Summary
First announced back in June 2023,Prince of Persia: The Lost Crownmade a pretty big impact right out of the gate. The first mainlinePrince of Persiagame in well over a decade,The Lost Crownwas set to be a return to form for the long-dormant franchise, taking fans all the way back to its 1989 origins with another 2D side-scroller. But rather than be a small-scale platforming adventure like the games it was trying to ape,Prince of Persia: The Lost Crowndecided to really push the boat out, delivering a fully-fledged20–30-hour Metroidvania action-adventure.
Now a few days after its initial release, it seems as though Ubisoft’s experimental decision has paid off massively, withPrince of Persia: The Lost Crownbeing the first major critical hit of 2024. It seems as thoughThe Lost Crownwas exactly the type of reinvention that thePrince of Persiafranchise needed, and there’s another game set to release this year that finds itself in a similar boat.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Visions of Mana Are in the Same Boat
Prince of Persia and The Mana Franchise Share Some Similar History
On paper, thePrince of PersiaandManafranchises are completely different, with the former being a Western action-platformer series, and the latter being aJRPG franchise. But beneath the surface,Prince of PersiaandManaactually share a lot of similarities, especially when it comes to their development history and the great influence they had on their respective genres.
Released in 1989, the firstPrince of Persiagame may look a bit basic and rough around the edges today, but at the time it delivered a platforming experience like no other. WhileSuper Mario Bros.had pioneered the side-scroller,Prince of Persiahad given it a never-before-seen layer of realism, with its smooth rotoscoped animations breaking new ground for the genre. Just two years later,the firstManagamereleased. Originally titledFinal Fantasy Adventure, the firstManatitle, and its sequelSecret of Mana, were instrumental parts of the initial JRPG sensation that swept the SNES era.
After their initial influential entries, bothPrince of Persiaand theManaseries would continue to grow. WhilePrince of Persiacontinued through the 90s, got a new lease of life withSands of Timein 2003, and carried on being fairly successful until the early 2010s, theManafranchise followed a similar pattern, managing to stay relevant through sequels, spinoffs, and remakes, many of which continue to this day. But while the gaming public is generally aware of these franchises, they’re not exactly at the forefront of the industry anymore.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Visions of Mana Are Long-Awaited Franchise Revivals
It’s been 14 years since the last mainlinePrince of Persiagame released, and it’s been even longer for theManaseries, with its last mainline entry releasing all the way back in 2006. In the lengthy gap between releases, games heavily influenced by bothPrince of PersiaandManahave launched, many of which would render an official follow-up a bit redundant. If these franchises were going to come back, then it was clear they were going to need to make some big changes.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crownhas done exactly that, delivering a wonderfully nostalgic 2D Metroidvania experience that genuinely innovates and pushes the franchise forward at the same time, and by all accounts fans are loving it. Set to release in theSummer of 2024,Visions of Manalooks to be trying to achieve the same thing asPrince of Persia: The Lost Crown, putting a fresh action-RPG spin on the beloved franchise, and hopefully it’ll be able to achieve similar results.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
WHERE TO PLAY
Dash into a stylish and thrilling action-adventure platformer set in a mythological Persian world where the boundaries of time and space are yours to manipulate. Play as Sargon and evolve from sword-wielding prodigy to extraordinary legend as you master acrobatic combat and unlock new Time Powers and unique super abilities.UNLEASH YOUR INNER WARRIORUse your Time Powers, combat, and platforming skills to perform deadly combos and defeat time-corrupted enemies and mythological creatures.LOSE YOURSELF IN THE PRODIGIOUS MOUNT QAFDiscover a cursed Persian-inspired world filled with larger-than-life landmarks and explore a variety of highly detailed biomes, each with their own identity, wonder, and danger.LIVE AN EPIC ADVENTUREImmerse yourself in a Persian mythological fantasy through an intriguing and original story as you use your wits to solve puzzles, find hidden treasures, and complete quests to learn more about this corrupted place.
