Summary
For the second time this year, thePrince of Persiafranchise has been lovingly revived, this time by formerDead Cellsco-developer Evil Empire. Released onto Steam early access about a week ago,The Rogue Prince of Persiais another 2D entry in the series that hearkens back to the series' roots, but as opposed toThe Lost Crown’s Metroidvania approach,The Rogue Prince of Persiaadopts the roguelike genre.
During an average run inThe Rogue Prince of Persia, players will be parkouring their way through the city of Ctesiphon, vaulting over Hun invaders, and quickly stabbing them in the back, all in an attempt to save the Prince’s city and loved ones from the dark magic threatening to consume them. Of course, along the way, players will have to face off against some more imposing foes, andThe Rogue Prince of Persia’s boss fights are already shaping up to be something really special.
The Rogue Prince of Persia Should Double Down on Bosses
The Rogue Prince of Persia’s Bosses Are a Big Highlight
After successfully making their way to the end of two consecutive biomes,The Rogue Prince of Persiawill reward players with a boss fight. This first boss fight puts the player up against General Berude, a minotaur-like enemy that towers over the Prince. While Berude’s moveset is pretty predictable for an enemy of their stature and animalistic nature, it’s how that moveset complimentsRogue Prince of Persia’s mechanicsthat makes the fight feel so rewarding.
InThe Rogue Prince of Persia, players are given the novel ability to climb and run along most of the screen’s background. Inthe Berude boss fight, players can parkour across the entirety of the screen’s background, essentially making the entire stage their playground. This mechanic goes hand-in-hand with Berude’s moveset, which forces the player to avoid AoE attacks, oncoming projectiles, and charge attacks by climbing the background wall at opportune moments.
The Rogue Prince of Persia’s second boss fightdelivers an even more compelling engagement, being a real test of everything the player has learned so far. Named Baatar, this second Hun General primarily uses a series of ranged magic attacks that must all be avoided quickly. These magic attacks will have players running to the other side of the screen to avoid a projectile, climbing walls to avoid a horizontal blast of energy, and reaching higher platforms to escape a ground blast. Every few attack cycles, Baatar takes to the sky, causing the arena to fill with dark magic, and forcing the player to quickly parkour their way up the environment to avoid being consumed by the darkness. It’s an incredibly difficult fight, but its highly skill-based nature also makes it feel incredibly rewarding.
Evil Empire Needs to Deliver More of the Same with Its Boss Fights
The one big downside ofThe Rogue Prince of Persia’s boss fights is that there aren’t enough of them. In its current early access build,The Rogue Prince of Persiahas just two bosses, but the high level of quality present in each bodes very well for the game’s future. Developer Evil Empire has already stated that more boss fights arecoming toRogue Prince of Persiaduring its early access period, and when creating them, the devs mustn’t forget why the last two fights feel so rewarding.
The Rogue Prince of Persia
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience a fast-paced, challenging but accessible roguelite as you master acrobatic moves and flow seamlessly between platforming and combat. Find new weapons, equip trinkets with special effects and upgrade them to make your own builds. Discover new characters, information and areas as you try to find a way to save Persia from a Hun invasion and become the hero you have always wanted to be.Lead the Prince in his fight against a Hun army corrupted by dark shamanic magic and find your place in the royal family as you explore a vibrant reinterpretation of Persia. Put the pieces of the puzzle together and discover new areas as you enter the fight again and again, meeting a cast of colorful characters through non-linear story progression.Flow seamlessly between platforming and combat, using your acrobatic moves to outmaneuver and outsmart your enemies. Use the iconic wall-run to open new routes of attack, avoid traps and explore hard to reach areas. Kick and dodge to manage groups of enemies when the odds are against you.Choose from a variety of deadly weapons and equip new medallions each run to unleash devastating effects, giving you the freedom to change your fighting style as you wish. Secondary weapons offer even more options, from bows to shields to grappling hooks. Switch your loadout mid-run to adapt to new challenges.
