Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
A darker sequel with dual-wielding combat and time-manipulation powers.
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is an action-adventure game from 2004, developed and published by Ubisoft. It came out for GameCube, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. As the fifth main game in the Prince of Persia series, it follows 2003's The Sands of Time. A PlayStation Portable version, called Prince of Persia: Revelations, was made by Pipeworks Software and released in 2005. Gameloft also put out two mobile versions for J2ME and iOS in 2004 and 2010, respectively. The iOS version was pulled from the App Store for two weeks due to problems with its in-game menu.
The story takes place seven years after the previous game. The Prince is trying to stop an entity called the Dahaka, which hunts him relentlessly as punishment for messing with the Sands of Time. He travels to the mysterious Island of Time, hoping to prevent the Empress of Time from creating the Sands in the first place, which he believes will satisfy the Dahaka.
The gameplay builds on The Sands of Time, adding new combat options. The Prince can now wield two weapons at once, steal enemies' weapons, and throw them. His combat moves have been expanded into longer strings, letting players attack with more complexity. The tone is much darker than its predecessor, and the Prince can finish off enemies with gory moves. Along with the rewind, slow-down, and speed-up powers from the earlier game, he gains a new sand power: a circular wave that knocks down and damages all nearby enemies.
Critics gave the game generally positive reviews, praising the improved combat, level design, story, and soundtrack. But the sharp shift in tone from the lighter earlier game and the Prince's characterization drew mixed reactions. Two more games in the Sands of Time continuity followed: Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones in 2005, a direct sequel, and Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands in 2010, set between The Sands of Time and Warrior Within.
Like its predecessor, Warrior Within is a 3D platformer focused on exploration and melee combat. The level design involves navigating dangerous environments with parkour and freerunning moves. Unlike The Sands of Time, the game world is highly nonlinear.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Jean-Christophe Guyot
- Producer
- Bertrand Hélias
- Designer
- Kevin Guillemette
- Programmer
- Régis Geoffrion
- Writer
- Corey May, Dooma Wendschuh
- Engine
- Jade
- Composer
- Stuart Chatwood, Inon Zur
- Series
- Prince of Persia
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Set seven years after its predecessor, the game's story follows the Prince as he searches for a way to stop an entity called the Dahaka that is relentlessly pursuing him as punishment for his meddling with the Sands of Time. He travels to the mysterious Island of Time, where he attempts to prevent the Empress of Time from creating the Sands in the first place, hoping this act will appease the Dahaka. The plot involves time travel, a Sand Wraith, and a Mask of the Wraith that allows the wearer to change their fate.
Gameplay builds upon that of The Sands of Time, adding new features such as the ability to wield two weapons at a time, steal enemies' weapons and throw them, and perform gory finishing moves. The Prince also gains a new sand power: a circular wave of sand that knocks down and damages surrounding enemies. The level design is highly nonlinear, requiring players to revisit locations from various directions and traverse time portals to solve obstacles. The game's atmosphere has a distinctive darker and grittier theme, contrasting with the colorful palette of the previous game.
Upon release, the game received generally positive reviews from critics, who singled out the improved combat, level design, story, and soundtrack. However, the radical shift in tone from its more light-hearted predecessor and the Prince's characterization garnered mixed reactions. Following Warrior Within, two more games set in The Sands of Time continuity were released: Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones in 2005, a direct sequel, and Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands in 2010, set between The Sands of Time and Warrior Within.
Reader's Guide
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within represents a significant tonal and mechanical shift in the series, moving from the light-hearted, colorful aesthetic of The Sands of Time to a darker, grittier atmosphere with graphic violence. Its expanded combat system, featuring dual-wielding, weapon throwing, and acrobatic combos, was praised by critics, as were the level design, story, and soundtrack. The game's nonlinear structure, requiring players to navigate time portals and revisit locations, added depth to exploration. The canonical ending, unlocked by finding the Water Sword, sets up the direct sequel Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones. The Xbox version supported downloadable maps via Xbox Live and online leaderboards until support ended on April 15, 2010; the game is now supported on the Insignia revival server. A PlayStation Portable port titled Prince of Persia: Revelations was released in 2005, and two mobile versions were published by Gameloft for J2ME and iOS in 2004 and 2010 respectively, with the iOS version temporarily pulled from the App Store for two weeks due to menu issues.
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