Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is a 2004 action-adventure game. The Prince returns in a darker battle against the evil Dahaka to save his soul from damnation.
After a successful move away from its 2D platformer roots, the Prince of Persia series became known for sword based action combined with parkour style level design. Prince of Persia: Warrior Within moves towards a darker, grittier atmosphere, away from the Arabian inspired setting. Gone are the bright surroundings and instrumental soundtrack, replaced by shadowy corridors and hard rock. The move suits the story well and provides an immersive experience complete with a more realistic character for the Prince. While this game was released well over a decade ago, the marks of its age are not too extreme. The graphics have a bloomy overall appearance but are serviceable enough. Gameplay still feels fresh and challenging, much more so than later sequels. There are some issues with the game's technical features, including a low resolution and launching with new operating systems.
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is a classic of the series, a more serious and ominous entry which provided a much needed expansion on the universe. While it is certainly a dated game, it holds up well and should be seen as a must play for fans of the franchise.
