"You're going to fight to save his people. You're going to fight to get revenge. But the most important battle that you will - the battle for his soul. "
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones - a computer game developed by Ubisoft for the Xbox, PC, PlayStation 2 and GameCube. The game was released in December 2005, in North America and Europe. Version for the PlayStation Portable and Wii came out in April 2007 under the title Prince of Persia: Rival Swords.
In this game you will control two characters: the Prince and his alter-ego, the terrible Dark Prince, whom the Sands of Time gave birth to.
Introduction
Set in 610 BC in the 7th century BC seven years after the first game, The Prince changed his fate, killed the Guardian of Time, the Dahaka, and returned to Babylon bearing with him his lover, Kaileena The Empress of Time (following the canon ending in Prince of Persia: Warrior Within), only to find the city enslaved by an enemy army. Later, the ship that the Prince and Kaileena were sailing on falls under enemy attack. The boat is destroyed, and Kaileena drifts inland where she is kidnapped; the Prince witnesses this and begins to search for her abductors. After wandering around for a while, the 26 year old Prince manages to catch up with Kaileena, only to find her in the hands of the Vizier. As before, on the Island of Time, the Prince canceled the very establishment of the Sands of Time, also resulting in cancelling the death of the Vizier. However, when the Maharajah went to the Island of Time, he did not find the Sands (as in the previous version of history, before the Prince made the change), but books were found on island along with the Dagger of Time. After reviewing all this knowledge and recieving the dagger, the Vizier found that it would grant him eternal life, for which he needs the Empress of Time (Kaileena). With this knowledge, and from a vision granted by the Dagger, the Vizier when to Babylon, to await the Prince's arrival; knowing that the Prince would be returing there with Kaileena.
The Prince, seeing that the Vizier had plans to kill Kaileena, charged at him, only to be captured by an ambush by one of his minions. With the Prince watching on, the Vizier explained to the Prince exactly what was happening and what his plans were, and then stabbed Kaileena with the Dagger of Time, creating the sands and tooking her human life, along with his own mortality. After killing the Empress, the Vizier stabs himself and is corrupted with the powers of sand, becoming Zurvan, the God of Time. Releasing the power of the sands once again, its power corrupts all Babylon, including his two bodyguards and, eventually, the Prince. By the way, this event made the Prince's escape possible, and, while trying to reach his rival, he falls into a crack, but once again acquires the Dagger of Time. He manages to get a hold of it, and wakes up to find himself in a sewer, with his left arm infected by the sands.
Taking Back Babylon
After the Vizier unleashes the power of the dagger, the Prince begins his journey to take back control over his home city of Babylon.
During the beginning of his journey, the Prince is helped by Princess Farah, whom he remembers from his previous journeys, even though time was turned back, meaning they technically didn't meet.
One problem with the Prince is awakened in him, an alter-ego, due to the fact that the Prince was infected with Sands of Time, which is a cynical and brutal voice, talking to him. Also, the Prince is transformed in appearance from time to time, turning into sand monster, the Dark Prince (which is similar to the transformation in the Sand Spirit, in the second part of the game), who constantly loses health, filling it only with sand. Another issue are the decisions that he would have to take, being divided into only reclaiming his title and throne or being a true ruler, taking care of his people before facing his enemy. Farah will be decisive on this role, always remembering the Prince thah his people and the nation's peace comes first compared to the simple and arrogant sensation of vengeance against Zurvan. On the other hand, the Dark Prince will act as an opposite influence, always remembering the Prince of his quest of bloodlust, and stopping to save people will only delay him to find the way to the throne.
After many battles, puzzles and the unfortunate kiddnap of Princess farah into the hands of Zurvan, the Prince (in his dark form) finds the body of Sharaman and his powerful sword. The Prince finally realises his childish and arrogant attitude and decides to face the consequences of his previous actions. He tells his alter-ego to be gone.
