Prince of Persia Video Game Franchise

The Prince of Persia video game franchise is one of the most popular gaming franchises. In this article, we exclusively explore the themes of The Forgotten Sands and what makes it so different. Jordan Mechner was the creator of the Prince of Persia franchise. It focuses on the adventures of an unnamed Prince from medieval Iran. Prince of Persia is mostly popular for the acrobatic and swordsmanship skills of the Prince. The Prince uses these skills in combat or for escaping from his enemies. The concept of wall running was a personal favorite. Many other video games currently use this concept of wall running. The Assassin’s Creed video game franchise mostly has the same elements, themes, and styles as Prince of Persia.

Ubisoft has taken over the development of this video game series from The Sands of Time. Several other companies have developed the earlier installments of this game series. In 2003, Ubisoft released The Sands of Time for the first time. Ubisoft released The Warrior Within, The Two Thrones, and The Forgotten Sands in the upcoming years. There were other spin-offs as well which were not related to the main storyline. There was a gap of seven years in the main storyline between The Sands of Time and The Warrior Within. The events of The Forgotten Sands filled in that gap.

Mixed Reviews

The Forgotten Sands received a lot of negative reviews on its initial release. Many players felt that the storyline was not very strong. The player base also felt that there was a certain lack of character development in terms of the main protagonist. I really enjoyed playing The Forgotten Sands as it was more challenging than the other games in the series. The first couple of hours of the gameplay would have one thinking that it’s comparatively easier than the other installments. As the game progresses, it gets more difficult and challenging with the Prince unlocking his new powers.

The Sands of Time Vs. The Forgotten Sands

The story of The Sands of Time was much more gripping than The Forgotten Sands. The gameplay was less challenging when compared to The Forgotten Sands, as well as the other parts. The story begins with the narration of the adventures of the Prince to an unknown listener. The main antagonist of this game was none other than The Vizier. Not going much into the details of the story. We finally arrive at the ultimate question! How was The Forgotten Sands a departure from The Sands of Time formula? The difference basically lies in the Prince’s powers and how he achieved them!

The Sands of Time

In The Sands of Time, the prince discovered a dagger known as the Dagger of Time. That dagger, along with the Sands of Time, granted the Prince with the Time Powers. The dagger had a glass hilt filled with the Sands of Time. The Prince only had to press a button on that dagger to use those special powers. Sands of Time also has the power to change any living creature into a monster. One can conclude after playing the game that the dagger would have been useless without the Sands of Time. The Prince returns the dagger to its rightful place at the end of the game.

The Forgotten Sands

The story of The Forgotten Sands begins after few months have passed since the incidents of The Sands of Time. The Prince was sent to his elder brother Malik’s kingdom to learn about leadership. In the first few hours of the gameplay, the Prince has no special powers. He was just an ordinary guy with extraordinary acrobatic skills. As the gameplay progresses, we get to know the main antagonist, whose name is Ratash. Ratash takes control over Malik and becomes undefeatable with a special weapon named the Djinn Sword. The Prince meets Razia, who happened to be a Djinn (a genie). Razia grants the Prince with Powers of the Djinn and also helps him find the Djinn Sword. At the end of the game, the Prince returns the weapon to its original place. Again, it was Sayonara for all the special powers!

Time Powers in The Sands of Time

The Time Powers helped the Prince to overcome obstacles or defeat any enemy. Those powers are as follows:-
1) The Power of Revival – Used for rewinding time. It can undo death, injuries, movement of the Prince and enemies, as well as environmental changes.
2) The Power of Delay – Used for slowing down the time of everything except the Prince himself.
3) The Power of Restraint – Used to freeze the enemies who are stabbed with the Dagger of Time.
4) The Power of Haste – This is a combination of the power of delay and restraint. It helps the Prince to move from one frozen enemy to another instantly.
5) The Power of Destiny – It shows some visions of possible futures and clues to the Prince.

Powers of the Djinn in The Forgotten Sands

The Powers of the Djinn are powers that are based on the elements of nature and time. These powers include:-
1) Power of Time – This power is similar to the power of revival under the Time Powers.
2) Power of Flow – Used for freezing water.
3) Power of Flight – This helps the Prince to attack an enemy from a distance after teleporting towards its location.
4) Power of Memory – This is used to restore ruins temporarily. It is also known as Earth Recall.
5) Ice Blast – Used to create an icy blast that damages the nearby enemies.
6) Trail of Flame – This leaves a trail of flame on the path walked by the Prince. It also causes damage to the enemies walking on the same path.
7) Stone Armor – This power gives an armor shield to the Prince.
8) Whirlwind – Used to create a blast of wind that knocks the enemies down.

Final Verdict

I have personally enjoyed playing all the parts of this video game series. The Forgotten Sands was released 7 years after the release of The Sands of Time, so it was obviously better in its graphic layout. The Sands of Time had a better storyline, but The Forgotten Sands gameplay was much more challenging, so I enjoyed the latter more. Prince of Persia – The Sands of Time Remake was released recently in 2021 by Ubisoft Pune, where the graphics have been adjusted and modified according to the current trends. I hope you enjoy reading through this article as much I enjoyed writing it down.

Further Reading: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Prince-of-Persia