Prince of Persia - Sands of Time

The Basics:
Platform: PlayStation 2
Developer: UBISOFT
Price: $40-$50
ESRB rating: T (Teen)

Summary: Led by a quest for power and glory, you have been deceived into releasing the sands of time which leaves only evil and destruction in its wake. Now you must redeem yourself by reclaiming the sands of time. However, be prepared as it will take cunning and skill to get past the guards and traps of the Sultan's palace.

Note: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a good choice of a game for teens and older game players. Despite a fair amount of violence, the game does not dwell on it. Much of the fun comes from the challenge of figuring out how to get past the traps and tricks of the palace.

Further Breakdown:

Overall rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Best for ages: 13+
Playability: Very good
Graphics: Very good
Entertainment value: Excellent
Educational value: Some. The puzzles and brainteasers challenge the mind, and the game may inspire players to look into other fairy tales, such as Arabian Nights.
Reading Level: 6+.

Ages 3-7: Red
Ages 8-12: Yellow
Ages 13-17: Green
Violence Amount: Yellow
Fear: Yellow
Illegal/harmful: Green
Language: Green
Nudity: Green
Sex: Green

Review:
You would think that life as a prince would be easy. Visions of soft couches, waving palm branches and all the luxuries of life come to mind. Alas, life isn't quite as it should be in Persia. Led by a quest for power and glory you have been deceived into releasing the sands of time, which leaves only evil and destruction in its wake. Now you must redeem yourself by reclaiming the sands of time. It won't be easy. Filled with deadly traps and the now zombie-like guards, the palace isn't a palace-it's an early death waiting to happen.

As the narrator, the prince's voice guides you through the game "retelling" his story. Indeed, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time has a great storytelling flair to it, and you will be captivated by its Arabian Nights themed story. As the prince of Persia, you set out to impress your father by capturing the fabled sands of time. You do so, but then are tricked by an evil vizier into releasing the sands. A strong positive aspect of the game is how the story shows the results between actions and their consequences. The prince relies on deception and conquest to capture the sands of time-and it is these factors that lead to the release of destruction of all that is good. The prince, along with the Maharajah's daughter, is then forced to face the consequences and repair the damage he had done.

As an action game, Prince of Persia does depend on a good deal of fighting scenes to keep the game moving along. These scenes do contain blood, and although much of the battles are against "sand creatures", or zombie-like guards, there are some scenes before the sands are released in which the price is fighting other humans. It is hearting to say that the game does not make the violence the focus of the game. In a way the game draws a middle ground. Fighting is in some ways presented as an unavoidable evil-especially after the sands have been released. However, the scenes are undeniable presented in a "cool" way, which will have players wishing to replicate the acrobatic fighting style of the prince.

A substantial part of the game focuses on the traps and challenges presented by the environment itself. This is a tradition of the game that goes back to the original Prince of Persia game. The palace in which much of the prince's time is spent, contains an intricate collection of traps, pits, blades and spikes-an impressive anti-intruder system. It helps that the prince is as acrobatic as a monkey-able to run along walls, leap to high places, and swing from bars with the grace of a trapeze artist.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a good choice of a game for teens and older game players. Despite a fair amount of violence, the game does not dwell on it. Much of the fun comes from the challenge of figuring out how to get past the traps and tricks of the palace. And, it's even possible that the storytelling will inspire players to investigate some of the Arabian Nights tales.