After a difficult battle, the Prince plunges a dagger into the heart of the Vizier, thereby killing him and contradicting the immortality of his greatest foe. Sands from the Vizier and all of Sand Monsters merged into the image of Kaileena. She says that the present world wasn't meant for her, but there were others. She thanks the Prince for the kindness he showed her. After that, the Prince gives her the Dagger, and she picks up the last part of the sand that was in the Prince (his hand is the same, and the chain falls off, leaving the arm without any traces). After this Kaileena's spirit dies.
Suddenly, the Prince and Farah hear a strange ringing. The Prince sees his crown, but when he goes to pick it up, a man approaches in a cloak, and picks up the crown. The person is revealed to be the Dark Prince, who wants the Prince's kingdom and mentally strikes him with the daggertail.
The Prince enters a mental realm and tries to eliminate the Dark Prince. The Dark Prince accuses the Prince of letting the power of time go. The Prince tells him that he has changed and no longer agrees with his ways. The Prince passes through many places from his past. He arrives on a platform with two thrones on it. Suddenly Farah appears and tells the Prince to leave this place of evil ("You must not chase this shadow. Turn away! Wake up!"). Everywhere on the platform there are clones of the Dark Prince, who laugh at the Prince. After that, he begins to climb the steps leading out of the realm, which makes the Dark Prince panic. The Dark Prince is forever left behind.
The Prince wakes up on the roof beside of Farah. They start to talk, standing at the railing of the roof. Farah asks the Prince how he really knew her name. In response, the Prince says a familiar beginning. "Most people think time is like a river that flows swift and sure in one direction. But I have seen the face of time and I can tell you, they are wrong. Time is an ocean in a storm. You may wonder who I really am, and why I say this. Come and I will tell you a tale like none you have ever heard." The camera moves away, and we see Prince running through the jungle during a rainstorm (direct reference to the beginning of the trilogy, The Sands of Time). Thus, the Prince is going to tell his adventures to her from the beginning.
Gameplay
Playing the games closer to the first part of the game - important role of acrobatics, aided by a number of new acrobatic tricks Prince. Nevertheless, the battle system is almost completely corresponds to that of the second part of the game: two weapons - the main thing in his right hand and the left temporal - similar combo. The exceptions are the lack of acceptance "strangulation" and the oblique jump off the wall down. Also, the main weapon for the first time the Prince is not the sword, and dagger (common in the early game a dagger, then the Dagger of Time), which, however, has no effect on his fighting skills. Secondary weapon now has its own scale of damage, in contrast to the second part, where the weapon just changed color depending on the damage. Now the second weapon was slower to break down, but now it is damaged, even by hitting the wall. Doing a quick killing
The principal innovation is the rapid killing of the system (Speed Kill), which allows quietly sneak up to the enemy and destroy him once, at the time by pressing the attack, when time slows down, and a dagger in the hands of the Prince of lights - which, incidentally, is a kind of typical for the implementation of many of console games QTE.
The Prince also occasionally turns into the Dark Prince (which is similar to the transformation of the Spirit in the Sand in the second game trilogy), who constantly falls off rapidly health, but which restores all health immediately, picking up the sand - the water does not restore the power of the Dark Prince, on the contrary, being in the water He turns back to the Light. However, all transformations occur at certain plot points. Dark Prince has unique second weapon - a long chain - which can not change, and that more efficiently performs a quick kill. Insofar as the circuit is a very powerful weapon, the gameplay varies considerably: the distance of attack increases, the number of enemies in these stages of the plot increases, the change combo attack, their power increases. In contrast to the Sand Spirit, steady decline of health of the Dark Prince can kill him.
Now if you throw weapons at the enemy (eg, sword), it was stuck in it, and your enemy will take time to pull it out of itself, it can be used as a tactical maneuver.
QTE system is used not only in the rapid killing, but also some complex combo attacks needed to kill bosses.
Also new are the dynamic travel in chariots, where the deadly crash.
As in the Sands of Time there are fountains that increase the health of the Prince. But after popesh from it, you need to go through an obstacle course, followed by health increases (in Warrior Within the trap, by contrast, have only worked before the upgrade is activated). Dagger of Time can also be improved, gaining new abilities after the Prince dagger plunge in Sandy Gate, unlike the first game, where this were needed, sandy shades and second, where the improvement occurred after passing through a time portal.
