Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Review

Aha! Surprised you didn't I? I didn't warn you I had opinions about video games. Yes, I have a PlayStation 2. Yes, I play games.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time came out way back in 2004. I bought the game for a nice cheap $19.99 at Wal-Mart with a handy dandy Wal-Mart gift card I got for Christmas. It may be the best $19.99 I have spent on a game.

Very basically, the Prince of Persia is a naive young lad who unleashes the sands of time which of course causes all sorts of mayhem. The Prince sets out to fix what he has done. He holds with him the dagger of time which allows him to control time. He can rewind what has just happened (allowing him to cheat death) and he can use it in battles to freeze enemies and dispatch them lightning quick. He is joined by Farrah, the daughter of the sheik he steals the dagger from. She is usually pretty helpful.

The story line is interesting and entertaining. The Prince's acrobatics are amazing and fun. Once I started wall running, I never stopped. While the game is short, it packs in a lot of enjoyment. Controlling time is not only a nice plot device, but very handy for not so skilled gamers like myself who tend to die a lot! The action and fighting do get a bit repetitive, but it was fun learning all the great advantages time control has in a battle. The Prince himself is the narrator and a pretty funny one at that.

The most difficult part of the game, I found, was learning the timing for jumping from wall to wall. It nearly took me forever! But I soon mastered it. The only other gripe I had was Farrah. Yes, she was helpful for the most part. But she was annoying a lot of the time. She's handy when there is a tight space to crawl through, but that whole "Look! A Crack!" thing gets old. Plus, in some battles, I took more damage from her arrow than from my enemies. She also took it upon herself to walk of a couple of ledges while following me, falling to her death and making me restart.

Other than those relatively minor annoyances, the game is great. It remains entertaining, even after beating it a few times. Prince of Persia 2: The Warrior Within is out now, some say it as good or better than the first. I guess I will find out when the price hits $19.99! Don't worry, I will let you know when that happens!

Last Words: I loved it! I recommend it! I own it!