Over 20 Years Later, I’m Still Mad About How This Sequel Missed the Mark So Much

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When Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time came out in 2003, it was a huge success, captivating players and revitalizing a franchise that many thought was fading. Critics loved it, and it sold very well for Ubisoft, prompting them to quickly begin work on a follow-up. The sequel needed to build upon the story of the first game and enhance its already strong action-adventure gameplay.

The developers at Ubisoft Montreal really improved the combat in Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, introducing creative enemies and challenging bosses. Unfortunately, the game’s story and characters weren’t as strong when it came out in North America on December 2, 2004. Even after over twenty years, I’m still disappointed in how Warrior Within strayed from the simple brilliance of The Sands of Time.

A Darker Hero For A Darker Time

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time still stands out as a peak in the series, but I still find its sequel, Warrior Within, frustrating. Sands of Time was truly an exceptional game, boasting a captivating story, beautiful graphics, and engaging gameplay. It struck a perfect balance between earnestness and cleverness, offering surprises with a charming tone and well-developed characters, which made its emotional ending even more impactful.

When they started making the sequel, the developers prioritized gameplay over storytelling. Jordan Mechner, the creator of the series, began working on a movie based on the first game, and the development team decided to make the new game darker and offer more complex gameplay. These changes actually improved the game’s mechanics. The focus on defeating enemies and taking their weapons made the combat feel more intense and unpredictable.

The game features more boss battles, which add exciting, cinematic moments to the action, and frequent combat keeps players engaged and emphasizes the feeling of a perilous journey. Unfortunately, the game’s story and how it’s presented aren’t as strong. Compared to the original, Ubisoft Montreal opted for a much darker and less vibrant world, resulting in a sequel that feels tonally inconsistent with its predecessor.

What Critics Had To Say About Prince Of Persia’s Darker Turn

Years after saving the world in the first game, the Prince is now being hunted by a powerful being called the Dahaka, who wants to punish him for altering time. During his escape, the Prince has become hardened and is more willing to use harsh tactics to get what he needs. The game’s creators deliberately made this sequel much darker than the original, sometimes to an excessive degree.

The main character shifted from a captivating, though imperfect, hero into someone selfish and devoid of humor, focused only on his own survival. His love interest also became less interesting, changing from the charming and thoughtful Farah into the much simpler characters of Kaileena and Shahdee. The game’s visuals became dark and gritty, which clashed with the fast-paced action and disappointed fans who enjoyed the bright, colorful style of the original game.

Even the creator of the original game, Jordan Mechner, wasn’t happy with the sequel’s new direction. While he agreed it needed to be different from the first game, he told Wired he disliked the overly dark and violent tone, which led to an M rating. He wasn’t impressed with the story, characters, dialogue, voice acting, or visual style. Even the game’s director, Jean-Christophe Guyot, acknowledged the team had pushed the darker elements a bit too far.

Why I’m Still Annoyed By Warrior Within, Two Decades Later

I was a huge fan of the original Sands of Time as a kid, so it was disappointing to see the sequels take such a different direction. The bright, adventurous feel, the high-stakes story, and even the sweet romance were all replaced with a much grittier and darker style – from the way fights looked and felt, to the overall story and visuals. It felt like Ubisoft was trying too hard to follow current trends, and even adding Godsmack songs to the soundtrack seemed out of place compared to the first game’s unique atmosphere.

Even the issues with Warrior Within continued in Prince of Persia: The Twin Sands, which tried to find a middle ground between the two games. However, it faltered whenever it shifted to the darker “Dark Prince” storyline. While Warrior Within had decent gameplay, its overall presentation was often frustrating. The game replaced nuanced female characters with caricatures and exaggerated the Prince’s darker traits, ultimately making him less interesting than before.

The story became overly complicated, building on the time travel from the first game with confusing alternate versions of characters and potential futures. While I hadn’t played the original Prince of Persia games, Sands of Time made me want to discover them. However, Warrior Within diminished that excitement, and it wasn’t until recently, with the release of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, that I rediscovered the enthusiasm that initially drew me to the series.

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2025-11-28 21:13