With the improvement of the Dagger of Time and drag strips of Health, at the hands of the tattoo is gradually emerging in the form of dragons - gold and black, respectively. When the health of Prince tattoos close to the critical change color to red to gold
In Prince of Persia: Rival Swordsistheadditional levels - Zurvan temples, which are in Prince recalls the legend of the immortal ruler of the time, Zervane. Weapon Sword of his father Prince
The main weapon is the Dagger of Time Prince. In the left hand can take a sword, ax, mace or a knife that may have special properties, such as the inviolability of the ability to overthrow the enemy after the first stroke, the ability to kill with a direct strike, stealth, or replenishment of sand. In the Dark Prince's second weapon is a powerful long chain. At the end of the game Prince finds his father's sword, which can not be discarded and that kills all normal enemies with one blow.
Also the game has 4 secret weapons: sword fish, baby rattle, a telephone handset and a chainsaw to get each need to enter codes, and for the first three, and even beat the game on a certain level of complexity.
Still possible to find a comic weapon - a wooden ax, it is destroyed after one hit, but if you throw it, it will knock the opponent down. Dagger of Time
Gives opportunities similar to those in the first part of the game. Sand only six compartments, and only one species. The sand can be mined from the enemies (not achieving them, as it did in the first part of the game) or some breaking of blood vessels, as well as special Sand portals, of which the enemy soldiers can call for backup, if time does not destroy the main gate of the guard (in the red suit) The Prince and the sand can recover and get some new opportunity. Initially, as in the first and second parts of the game, the Prince has no ability, but to give the Dagger of Time, he begins to study them:
- Return (English Recall)
Symbol throughout the series - unwinding time ago. Spends a bay of sand.
- Eye of the Storm (English Eye of the Storm)
Time slows to a crawl, giving the Prince a great advantage over the enemy. Spends a bay of sand.
- Winds of Sand (born Winds of Sand)
Knocks enemies and knocks them down. Spends two compartments of sand.
- Sand Storm (English Sand Storm)
A more powerful version of "Winds of Sand." Inflicts more damage and consumes four sections of sand.
Dagger of Time is somewhat different than in the first game, in particular, it is much longer than that connected with the fact that in the first game of a dagger was an additional weapon, and in this part of the principal.
In addition, despite the fact that Prince uses of force have already Sand with Dagger, not Medallion (as in the second part), Sand bay is still only six, and only one type, in contrast to the first part, where sections of the first type could be 10 and up to 6 bays of the second type.
The Main Characters
- Prince (born Prince) (Yuri Lowenthal): The Prince has returned from the Island of Time with Kaileena, where he prevented the creation of Sands of Time. Arriving in his native Babylon, he sees his kingdom covered in blood. Now he must regain his throne and free the city from the evil Vizier.
- Dark Prince (English Dark Prince) (Rick Miller): Is the alter-ego of the Prince and one of the two main antagonists. At first he is very helpful, but proved to be like this cause he had his own goals of ruling Babylon. When the Prince had killed the Vizier, the Dark Prince has decided to finally take the body of the Prince. The battle with him gone, as the Dark Prince does not attack the character, instead of overcoming obstacles. The field of battle - "Peace of mind"
- Farah, Princess of India (born Farah) (Helen King): The daughter of Maharaja, and an enemy King Sharaman. Seven years ago helped the Prince close the hourglass, but after the cancellation of the time course does not remember anything, since it never happened. In Babylon, Farah came not on her own: her goal was to capture the Vizier. She wants to take revenge on him for what he did to her and her people (in the first place, with a dead father). But since she is very compassionate, she overcomes the desire to help survivors in Babylon. She becomes an ally of the Prince, but when she saw him in the guise of the Dark Prince, is no longer so willing to trust him. But after he saves his people and shows ideological renovation, she work with him again. At the end, the Prince tells her about their memories of their first adventure, sharing a new love.
- Kaileena, Empress of Time (Sara Carlsen): The Prince took her with him to Babylon from the Island of Time to have a fresh start. She and The Prince learned much about each other along the way. Kaileena is kidnapped and killed by the Vizier. Since she is supernatural in origin, after her death, she does not disappear completely, but her sand essence is spread through Babylon. Throughout the game, she appears in the form of a storyteller. Much has changed in appearance since the second game.
