The Rogue Prince of Persia Review: A Pleasing but Unremarkable Experience

The Rogue Prince of Persia is a roguelike game that promises to deliver an exciting experience, but ultimately falls short of expectations. Developed by Evil Empire, the same studio behind Dead Cells, this game is set in the ancient kingdom of Persia, where the Prince must navigate through treacherous landscapes and fight against an army of evil Huns wielding black magic.

The gameplay is a solid effort, with a focus on mixing movement and combat in a seamless way. The fluidity of the platforming is impressive, particularly during randomly occurring races where you have to outrun an evil tentacle. However, the combat feels a bit inelegant at times, with certain combo attacks pushing enemies out of range or a kick move that feels situational.

The visuals are undoubtedly the standout element of the game, with a clean, hand-drawn "ligne claire" style reminiscent of comics like Tintin. The characters have an immediate visual charm, and the daylight regions have a nicely zesty quality to them. However, the writing falls short of meeting the panache of the visuals, with broad, predictable, one-note archetypes that provide little to invest in.

The game's design is also somewhat lacking in ambition, existing in the shadow of numerous better games. It can't match the cleverness of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, or the depth and replayability of Hades or FTL: Faster Than Light. At times, it even feels like a deliberate homage to Dead Cells, with whole regions and boss fights that mimic it.

Despite its lackluster design, The Rogue Prince of Persia is still an enjoyable game to play. The movement powers are well-implemented, and mastering them takes time and skill. The temporary speed boost for timing jumps and actions adds a nice layer of complexity to the gameplay.

Overall, The Rogue Prince of Persia is a perfectly pleasant and serviceable distraction, but it doesn't stand out in any significant way. It's an experience that would be easier to justify if it had been a themed DLC crossover for Dead Cells, but similarities aside, it's still worth playing for fans of the genre.

Rating: 6.5/10

About the Author

Joel Franey is a writer, journalist, podcaster and raconteur with a Masters from Sussex University. He spends most of his time playing video games, reading old books and ingesting chemically-risky levels of caffeine.