The best Prince of Persia games, ranked

There’s a reason Ubisoft chose Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time to be remade, although at this point, who knows if it will ever come to pass. Regardless, the legacy of this title isn’t unearned. This wasn’t the first game to jump to 3D (we’ll get there, don’t you worry), but was undoubtedly the one to nail it. The controls were buttery smooth as you jumped, swung, and otherwise navigated the various puzzle rooms. Combat also smartly incorporated your acrobatic skills, with mobility being essential to take down the sand monsters. That’s all without mentioning how insane the rewind powers felt at the time, as they allowed you to reverse any mistake in platforming or combat, while opening the door for some incredible puzzles.

Perhaps as a response to the reception Warrior Within received, Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones dialed back the edgy tone for the final entry in the trilogy. Unfortunately, most of the other choices made weren’t as positive. The story went back to Sands of Time in a new reality after all the time-based shenanigans of the past two games, which makes it a bit less interesting on a narrative level. While the action and combat didn’t exactly take a step back, the minor improvements weren’t enough to make it feel worth revisiting for a third time. It’s the definition of more of the same, which isn’t bad, but just a little tired.