Imagine the scene: Ubisoft releases the phenomenal Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, critics are fainting with joy, fans are applauding, and players regain their faith in the franchise. Just when the dust hasn't even settled – hop! – here comes The Rogue Prince of Persia (RPoP). No one asked for it, no one dreamed of it, but honestly, we’re all secretly happy it’s here.
Behind this little experiment is Evil Empire - yes, the same ones who served us the legendary Dead Cells. This means quality is guaranteed.
Of course, we mustn't forget that mysterious reboot of the series announced back in 2020 – which is supposedly coming in 2026. To be honest, that sounds more like an urban myth than a real release date. After they remade the remake because fans were not satisfied with the trailer (more specifically, the graphics), it remains to be seen whether 2026 is the actual release year or if someone at Ubisoft is playing with time.
The Lost Crown showed last year that the prince still has style, the reviews were very positive, but Ubisoft's accounting department was crying because sales underperformed. The result? The team was laid off, even though the official player count who played it surpassed 2 million in May 2025.
And here comes RPoP, a new attempt to reignite the old spark with fresh ideas. Although no one ordered it, this mix of roguelike adventure and princely charm feels like an unplanned surprise that actually makes sense. Did Evil Empire manage to awaken our dormant passion for the prince? Find out below.
Hmm where have I seen this sword before...
Parkour the Persian way – when walls become best friends
Prince of Persia has always had that talent to introduce something to the gaming world that no one had even thought of before. Back in '89, the first PoP taught us what rotoscope animation was, and suddenly characters stopped moving as if they had a broom in… well, you know where. A few years later, Sands of Time on PS2 showed that walls are not just for looking at, but also for running on. Wall run? Pure revolution.
And now, decades later, the prince pulls another trick out of his sleeve. Rogue Prince of Persia brings movement so smooth and fluid that even Ezio Auditore is probably turning in his grave (or at least in the Animus). Here, every surface, background, foreground, diagonal, is actually your new playground for acrobatics. A wall is not an obstacle, but an invitation.
If that’s not enough, there are also time-sensitive jumps that fill your special meter. When you fill it up, the prince transforms into a parkour rocket with bonus speed. If you keep dancing on the walls in the right rhythm, that flow doesn’t stop. The result? You run, jump, roll, and you don’t even know why you’re no longer exploring the level, but just rushing straight ahead.
The combination of precise control and crazy pace creates the feeling that you’re not just a player – you’re a parkour artist on Persian steroids. Honestly, this is the first roguelike where you don’t want to stop, loot, or explore, but just keep running further and further, while the walls become your most loyal allies.
This is how I imagine it when my grandfather tells me how he went to school
Gameplay loop – familiar, but with a Persian twist
If you’ve played any roguelike in the last five years, you know what to expect: levels, bosses, and constant dying. Rogue Prince of Persia doesn’t reinvent the wheel here, but at least adds a bit of saffron. Through nine levels where every third is a boss fight, we’re definitely not on the trail of anything revolutionary. But then the game throws in a twist: as you progress through the story, you unlock new biomes for each level, so over time you’ll have to decide which biome you want to visit next, as each has its own quests that reveal new details of the plot. A clever trick to give players a reason to return to old levels and actually want to replay them.
And here comes the disappointment: there are no hidden rooms. Yes, Ubisoft has stolen one of our favorite gaming perversions, the discovery of hidden nooks. Minus for atmosphere, plus for directness.
On your journey, you will also meet half of the prince's family and subjects, all bound, imprisoned, and in need of your rescue. When you bring them to the hub (oasis), they give you various boosts in return. So, the standard roguelike ritual: die, power up, try again. Arm yourself with extra skill points, choose synergies, build your builds, and of course, unlock costumes because nothing motivates like new clothes, and the number is not small, a total of 35!
Berude Sandstorm, cousin of Darude Sandstorm
The prince's arsenal – weapons, tools, and 70 medallions for a full drawer
In this version, the prince has clearly overdone it with shopping. He can hold 23 different types of weapons, each with its own critical strike condition and attack speed. If that’s not enough for you, there are also 11 tools with different powers, and the icing on the cake is -70 medallions. Of course, not all are available right away, because who would give you everything at the start? You have to earn them during exploration, and there are 10 different “bundles” to unlock. Don’t worry, the prince isn’t stingy, so each bundle contains 3-4 new medallions.
The graphics are really pleasing to the eye
Music – Turkish soap opera in an electronic way
The musical part is a real surprise. Electronic beats mixed with traditional Persian sounds create an energy that perfectly matches the game's tempo. True, now and then you might think you've stumbled into a Turkish soap opera instead of an action adventure, but fortunately, that doesn’t spoil the impression at all. In fact, it all somehow works great together.
Where does the prince even keep the flaming daggers? Or do they ignite later?
Story – what story?
If you expect an epic narrative, you might as well skip it right away. The story is practically non-existent: the Huns have defeated you, and you want to turn back time and right the wrongs. That’s it. Short, clear, almost charming.
Conclusion – Persian dessert after the main course
The Rogue Prince of Persia is not Dead Cells. It can be completed relatively quickly and doesn’t have that much depth. But you know what? That doesn’t mean you should ignore it at all. This is the perfect “palate cleanser” between larger gaming marathons – light, but spicy just enough. Fluid movement, dynamic combat, and a dose of exploration will ensure you have fun.
The prince is back, maybe not in his strongest form, but with enough style to remind us why we love him. We have to wait for the not-so-distant 2026 in hopes that the prince will return in even greater style and earn his place among the giants of gaming once again!
Game copy provided for review purposes by the publisher Ubisoft
