Game In The Past: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a third-person action-adventure puzzle-platform video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and released worldwide in November 2003 across most major platforms. It was published by Ubisoft in western territories and Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan. It was re-released on PlayStation 3 alongside its two sequels. The Sands of Time is a reboot of the Prince of Persia video game series, created by Jordan Mechner. Mechner served as creative consultant, designer, and scenario writer for The Sands of Time.

The game follows an unnamed Prince whose father sacks a Maharaja's city at the instigation of its treacherous Vizier. During the attack, the Prince obtains an artifact called the Dagger of Time,

while his army captures an hourglass containing the Sands of Time. Visiting Azad to present the Sands as a gift to the city's ruler, the Vizier tricks the Prince into releasing the Sands, transforming the city's population into savage monsters. Together with the Maharaja's daughter Farah, the Prince works to correct his mistake and return the Sands to the hourglass. The gameplay revolves around the Prince's platforming abilities, broken up by fights with the creatures created by the Sands.

A key mechanic in the game is using the Dagger to rewind time if the Prince makes a mistake platforming, and using it to kill and freeze enemies.

Story

The story is set in Persia during the 9th century AD, and begins with the Prince narrating to an unseen listener about his adventures. The Prince and the army of his father, Shahraman, are passing through India to visit the Sultan of Azad. The Vizier of a local Maharaja, wanting to prevent his death using a substance known as the Sands of Time,

entices them into attacking the Maharaja's palace, where the Sands are stored. During the fight, the Prince loots an artefact called the Dagger of Time, and the Maharaja's daughter Farah is taken as a gift for the Sultan of Azad. Visiting Azad, the Vizier tricks the Prince into releasing the Sands, turning everyone but the Prince, the Vizier and Farah (protected by the Dagger, a staff and a medallion respectively) into monsters. The Vizier attempts to seize the Dagger from the Prince, but he escapes and eventually allies with Farah to undo the damage he has caused and prevent the Sands from covering the world, even though he has doubts about her loyalties and motives.

After navigating the palace of Azad and reaching the hourglass of the Sands in the Tower of Dawn, the Prince hesitates when following Farah's instructions on containing the Sands,

unsure of whether to trust her. The Vizier ambushes them and they barely escape with the Dagger, ending up in a tomb beneath the city. Eventually finding shelter in a mysterious bathhouse, the two rest and begin showing feelings for each other. When the Prince wakes back in the palace, Farah has gone with the Dagger, leaving him her medallion. He follows her and only just manages to catch her as she is driven over a ledge above the hourglass by monsters. To save the Prince, Farah allows herself to fall to her death. As the Prince mourns over her, the Vizier offers him eternal life in exchange for the Dagger. The Prince refuses and stabs the hourglass with the Dagger. Time rewinds to before the attack on the Maharaja's palace, and the Prince, still in possession of the Dagger and his memories, runs ahead to warn Farah of the Vizier's treachery. It is now revealed that the Prince has been recounting his tale to Farah, and as he finishes,

the Vizier enters to kill him. The Prince kills the Vizier and returns the Dagger to Farah, who believes his narrative was just a story. In parting, the Prince mentions a private word she told him during their time in the tomb, leaving her amazed.