Navigating Creative Waters: The Development Tale of The Rogue Prince of Persia

The Prince of Persia-inspired roguelike narrative underwent alterations to prevent overlaps with the Prince of Persia Metroidvania released earlier. In discussions with Edge Magazine, Lucie Dewagnier, the lead on The Rogue Prince of Persia project, shared insights into the developmental adjustments necessitated by the concurrent creation of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. This Metroidvania iteration debuted in January, while The Rogue Prince appeared today.

During her conversation, Dewagnier highlighted the minor hurdles encountered when the roguelike and Metroidvania versions were simultaneously in the production phase, revealing a narrative too akin to each other. "Adjustments were required," she stated, affirming that these changes ultimately benefited the project. Holding the Prince of Persia intellectual property rights, Ubisoft allowed Evil Empire, famed for the successful roguelike Dead Cells, to navigate these narrative waters independently with one notable stipulation.

Dewagnier noted the restriction placed on them regarding the iconic Sands of Time weapons, attributing their ineligibility to their association with a distinct trilogy within the franchise. Despite this limitation, Evil Empire embraced the opportunity to craft a novel experience, highlighting the prince's nimble nature over brute force as a central game mechanic. To supplement this, the prince wields a bola as his unique magical tool in lieu of the forbidden daggers, leaning on the idea that magic is a rare skill predominantly wielded by adversaries such as the Huns.

This novel gameplay element is reflected in the newly unveiled The Rogue Prince of Persia, which is accompanied by a review available now.