New multiplayer exploits for Prince of Persia Rival Swords on PSP
The artist formerly known as the Prince of Persia still is. But now there's rival royalty
You wait months for one of Persia's princes to show up, and then two come along at once. Admittedly they're within the same game: in this follow-up to the Prince of Persia's previous excellent PSP outing, you'll battle a Dark Prince to ensure the good Prince wins the day, even as the Dark Prince's spirit possesses the original one.
Still with us? It's not quite as complicated as it sounds. The Prince of Persia games always have an engaging if convoluted storyline, but it's the action that's most compelling, mixing acrobatic platform exploration with fancy sword-fighting, all delivered in some of the nicest graphics around.
And while Rival Swords is based on the Prince of Persia The Two Thrones game some readers may have played on the home consoles, there looks like being plenty of new stuff for PSP gamers to get their teeth stuck into.
For starters, there's a new multiplayer Versus mode, which sees you assume the role of one of the Prince's racing the other in a timed contest through special interlinked levels. By activating switches in your own level you trigger traps and obstacles in your rival's course, slowing them down. (Veteran gamers might recall Spy Vs Spy at this point; it'll be interesting to see how the interaction between the two levels plays out.)
We're also excited by talk of brand new chariot combat levels, accessible straight off the main menu. More details please Ubisoft!
As for the main single-player game, expect a deep and involving pocket gaming epic as you battle along the streets and over the rooftops of Babylon.
There are two different characters to get to grips with (presumably the same as in the console game – we won't spoil the plot surprise here), who each boast their own fighting style and weapons.
There are also several different combat options – the free-form fighting system familiar from the first PSP game, the 'Daggertail' ranged attack, and the sneaky speed kills, which put a premium on surprise.
Prince of Persia Rival Swords is being developed for Ubisoft by Foundation 9 Entertainment. The game should be out in Europe for Christmas, with a US release unusually scheduled later, for next year.