Worldwide critics have embraced the latest entry in the Prince of Persia saga, titled Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, sparking lively conversations across gaming communities. The warm reception stems from broad consensus among review aggregators and enthusiasts alike, pointing to a renewed sense of wonder and excitement around a beloved franchise. In Canada and the United States, players have followed the early chatter with keen interest, curious to see how a modern reimagining would honor the series’ heritage while embracing contemporary design sensibilities.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a 2.5D action-adventure that blends metroidvania exploration with tight platforming mechanics. Developed and published by Ubisoft, the game marks a return to the main series after a fourteen-year hiatus, delivering a bridge between classic puzzle-solving roots and a more modern, fluid combat flow. It released across multiple platforms, including PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, and Nintendo Switch, ensuring that fans on any preferred system could jump into the desert-spun escape room of parkour and peril.
The Nintendo Switch version earned the highest accolades, scoring 87 out of 100 from reviewers across eighteen critiques. Trailing closely were the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S editions, both hovering in the mid-80s with 86 out of 100, the PS5 tally drawn from sixty-six reviews and the Series consoles from nineteen. The PC edition, while still strong, landed the lowest score in this round of critiques, tallying 84 out of 100 from twenty-seven assessments. These numbers reflect a diverse spectrum of opinions, underscoring how platform nuances can color perceptions of pacing, performance, and aesthetic fidelity.
Many critics singled out Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown as a standout example within the metroidvania spectrum. Reviewers praised the game for its well-constructed action sequences, its precise and responsive platforming, and the way level design encourages persistent exploration. The art direction drew particular praise for its stylized visuals, which breathe new life into familiar desert motifs while maintaining a sense of timeless charm. Across Canadian and American outlets, the consensus was that the game balances challenge with accessible progression, inviting players to push deeper into its labyrinthine maps without feeling overwhelmed by obstacles.
On the other hand, several voices highlighted pacing as a notable drawback. Some critics observed that the tempo can sag in the early sections before gaining momentum in the latter half, causing a dip in momentum that disrupts the otherwise steady rhythm. A few reviewers argued that certain encounters feel repetitious, and a handful noted that checkpoint distribution occasionally breaks immersion by interrupting the flow of action at less forgiving moments. Despite these critiques, the overall tone remained positive, with many praising the sense of discovery and the satisfaction of chaining well-timed jumps and combos across sprawling environments.
In the broader context of 2024, the industry faced widespread shifts, including news that several former game developers were affected by layoffs across various studios. While these events reverberated through the community, they did not dampen enthusiasm for Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, which continued to perform strongly on release weekend and maintained a robust post-launch discussion among fans and critics in both North American markets. The dialogue around the game emphasized its willingness to honor the franchise’s legacy while charting a path forward with contemporary design language, leaving audiences in Canada and the United States eager for more adventures from the Prince of Persia universe.