Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
By Chris Jozefowicz,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Has first game's charm -- for mature players only.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this game.
Where to Play
Community Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
perfect for older kids and terrifficly fun game takes the best of both worlds and has the charm of "Sands of Time"
Report this review
Violent
Report this review
What’s It About?
In this installment, the Prince's personality has been fractured: He is now sometimes the good prince of the first game, but his long, violent quest has led to the formation of a compromised and cynical Dark Prince. These two personalities vie for control of the Prince as he fights the evil vizier for control of time. The light Prince's adventure still mainly consists of running, jumping, and swinging through graphically gorgeous environmental puzzles. Regularly throughout the game, the Prince will change into the Dark Prince, who -- while still acrobatic -- is stronger in combat and has a chain-like whip he can use to swing from and to decapitate enemies -- but his weakness is a health meter.
Is It Any Good?
PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE TWO THRONES completes a trilogy that began with the fabulous Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time in 2003. The game formula -- lots of acrobatic feats and puzzle-solving in huge, beautiful environments -- was roughed up a bit for the grittier second installment, The Warrior Within. The Two Thrones mixes elements of both games, creating a more complicated and compelling protagonist. The death-defying gymnastics remain easy to control; The Prince also uses the more-complicated combat system introduced in the second game.
The Two Thrones is definitely a violent game, but it succeeds in mixing the best parts of the first two games. Mature teens and adults fans are sure to love it, while younger teens may be better off sticking with the T-rated first game.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the complicated protagonist. How does he differ from the way he was portrayed in the first and second installments? Does it make sense to you that his quest has made him cynical? Is it more fun to play with the Light or Dark Prince? Many games let players embody characters who are not necessarily good or heroic; is this healthy?
Game Details
- Platform: Xbox
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: UbiSoft
- Release date: December 19, 2005
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- ESRB rating: M
- Last updated: November 4, 2015
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Play
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate