when he drinks water to be a little gross. I miss the old "thy wish is granted" music that used to play when he took a drink. Also I could have done without the dialog between the prince & enemies during fights, as most of it is just silly.

 

I think so far I like this one overall every bit as much as I liked Sands of Time. I was expecting a gore fest based on what I had gathered about the game online, but it's nowhere near as bloody as the screenshots make it out to be. It is bloody though, so keep that in mind if you have kids.

 

-S

[Stingray]

Well the monsters in TSOT don't really respawn.  There is definitely a finite number of bad guys in any given section.  Once you kill them all, they don't come back.   Ubi had to have them "teleport" in I'm guessing because the game can only handle a certain number of characters before slow down kicks in

 

You're right, we were misusing the term "respawn". The enemies do eventually stop teleporting in in Sands of Time. The problem I had with that methd is that you never know how many enemies you have to fight before the battle is over. In Warrior Within if you see three enemies, you know that's how many you have to fight. They may be three pushovers, but they also may be three [email protected] that will take you long time to defeat. I definitely prefer the way the battles play out in Warrior Within.

 

-S

[SimonTemplar]

I`ve purchased the game yesterday and played for a few hours ; I recommend it. The battles are alot tougher than in the first game. The game has a much darker, heavy metal tone than in the first game. There is a very tough boss battle at the beginning of the game I had to start over about 15 times ; you gotta learn how to control the prince during battle and his fighting moves this time are way more complex than in the first game.

[PuddWakkr]

I'm glad to hear other people had to restart alot on that first boss. I thought I sucked pretty hard at this game but I guess I die about as much as everyone is.

[Stingray]

After a few more hours of gameplay on this one it become pretty apparant to me that another aspect that differentiates this game from SoT is all of the backtracking. In order to accopmplish an objective you may have to cover the same ground several times. This definitely gives the game a more open-ended feel, but it can sometimes muddy your goal. More than a few times I wandered semi-aimlessly back & forth several times before I figured out what it was that I was actually supposed to do. I'm curently stuck in one of these areas, but as I typed this it occured to me where I may have missed something. Guess I'll check that out tonight.

 

-S