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Prince of Persia 'Epilogue' DLC coming to 360, PS3 on Feb. 26
Cel-shaded scurrying news now, with Ubisoft announcing a downloadable extension to its latest Prince of Persia game ... Prince of Persia. Set directly after the events of the main narrative, the "Epilogue" DLC expands the acrobatic protagonist's playground, as well as his magical companion's repertoire of powers. Epilogue's associate producer, Jamal Rguigui, tells IGN that players can expect the new Underground Palace area "to keep you on the edge of your seat." And even if you slide right off, we're sure Elika will be there to grab you. While careful not to spoil the game's conclusion, Rguigui notes that Epilogue will further develop the relationship between the main characters and task them with defeating a new enemy, The Shapeshifter. "The Shapeshifter is an enemy that takes the form of two of Ahriman's most fearsome Lieutenants, the Warrior and the Hunter," he says. "Though their physical form is familiar to our heroes and the player, it will requires a particular strategy to defeat the Shapeshifter, rewarding the player that takes advantage of the new sprint feature exclusive to the Epilogue."In addition to the royal rogue's sprinting offensive, the DLC gives Elika the "Energize" power, which allows her to temporarily restore a piece of destroyed environment. Tough-guy gamers will also be pleased to note that said environment will offer more challenging platforming sequences and additional traps to be almost-killed by. "We wanted to build a challenge and experience even greater with all the tools at our disposal, and let me say that there are a lot: Elika's power, traps, combat system, etc." Look for all of those etc. on PSN and Xbox Live on February 26th. We'll update as soon Ubisoft settles on a price.%Gallery-43418%
Metareview - Prince of Persia (PC, PS3, 360)
Devoid of generic rage and frustrating deaths, Prince of Persia marks quite an easy, effortless end to 2008's video game gauntlet -- at least, according to reviewers. Though the platforming has been simplified, most seem to agree that the expansive world and chemistry between the two lead characters make for a worthwhile experience. We're also seeing the word "magical" appear quite often. IGN UK (94/100) calls Prince of Persia an "incredibly polished, tremendously enjoyable and utterly lovable experience." It supposedly builds on the best elements of previous games to create an "absolutely unforgettable adventure" that's "magical in every sense of the word." Well, probably not the Harry Potter sense of the word. Game Informer (87.5/100) notes that the simplified platforming is an "elegant and simple way to show off thrilling acrobatics, but it also steals control away from the player." However, it deems the tradeoff worthwhile, as "the more relaxed control input still demands skill and careful timing." Either way, it's "unlike any other game you'll play this year." 1UP (B+) approves of Princess rescuing Prince, pointing out that while "this human safety net may seem counterintuitive in offering a sense of challenge, the entire process functions similarly to most other death-checkpoint systems (you die, you go back to a nearby checkpoint), but with the added benefit of giving the action a more seamless feel." Gamespot (80/100) thinks the "easygoing joy and visual beauty will charm you into forgiving a sprinkling of flaws." They call it "one of the easiest games you'll play all year," but one boasting "some truly impressive level design."
Prince of Persia dated for Dec. 2
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Prince_of_Persia_out_on_Dec_2'; Ubisoft has confirmed that its new, aesthetically alluring Prince of Persia adventure will be purifying that dubious stack of plastic cases you call a game collection on December 2nd, 2008. The absurdly agile protagonist and his lithe lady friend, Elika, will be putting Ahriman (you know, typically disgruntled god thing) in his place on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC.If you'd prefer to get your hands on a slightly more adorable variant of the wall-running scrambler, you'll want to check out the DS' Prince of Persia: The Fallen King, which releases on the same day.%Gallery-23908%%Gallery-26241%
Prince of Persia co-op: 'possibility' being explored
In an upcoming interview with Videogaming247, Prince of Persia's "community development manager" Chris Easton apparently backtracks from producer Ben Mattes' assertion that there would be no co-op support, despite the clearly cooperative gameplay between the prince and Elika, his deadly new ally.Easton told the site, "There are no plans for co-op as of now, but we may explore the possibility" – which, according to our Noncommittal Marketing Speak to English dictionary, puts the chances of co-op being added into the game somewhere between "not happening" and "potentially not not happening." For what it's worth, Joystiq would like to throw its full support behind adding more gameplay options to highly anticipated games. We know that sounds radical, but that's just how we feel.%Gallery-23908%
New Prince of Persia teases 'deadly new ally'
Well, it's nice having a deadly new thing on your side for a change. Ubisoft's teaser video for the new Prince of Persia, hitting Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC this holiday season, doesn't reveal much, but it does provide a glimpse of the title's touted, open world and the princely protagonist's lovely assistant, Elika. We lika very much, actually.%Gallery-23908%
