Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Rocks"

This is the first POP game I played....to be honest with you, I was not a big fan of POP...especailly the 2d old skool versions (and when I played the one for Genesis a few weeks back, it was awful!!!!) but there was something about this rare gem that drew me into it...and further and further....as I progressed through the game!!!!!


Now then who do we have here??? It seems the hopscotch-loving kid (well, how else would you describe his movments and antics prior to Sands of Time....he handled a sword as if it were a fishing rod!!!) has now grown up a bit...and we can see that from his voice, his accent, his facial features, etc...

The Prince ( we still dont know his name!!!!!!) is put through another adventure that will now test his quick thinking and actions.....it seems that after the conquest of an Indian state, the prince and his father get hold of a large hourglass containing the Sands of Time.....it is the Maharaja's prime minister (i.e. the Vizier) who suggests that the Prince use hs newly found dagger to activate the Sands of Time....thus tricking the (absent-minded...sigh!!!) Prince into releasing the Sands......turning every human in the vacinity into sand churning and Prince-hating monsters....graaaaawwww!!!!!!!!

Thankfully the Prince is not affacted...so to atone for his silly actions, he runs out of the chambers......well, he didnt get scared, just thought of finding a way out of thsi newly craeted environment....and correct his mistake.....this is where his adventure begins.......

The levels start off fairly simple, but get difficult as the game progresses....although there is always a method of doing something to get out of a sticky situation.....which is why there are two cameras for you to take advantage of throughout the game (namely the overhead view to see the landscape and surroundings...as well as the first person view to see your surroundings from where you stand).....

The of course is 3d.....so you can interact with almost all of your environment.....as well as fight a varying degree of bad guys.......with different types of acrobatics and stunts......

Now this is where the sands of time come in....you can reverse and slow down time just in case you may have fallen off that undtable ledge...or got your self stabbed whilist fending off an enemy...as well as finishin off a handful of enemies, whilst frozen, with swift manouvers of the sword!!!!

The main hero of the game is the Prince of course...but you are also accompained by Farah (Maharaja's daughter) who is trying to help the Prince in his quest...or is she???? Then theres the bloody Vizier who apparently started it all (well, the Prince should not have listened to someone who was a bit loopy in the first place, dont you think???) but this guy is only seen at the star, near the end and at the end (final boss)......

The way the levels are created is dazzling......you should see some of the views when you ae not fighting (especailly in first person mode) they seem so life like and wonderful.....so it just goes to show what the PS2 can do to a pretty bland tasting old skool version of POP (not to say that all old skoool games, e.g. Sonic the Hedgehog, were bland, oh noooooooo!!!!)

I think this is onbe of the best PS2 platformers I have played....it really got me into the swing of things....and I only ever got stuck twice in the game....so I used www.gamingfaqs.com to sort me out...but apart from that it was pretty straightforwards and delightful to play!!!!!