- Zurvan (born Vizier ) - The original Vizier form the first game is alive since the timeline has erased its happenings in India. After killing Kaileena, he has become almost a god, tooking the name of the zoroastrian entity, Zurvan. The field of battle - "Terrace"
- Old Man (Hubert Fielden): He does not believe in luck and the fact that man can create their own destiny. A pessimist. The exact opposite of the prince.
Enemies
Common Enemies
- Sand guards (born Sand Guards) - Numerous soldiers in armor and horned helmets, armed with swords and maces. Scythian warriors, whose Vizier enslaved and forced to take Babylon.
- Guardians of the sand gate (born Sand Gate Guard) - analogous to the usual guards, and excluding the possibility to call for backup through the sand gate. In addition, the gate of horn helmets Wardens are directed upward, not downward as in a common prison, which creates an allusion to the heads of bulls, not sheep.
- Sand Archers (English Dark Archers) - nimble and quick, and hit pretty accurately from a distance. Wear helmets in the form of heads of birds. These archers from Scythia are part of the army of the Vizier.
- Reptus (born Reptus) - reptilepodobnye monsters are found in dark damp cellars and caves, armed with short swords or axes. They are afraid of light that can be used as an advantage. Are the corpses, lively sands of time.
- Chameleon (English Chameleon) - an invisible warrior.
- Hounds (born Hunter Hounds) - dogs, similar to the spiked in the second part of the game, have the ability to suck the sand from the Prince's dagger.
- Illusions (born Illusions) - throw daggers and can move rapidly from place to place, the analogues of the silhouettes of the second part. Babylon thieves, who have changed the sand.
- Seductress (English Enchantress) - female warriors with big jagged swords. Similar to the harem of the first inhabitant of games and dances with the blades of the second. Are former servant brothels exposed sands of time.
- Slaves (English Thralls) - the most powerful warriors of the ordinary. There are two kinds - in armor with swords and clubs with no armor. Both wear tiger mask.
Semi-boss
- Stone Golem (English The Stone Golem), in the version of Rival Swords Creature from the vine (English Vine Brute) - Beast of the stones and trees, fastened with vines, living in the gardens of Babylon.
All the bosses in the game were present at the sacrifice on the altar Kayliny and were greatly transformed sands of time.
- Klompa (born Klompa) - huge fat soldier, General vizier, transformed into a monster-age without the lower jaw strength Sands, armed with a scimitar monstrous proportions. The field of battle - "Arena"
- Mahasti (born Mahasti) - a female assassin, another the general vizier. The field of battle - "brothel". Has not changed because of the impact of the Sands, with the exception of superhuman agility and strength.
- Axe and Sword Twins (born Axe and Sword Twins) - two very strong and very agile warrior. Armed with the names of, respectively, with an ax and a sword. The field of battle - "Royal Road".
Development
Yuri Lowenthal, the voice of Prince
The developers wanted to make a game out of a combination of the two previous parts of the series Prince of Persia. The first game, The Sands of Time, was light on its atmosphere, and the second, Warrior Within, was much darker and darker.
In connection with the introduction of fast-killing AI enemies has been modified so that they can see and hear the character.
Prince of Persia: Rival Swords
Prince of Persia Rival Sowrds was released foe the Wii and PSP with exclusive content.
It is unknown why Prince of Persia: Rival Swords was rated T unlike Two Thrones M when they had the same content.
Rival Swords was rated T for:
- Blood
- Violence
Two Thrones was rated M for
- Blood and Gore
- Intense Violence
The Extra content included
- Chariot Races
- Online Multiplayer
- Expanded Storyline
Reception
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones recieved postive reviews. IGN called it the series's "return to grace". It was praised for its story and perfect blend of alot of Prince of Persia: Sands of Time elements and a little bit more of action from Warrior Within.
Trivia
- Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones appears along with Sands of Time and Warrior Within in the Prince of Persia HD Collection.