December 14, 2009 - Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is one of the greatest games of all time. Ubisoft is returning to that familiar universe with The Forgotten Sands, timed to release alongside the 2010 movie. We spoke with Level Design Director Michael McIntyre to learn more about the new Prince title. Find out how The Forgotten Sands fits into the series, what to expect from the combat and if the Prince is getting any new powers.
IGN: Why return to the Sands of Time Prince and not continue the story of 2008's Prince?
Michael McIntyre: One of the great things offered by the Prince of Persia series is that it lends itself very well to telling different stories for different princes, while always retaining certain key common factors and features. The Sands of Time universe is one both we and fans really love inhabiting, and we're excited to be revisiting it for a new chapter. We've had this title in development for quite some time, and are excited for people to see it for the first time.
IGN: When does the story take place in the trilogy's storyline?
Michael McIntyre: The game takes place shortly after the Prince's adventure in Azad from the original Sands of Time.
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IGN: What's the story of Forgotten Sands and how does it bridge the gap between The Sands of Time and Warrior Within?
Michael McIntyre: The Prince goes to visit his brother's palace, only to find that it's under a heavy attack from an invading army. The Prince's brother is determined to do whatever it takes to protect his kingdom from destruction, no matter the cost. Throughout the course of his adventure, the Prince is going to learn of the great personal cost that comes with wielding great power
IGN: Does the game tie into the movie in any way?
Michael McIntyre: The Forgotten Sands is a new chapter in our own universe, which we created with the original Sands of Time. The Forgotten Sands is another chapter in the SOT series, and is not tied to the movie in any way (other than being set in the same overall universe). We're extremely excited that, thanks to the movie, so many people are going to be exposed to this world which we love, and that such top-caliber talent is associated with it.
IGN: There were some significant changes from Sands of Time to Warrior Within – heavy metal music, taking enemy weapons, and a much darker look. Since this game falls in between, would you say its look and feel is more like The Sands of Time or like Warrior Within?
Michael McIntyre: We always pay a great deal of attention to making sure that each of our POP games has its own unique feel and style that strongly sets it apart. This game is no exception, and we'll be getting more into the details of this as time goes on.
IGN: The art style in the 2008 Prince was like a watercolor painting come to life and much different than what we saw in the Sands of Time series. How would you describe the visual style in Forgotten Sands?
Michael McIntyre: Like the rest of the Sands of Time series, we like to think of the art style as being Arabian Nights inspired realism.
IGN: What is the combat like in Forgotten Sands?
Michael McIntyre: Combat is one of our main focuses for the game. The engine we're using, Anvil, is famous for allowing us to display a ton of NPCs on the screen at the same time, and this is an advantage that we're making full use of in our huge scale battles against many enemies at once. You'll also be seeing some boss encounters on the huge scale hinted at in our first trailer.
IGN: What other powers does the Prince acquire?
Michael McIntyre: The Prince is going to acquire power over nature itself. What that entails, exactly, is something I can't talk about just yet, but I think it will be worth the wait.
We also asked if there would be a female counterpart in the game, if the Dark Prince would return, if the game was open-world or linear, if there is multiplayer, and if there will be a balance between combat, puzzles and acrobatics. And, of course, we asked what a return to the Sands of Time Prince meant for the future of the POP series launched in 2008. Unfortunately, McIntyre wasn't willing to answer these questions yet. That, in itself, should give fans something to talk about.
Are you excited for The Forgotten Sands or would you rather continue the storyline introduced in the 2008 Prince of Persia? Discuss your opinion in the comments section below.