The Rogue Prince of Persia Reviews

Smooth action blends seamlessly into smooth traversal, making this the better modern 2D Prince of Persia.

There’s been a veritable smorgasbord of roguelite games over the last few years, so many that the release of yet another entry in the cram-packed genre elicits plenty of yawns and little excitement. Well, stifle your sleepy exhalation, as The Rogue Prince of Persia – a roguelite imbued with the thrilling free-running platforming that Ubisoft’s best franchise is famous for – is worth getting excited about.

And now we’re two for two in high-quality Prince of Persia releases by Ubisoft in the last couple of years. Who would have thought that, amidst all the crap they’ve tried to shove into us about making “AAAA” games worth the higher pricetag (you know exactly the game I’m talking about), their best games in recent memory were a lower-budgeted metroidvania, and now, a 2D roguelike developed by an indie studio? I, for one, am not shocked that The Rogue Prince of Persia ended up being pr...

Seriously slick and responsive to play, The Rogue Prince of Persia will likely win you over instantly thanks to its stylish traversal. Add to the mix some wonderful storytelling, a world that's a joy to explore and challenging (but rewarding) combat, and you have one of the best roguelike platforming games of recent years.

Few characters can manage a personal reinvention like Jordan Mechner’s Prince of Persia. From his dungeon diving, princess saving early days to his emergence as a brash, cheeky parkour artist with a control of the forces of time that Doctor Who would be proud of, to impressive modern returns to his 2D platforming roots, the Prince has kept himself and players entertained through his decades long wait to inherit the throne. The Rogue Prince of Persia might not be his most enticingly named ad...

The Prince of Persia series is in an odd place right now. Outside of remakes and mobile releases, after 2010’s The Forgotten Sands, we didn’t see a mainline Prince of Persia for fourteen years until the release of the excellent The Lost Crown in 2024. The Lost Crown itself suggested the series was looking to rediscover itself in the 2020s, with a shift away from the Prince as protagonist, alongside forgoing its 3D action platformer roots for the trappings of a Metroidvania. Despite being ...

The Rogue Prince of Persia is a platforming masterclass, and it’s a must play for fans of 2D action titles, Dead Cells, and pretty much everyone else.

It doesn't help that the story isn't the most enthralling tale spun from the Prince universe. Your job is to save your kingdom by wielding a mysterious respawning force, which fits directly into the roguelike nature of the game. It's cute, but the intro is very brief, and we don't really get to see the prince's friends and family beforehand to truly have a link to this world.

The Rogue Prince of Persia excels in 2D side scrolling combat by infusing a buttery smooth parkour system into the mix. Retaking Ctesiphon from the Huns using the immortal powers of the Prince works so well for the roguelite formula, and each run had me wanting to jump right back in.

The one thing that all roguelikes and rogue-lites need to get right is convincing the player that the next run is going to be rewarding in some new way. In The Rogue Prince of Persia, this most often comes from increasing mastery of the game’s traversal, which is both accessible and challenging. Procedurally generated levels sometimes inhibit the flow and create frustration. At this point, The Prince of Persia is more a vague character concept than a game franchise, but it keeps inspiring developers in new directions, and that’s a win for gamers.

While it's still in early access, there's already a fantastic foundation for Evil Empire to build upon with The Rogue Prince of Persia.

The Rogue Prince of Persia may still be in early access, but it's already a strong roguelike.

The Rogue Prince of Persia is fun if you are keen on playing 2D roguelike beat ‘em ups, but if you haven’t dived into the roguelike craze since it started, you might have problems getting used to how it plays and reacts to your choices.

The Rogue Prince of Persia combines a non-linear narrative and rogue-like structure with the excellent combat and movement that Evil Empire is known for. Though some rough edges remain, it's a great start to early access.

The Rogue Prince of Persia is a roguelite that's currently a little too light and not roguish enough, playing it too safe to stand out. Still, a fun core combat engine and attractive animation provide a strong foundation to be built on during its time in Early Access.

2024 is, without a doubt, the best year the Prince of Persia series has had in a very long time. The indefinite delay of The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake made more than a few fans worry about the fate of the entire series, especially at a time when almost all big publishers are focusing on their core IPs due to financial matters, the release of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown proved how the series is not only alive but also extremely well. A feeling that is further compounded by The Rogue Prince of Persia, an excellent roguelite take on the series' classic 2D formula developed by Evil Empire, the team responsible together with Motion Twin for the massive success of one of the most popular roguelites ever, Dead Cells, that shows incredible potential even in its early access release.

In its current early access state, the Rogue Prince of Persia is a fine action platformer with a unique graphical style and a solid gameplay loop, which does need a bit more polishing and content to be entirely recommended, especially to casual fans of the genre who have been spoiled lately.