I love the way this prince runs. I think I could watch it forever. Head thrust forward, whole body pointed forward, hands in fists reaching and punching the air, punching what’s coming. He’s angled low, like a velociraptor, but he’s as sleek and as streamlined as the red sash that billows heroically behind him. Something of a modern sports star in the leggings, with a stripe down the outside of the leg to show you which leg is which as he runs. I can only imagine the fabulous, super-light, super-expensive shoes he’s wearing. Not available in the shops yet. A gift from the labs.
The Rogue Prince of Persia leaps into Early Access with a build that’s as lithe, and as slim, as its protagonist. Everything works beautifully, but I guess I should note that there also isn’t much here yet. What there is, though – a few locations, some powers, a few memorable baddies – is enough to answer a question that has been circling the game for a while: in between Dead Cells and Hades 2, is there room for another combat-driven roguelike? If it’s The Rogue Prince of Persia, I think the answer is definitely yes.
This is a lovely game, lovely on the eye and lovely in the controls. And it’s very clear that it comes from the custodians of Dead Cells. That platforming action game is everywhere in here, from the way the 2D levels arrange themselves on a handful of levels – in fact, the height of each stage is massively exploded – to the little fast-travel points you unlock as you move. The prince dashes left to right and he has a melee and ranged attack, both of which can be swapped out for more powerful options as you find them. The pleasure, though, comes in the detailing: the kick, which sends unshielded enemies off ledges, or knocks them into shielded enemies, taking their shields away, and the dodge, which sees the prince leaping over his foe, a gentle hand on the shoulder.
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