Summary
This article contains MINOR SPOILERS forPrince of Persia: The Lost CrownThePrince of Persiafranchise has seen its fair share of ups and downs over the last 35 years, from the revolutionary 1989 original to the disappointingly bland 2008 remake. And that’s just scratching the surface of thePrince of Persiafranchise’s mixed history. But among the bland, there are those few entries that have managed to stand the test of time.Prince of Persia: The Sands of Timeis certainly one of those, and it seems likePrince of Persia: The Lost Crownwill be as well.
A complete rejuvenation for the long-running action/adventure series,Prince of Persia: The Lost Crownsees the series venture into uncharted territory. Technically a throwback tothe series' 2D roots,Prince of Persia: The Lost Crownis also a Metroidvania, which marks a bold new first for the series. But whilePrince of Persia: The Lost Crownfeels completely original, there are plenty of big moments that pay homage to the series' past, and that includesPrince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
How Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown References Sands of Time
Many of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown’s Abilities Are Time-Based
In the beloved 2003 classicPrince of Persia: The Sands of Time, players are given almost immediate access to the titular time manipulation powers. From the get-go, these powers allow players to reverse time by a few seconds, allowing them to avoid the lethal results of a failed parry or a failed leap. InPrince of Persia: The Lost Crown, the players don’t technically have access to the Sands of Time themselves, but they do still have access to a range of abilities that seemingly bend time.
Some ofPrince of Persia: The Lost Crown’s time-based abilities are a bit more obvious than the others. TheShield of Mithra Amulet, for instance, has some clear similarities toSands of Time’s Power of Delay and Power of Haste, letting players slow down time in an arc around them upon getting a successful parry. Other time-based abilities are a bit more subtle inThe Lost Crown, such as the air dash, which isn’t overtly explained to the player but appears to show Sargon running along a time fracture.
One Cutscene Flips Sands of Time on its Head
WhilePrince of Persia: The Lost Crown’s abilitiesact as subtle references and fresh spins of belovedSands of Timemechanics, there’s one cutscene that directly plays with fan expectations. A few hours intoThe Lost Crown, players are hit with the twist that Vahram - one of Sargon’s fellow Immortals and essentially his father figure - is actually the main villain of the game. After killing the kidnapped Prince, Vahram proceeds to attack Sargon, using a few abilities that might look a little familiar toSands of Timefans.
After beating Sargon within an inch of his life, throwing him against a wall, and pinning him there with a sword thrown in his arm, Vahram gestures towards the trapped warrior, delivering a sound effect and visual filter that fans will instantly recognize as the same one that occurs whenever the Prince uses hisrewind power inSands of Time. What follows is a delightfully dark twist on fan service, showing Vahram rewinding time only to continue attacking Sargon.
