Over the years, there have been more and more remakes and remasters to come into the gaming world. Others may find fault in this, but it is hard to acknowledge the fact that there are a wide plethora of incredible classic games that could benefit from a graphical and performance overhaul the current technology can provide. One such game is the classic Ubisoft game, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time.
The game was met with critical acclaim upon release and it is widely considered as one of the greatest video games of all time. In 2020, Ubisoft officially announced to remake the classic hit. Before everyone gets the chance to master the power of the sand once again, there are a couple of things they need to know about the remake first.
10 Graphical Design
When the trailer for the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was released, people were quick to point out how underwhelming the game looked. Many assumed that the game would simply be a remaster rather than an actual remake.
Ubisoft actually addressed this issue. They stated that the visual style of the remake of the game, which looks incredibly similar to that of the original, was an intentional decision. They want the game to stand out and the design choice was to complement the game's fantasy elements.
9 More Responsive Camera
While the original game was beloved by those who played, one very common qualm about the game is its fixed camera issues. With a game with heavy parkour elements and fast-paced action, the game can really benefit from a better camera system.
Thankfully, that's one thing the remake of the game is set to fix. According to Ubisoft, the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Remake will have improved camera angles. Players will be able to maneuver and fight with a more responsive camera, therefore making the gameplay better.
8 Better Combat Mechanics
One of the best things about remakes is that the creator of the game is able to have the benefit of oversight. No matter how good a game is, there are always things that can be made better. With this remake, Ubisoft aims to improve the original game's combat mechanics.
This is also true for the game's animations. The combat will look and feel more fluid and there's apparently also going to be new controls for the combat system.
7 Re-Recorded Lines
Set to make most of the game's aspects as fresh as possible, Ubisoft re-recorded all the dialogue for this remake. On top of that, according to Ubisoft, several planned dialogue that was removed from the original is apparently going to make their way to this remake.
Yuri Lowenthal, the voice actor for the Prince in the original game, is reprising his role for this remake. Joining him is Supinder Wraich, who will take on the role of Farah.
6 Motion Capture
Aside from refurbishing the game's combat fluidity and camera responsiveness, the remake is also going to make the animation smoother and more realistic by utilizing motion capture.
The overall look of the game, especially during cutscenes, will look and feel way more realistic. The remake also improves upon each character's facial animations. These were the restrictions the game had at the time due to the limitation of their technology, but motion capture and comprehensive facial animation are already very common today.
5 New Engine
When the original game was released in 2003, it was made using the Jade engine, a game engine created by Ubisoft Montpellier. The team behind the game actually faced multiple difficulties developing the game using this engine due to its structure. Despite this, the team was able to deliver an incredibly punishing game.
For the remake, Ubisoft is opting for an engine they are vastly familiar with. This remake is going to be made using the Ubisoft Anvil game engine, the same one they used for Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Immortals Fenyx Rising.
4 New Director
The director of the original game was Patrice Désilets. He later became renowned for creating the Assassin's Creed series, which he continued to direct the first three games of the franchise. Patrice left Ubisoft in 2010 and he has since gone on to start his own video game studio.
Since Patrice Désilets is no longer working with Ubisoft, a different director is taking over for this remake. The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake will be directed by Pierre-Sylvain Gires. It will be his directorial debut.
3 The Studios Behind The Game
Ubisoft Pune will be working alongside Ubisoft Mumbai for the development of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake. The studios have assisted in the development of various Ubisoft games such as Riders Republic, HyperScape, and Far Cry 5. Prior to this remake, both studios have not yet headed a project of their own.
The studios, with the director at the head, are incredibly enthusiastic and excited for the remake, however. The voice actor for the Prince, Yuri Lowenthal, has voiced his admiration as to how passionate the studios are about the original game.
2 Rebuilt From The Ground Up
Despite most of the fan's remarks that the game seems more like a remaster than a remake due to its current look, Director Pierre-Sylvain Gires has reiterated that the game is indeed built from the ground up, just as all remakes are.
The character models will all be redesigned, the dialogue will be re-recorded, and the mechanics will be improved. Ubisoft has also noted that there will also be things present in the remake that wasn't in the original game.
1 Release
When the game was announced, the original planned release was supposed to be on January 21, 2021. However, Ubisoft had to push the date back to March 18, 2021. Just recently, however, Ubisoft again pushed back the date, this time choosing to delay it indefinitely.
As of now, there is no official announcement yet as to the game's new release date. We know that the studios behind the game are pushing their limits to ensure the remake is going to be the best that it can be. All we can do now is wait.