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Prince of Persia

(2008, Video Games - Action/Adventure, Rated T, Play it on: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 10, age appropriate for kids over 12; suggested age 12.
  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Majestic platformer with colorful, vibrant landscapes.

In this game kids can:   battle others, kill humans (without blood), play with others, solve puzzles, strategize

Why We Rated This on for Ages 12 and Up

The good stuff

  • Educational value:

    None
  • Messages:

    Kids might take away the message that when evil forces take over your world, if you work hard, you can make a difference and restore order. Because you play as the prince who has a stong and loyal ally to help you, the game sends the message that cooperation between people is important when faced with large problems.
  • Role models:

    You play as the hero, fighting evil. You must wipe out corruption and restore order to your world. The character of ally Elika is a good role model about how to support your friends in time of need.
 

What to watch out for

  • Violence:

    The prince and partner Elika use swords and magic attacks to defeat enemies. There is no blood or gore.
  • Sex:

    You'll see mild flirting between the prince and Elika, with a few comments about body parts (like "no staring at my ass")
  • Language:

    Mildly suggestive language with references to "ass" as in "no staring at my ass."
  • Consumerism:

    This is part of the Prince of Persia series of video games.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    The prince makes a reference to drinking wine, but you never see any characters consume beverages.
 

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Prince of Persia was written by Brett Molina

Parents need to know this is a fun platforming adventure game that is less violent than Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones, the previous game in the Prince of Persia series. The violence is limited to swordfights and special magic attacks with no blood. There's also mild flirting between the two main characters as well as a reference to alcohol, but they're rather minor.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about how this game compares to the other games in the Prince of Persia franchise. What makes this game good? Also, do you like or dislike the new cartoonish graphics?
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More on Prince of Persia

What’s the Story?

The Prince of Persia franchise gets a royal makeover. The latest adventure, known simply as PRINCE OF PERSIA, combines elegant platforming with solid combat. The prince's journey pits him against villain Ahriman, who has corrupted Persia and engulfed the land in darkness. With the assistance of ally Elika, the prince must wipe out the Corruption in each land and restore light.

For the first time, Prince of Persia incorporates a cooperative element with the introduction of Elika. During platforming sections, Elika assists you on large jumps and will rescue the prince if he plunges toward his death. The biggest changes take place during combat. Instead of confronting multiple foes at once, the prince and Elika encounter one enemy at a time. As a result, the enemies are tougher and the fights longer. The prince can execute a series of acrobatic and sword attacks, while Elika can dish magical strikes. You can combine attacks from both to create unique combos. Once you defeat enemies, Elika uses her powers to restore regions of Persia to normal. This paves the way for more open-world platforming where you snag light orbs to replenish Elika's strength and access new areas.

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Is It Any Good?

Prince of Persia is both graceful and gorgeous. The cel-shaded visuals breathe new life into the franchise by adding bright colors and vibrant landscapes. Watching the prince run along walls and swing between platforms is exhilarating. Since collecting light orbs are key to unlocking new areas of the game, there's plenty of incentive to explore the restored environments. Advanced gamers may find the platforming a bit easy. Because Elika saves you every time you miss a jump, there's no real feeling that you're making perilous leaps. But this safety net makes this game a more accessible to average players.

The cooperative combat is mostly entertaining. Fighting requires you to really study your opponents' moves to properly time attacks, blocks, and counterstrikes. Adding Elika to the mix spices up the swordfights between the prince and enemies. After a while, the battles grow repetitive because all enemies employ similar fighting tactics. Fortunately, just navigating the mesmerizing environments is enough incentive to give Prince of Persia a chance.

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Publisher’s Details

Released on 12/2/2008, price $$59.99, online enabled
ESRB rating: T (for Alcohol Reference, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence)

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. I rate this title on for age 11 and give it 4.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence

    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages
    • Good role models
    • Easy to play

    perfect for children soon turning 12 or 13

    This game is fun it has battle but no blood and lots of fun action going on. The story behind it is great. There is some good messages like defeat evil and good always triumphs. There is good role models also. The contros are simple and it is a great game.

  2. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Kentucky
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 2.0

    A Boring Game

    Well this game is about exploring and jumping walls and stuff, But if your a guy who likes non stop combat like me then this is not the game for you. I did return this one after 3 hours of gameplay it got so boring. Its the same thing over and over but differnt bosses. I DONT reccomned this game to fans of Call Of Duty 4 or any other shooter. But this game is good for the younger kids to play.

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