Gloves | 12,251 Administrator · Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 I wasn't planning on it, but ended up picking up a small lot of PS2 games which included all 3 PoP games. My original plan was to just resell them to offset costs, but I seem to recall my brother liking them back in the day, while I never tried them myself. So now I'm thinking hey - I have them all, hard part done, maybe I give em a go. Curious if anyone here has played them, and what you thought? Good games? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumez | 3,153 Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 (edited) Crazy good games, a highlight of that generation IMO. And especially at the time they were a really nice breath of fresh air (before every game had to have parkour in them) The first game is just solid good fun with a nice arabian nights tone to it. The second game got a bit of a backlash from changing its tone to annoyingly dark and edgy, but honestly looking past that I think it's an even better game than the first (it has an interesting level design where you revisit the same areas as they lap over eachother, and get to explore abit - the two other games are much more linear), and it fits the continuity of the two games pretty well despite the tonal shift. Both are must plays IMO. The third, while still a good game, feels probably a little tired at that point. It's not too memorable, but if you play the first two and like them, you might just as well play them all. Edited July 29, 2020 by Sumez 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed Rothchild | 9,918 Editorials Team · Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 First one is great. Second is very fun, but has a few things I wasn't crazy about. Haven't gotten around to the third one. 3D platforming before these games = Tomb Raider 3D platforming after these games = every game you see nowadays 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumez | 3,153 Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 (edited) Yeah these games were a massive influence on modern video games, so they might stand out less in retrospect than they did at the time. I can't imagine they don't hold up though. They were too enjoyable not to. Edited July 29, 2020 by Sumez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostLevel83 | 87 Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 Sands of Time is great. All three got released as remastered versions on a PS3 compilation also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloves | 12,251 Administrator · Posted July 29, 2020 Author Share Posted July 29, 2020 Thanks for the input guys, gonna keep em. I'll give em a go and hey, worst case I don't like them and sell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesRobot | 6,026 Events Team · Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 They're all pretty great but the first one has the best tone and theme in comparison to the original PoP. Don't know why they had to be rated M for the second and third entries. The time mechanic is top notch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloves | 12,251 Administrator · Posted July 29, 2020 Author Share Posted July 29, 2020 2 minutes ago, JamesRobot said: They're all pretty great but the first one has the best tone and theme in comparison to the original PoP. Don't know why they had to be rated M for the second and third entries. The time mechanic is top notch. Edge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPX | 1,403 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 On 7/30/2020 at 1:10 AM, Reed Rothchild said: First one is great. Second is very fun, but has a few things I wasn't crazy about. Haven't gotten around to the third one. 3D platforming before these games = Tomb Raider 3D platforming after these games = every game you see nowadays I think your “3D platforming” summary is a little bit oversimplified. Tomb Raider is more your 3D platformer shooting games. Then there are 3D platformers in the Mario mould eg. Ratchet, Jak/Daxter games. The Prince of Persia series are your 3D platformer action types like Shenmue and Ninja Gaiden. I would say on the PS2, the Prince of Persia series would be one of the best gaming trilogies in the action genre. God of War most likely took some inspiration from this POP series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BortLicensePlate | 652 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Great games. I've played all 3 but warrior within was the first one I tried and played all the way through. It's an interesting mix if action and platforming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BortLicensePlate | 652 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 On 7/29/2020 at 12:42 PM, Sumez said: Yeah these games were a massive influence on modern video games, so they might stand out less in retrospect than they did at the time. I can't imagine they don't hold up though. They were too enjoyable not to. Do you have any examples of modern games that take heavy inspiration from them? I dont play new games all that much but I'd be interested in checking some out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Hobbesworth | 20 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 1 hour ago, BortLicensePlate said: Do you have any examples of modern games that take heavy inspiration from them? I dont play new games all that much but I'd be interested in checking some out Mainly Assassin's Creed, the series that killed Prince of Persia. People seem to care more about open world 3d platforming than linear 3d platforming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed Rothchild | 9,918 Editorials Team · Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 3 hours ago, BortLicensePlate said: Do you have any examples of modern games that take heavy inspiration from them? I dont play new games all that much but I'd be interested in checking some out https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2015/05/31/the-essentials-prince-of-persia-the-sands-of-time.aspx Ass Creed, Tomb Raider, Uncharted, Mirror's Edge... hell, even Darksiders II ( which I just started) cribs everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbd39 | 2,092 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Here's an a more critical take on Sands of Time. I haven't played it myself. I also disagree with this reviewer fairly often. https://videogamecritic.com/ps2or.htm?e=00954#rev2690 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed Rothchild | 9,918 Editorials Team · Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 2 hours ago, mbd39 said: Here's an a more critical take on Sands of Time. I haven't played it myself. I also disagree with this reviewer fairly often. https://videogamecritic.com/ps2or.htm?e=00954#rev2690 The fact that he dumps on Beyond Good and Evil in the same review tells you everything you need to know 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumez | 3,153 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 (edited) 12 hours ago, BortLicensePlate said: Do you have any examples of modern games that take heavy inspiration from them? I dont play new games all that much but I'd be interested in checking some out I wouldn't think directly ripping off as much as the general style of game started taking over at the time. Almost every "action adventure game" nowadays is a linear storytelling comprised of a pace shifting between traversing/climbing terrain and battling baddies. The Uncharted series is a pretty good example. And of cause all the other ones mentioned by Reed. Lots of details in how the game is built up, too. Like the way your character moves, and the way it hints at where you're supposed to climb to get to the next area, the way you fight enemies, etc. It's influential in kind of the same way Ocarina of Time is, though probably not to the same extent. Edited July 31, 2020 by Sumez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BortLicensePlate | 652 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 Assassin's Creed is way worse than Prince of Persia imo. I do remember seeing uncharted for the first time and thinking it looked cool, and noticing the similarities to POP while still being it's own thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumez | 3,153 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 Yeah, I meant pretty much I wouldn't take the fact that it's inspired a lot of games in its wake as a recommendation to actually seek out those games ICO also inspired a ton of games that are nothing like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BortLicensePlate | 652 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 Yeah for sure. I never played uncharted, I didn't have a ps3 when I came out but I remember really wanting to. I think I still have a copy of it somewhere, should try that out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumez | 3,153 Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 You might skip the first and go directly to Uncharted 2. The first is decent, but U2 is a massive accomplishment in terms of pacing and cinematic design in narrative driven video games. U1 is kind of the opposite. It really drags on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now