Ubisoft’s first reveal of it Prince of Persia Sands of Time the remake featured a release date set for January 2021, but with an undetermined delay, uncertainty remains regarding a new showcase, let alone a new release date. Given the publisher’s current focus on its Assassin’s Creed franchise, the likelihood of news or discussion surrounding the title remains debatable.
Based on the mostly negative reception that the initial reveal attracted, fans will be hoping for major improvements and advancements more befitting of a remake when Ubisoft is finally ready to reveal more of its Prince of Persia Sands of Time remake. First, the publisher must address the following areas.
5/5 Graphics
On Prince of Persia After the remake’s initial announcement and reveal, many fans were disappointed and frustrated by the graphics shown. Considering the remake title rather than a remaster, sentiment among series fans suggested they believed in the latter.
With next-gen consoles becoming more readily available and the central focus of developers for new titles, not only will expectations be much higher when it comes to the inevitable next reveal, but anything similar to what was previously shown will most likely be met with more Disappointment.
4/5 Gameplay
Similar to the major complaints regarding The last of us part 1 remake and the lack of gameplay changes compared to its original and remastered versions, fans have voiced their concerns. The Prince of Persia trilogy on PS2 featured the same gameplay features in terms of traversal and animations, which were praised for the most part, especially in Two thrones and Sands of Time.
If there’s one thing fans want more of in light of a new showcase, it’s a drastic change in gameplay that also stays true to its roots without being an exact replica. Given the time since the initial reveal, the possibility of a new and overhauled game system is increasingly likely. Whether this means that the title will be released soon is out of the question, at least if the publisher’s approach to Beyond Good And Evil 2is something to go by.
3/5 Cut scenes
Alongside complaints regarding the graphical fidelity of the title, the footage showcased at Ubisoft Forward only added to the distaste for fans, leading many to call for the title to be redone. Some of the cutscenes indicate poor lip syncing and character movements that were deemed unsuitable for a remake.
While the potential of the art style being maintained is likely, Ubisoft developers need to focus on drastically improving lip syncing between characters and making character movements much more realistic than they are now. From what has been shown, it is clear that the story will be kept the same along with the majority of voice lines and the game’s soundtrack. Optimizing all of these along with implementing new elements to justify the release will be extremely beneficial.
2/5 Character models
Whether this comes down to the art style of the title or Ubisoft’s failed attempt to rebuild the title from the ground up, the character models shown in the trailer appear to be more stylized towards the original trilogy. In the PS2 generation, character models were celebrated as such, which is why many see the original games as one of the best video game trilogies of all time.
This was front and center among fan complaints, particularly Dastan’s model, which many felt was underwhelming given the potential of modern technology. Due to the backlash faced by Ubisoft India, attempts to change the character’s model and facial features were quickly showcased. Developers will still have to adjust all the character models to a much higher standard, as this will go hand in hand with the title’s graphics.
1/5 Match
Out of all the factors that are crucial for Prince of Persia Sands of Timenext reveal, is match number one. This was arguably the most beloved entry in the original trilogy, despite its mixed reception internal war. Based on what has been shown so far, fans will be aware that the overall look and feel of the classic fighting style will be maintained in this remake. Seeing how this beloved hack-and-slash engagement with enemies will be conveyed is interesting to many fans to say the least, but only if it’s done right.
What fans of the series will definitely not want to see is a copy-and-paste format, which has been the main criticism of many recent Ubisoft titles such as Far Cry 6 and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. An overhaul in combat in certain areas is very much needed, but developers will do the fans a great service if they are able to balance the intention of keeping the essence and style of the original’s combat.
ONE Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake is currently in development.
