If not for a few downright obnoxious game design choices, this would have been a masterpiece.
The pros:
1) great graphics. On a PC, they could have done a lot more, but it is refreshing to see an artistic watercolor look to all textures - any famous painter will tell you looking realistic isn't always the best choice
2) great music. Finally, the music once again fits the genre/place
3) a refreshing take on death - you can't die (Elika automatically rescues you and plops you back to the beginning of the fight or tricky jump sequence). In fact, this technique is cleverly woven into the gameplay in more ways than one (I can't divulge any more without emitting a spoiler). It makes one wonder why there are save games at all - this game easily could automatically record your progress, and deliver a trivial interface for rewinding a lot if you really wanted to.
4) great acting (but not script)
5) Enjoyable gameplay, for the most part. It's easy, but only once you master/learn the trick for each acrobatic move/fight sequence (e.g. I could not use lift/gauntlet at all as an opening move at first - bosses repeatedly would squash me ... until by trial and error I learned the trick, at which point success was 100%). The automatic Elika rescue does drain a sense of urgency out of the fights, however, as the penalty for death is just a longer fight ... but less frustration as well, and a sense of continuity.
if anything in the game is too easy, it's the acrobatics: the game is amazingly forgiving in positioning, with the exception of one of the power plate moves.
The cons:
1) Attention carpal tunnel victims, parents with kids, and in fact, any kids out there who don't want to grow up with carpal tunnel: this game's use of quicktime button mashing is: just plain irresponsible. It's boring (the technique is: hit one button repeatedly), dangerous (it is now known this sort of thing dramatically increases your chance of permanent injury, years later), and completely out of character with the rest of the game, which is, as gamespot states, almost like a dance. It's also hard for those who can't mash fast. I ruined two mice slamming the attack button (used two hands on the mouse: had to - forums show many have problems with this sequence, which is esp. bad against the Warrior, and the end fight)
2) While the acting is great, the script is pathetic. If the prince told Elika: "Hey, nice rack. Why don't you take your shirt off and show us some skin?", it would be right in line with his character. Why anyone would want to listen to his pathetic, juvenile banter is beyond me, especially Elika. I suppose those who like toilet humor or completely transparent characters would find it funny. That said, the actual voice actors make the best of it.
3) The games control/camera of the prince frequently goes out of phase (i.e. the cameral angle has changed but the princes left/right haven't, resulting in the prince going the wrong direction). What is particularly maddening is certain bosses actual make this happen on purpose. All of it, intentional or not: not fun, just annoying.
4) There's a lot of controversy over the ending. Players may or may not like the actual ending, but, in any case: the critique here is that it smacks of giving the player a choice. In truth, you have no choice : you're controlling the prince at the very end of the game, but there's only one thing you can actually do that results in forward game progress...