9.8	9.6	9.5	9.2

Compared: January 2, 2004
Compared by: Mark Smith

Publisher
Ubisoft

Developer
Ubisoft Montreal

Genre: Action
Players: 1
ESRB: Teen

While Sands of Time is a fantastic game regardless of which system you play it on, there are some distinct differences, both in features and technical issues. Hopefully, for those of you with the luxury of multiple systems, the following information can help you pick the best version of the game.

Round 1: Control

This is always a touchy issue and usually ends up being a matter of personal preference. The Xbox and PS2 share similar control schemes and function almost identically. The GameCube is slightly different only in that you must use the Z button to center the camera, but considering the camera is so intelligent and seldom requires adjustment, this is hardly an issue.

With that said I am going to award this round to the Xbox if for nothing more than putting the first-person and landscape views on the black and white buttons, out of the way, so you don’t accidentally switch your camera view when you don’t want to. The PS2 and GameCube tie for second and the PC comes in last with clunky keyboard controls that will send you racing to the store to buy a gamepad.

Round 2: Visuals

Sands of Time varies in quality across the systems. The PS2 brings up the rear with some low-poly models, slightly less detailed textures, and frequent framerate issues that are serious enough to influence the gameplay. The Xbox and GameCube versions are nearly identical and owners of each system will certainly claim theirs is the best. All three versions support progressive scan video but not widescreen.

The Xbox does offer more polygons and subtle details (like individually rendered fingers for the Prince), and much nicer lighting and fabric effects. The GameCube version answers back with rich vibrant colors that make the game leap from the screen. Both games manage a consistent 30fps with a few dips during intense scenes but nothing too terrible.

The PC version manages to sneak into the lead for this round but ONLY if you have a monster system to run it on. You’re going to need a fat CPU, loads of memory, and a blistering 3D video card to run the game at resolutions higher than the Xbox, but if you have the gear you will be treated to some of the best graphics your PC can crank out and at framerates reaching the 40-60 range.

Round 3: Music & Sound

Even though Sands of Time has one of the best sound packages of recent memory there are some distinct differences across the systems. The PC offers a decent EAX mix and even supports Dolby Digital so your sound will be as good as your hardware. The PS2 and GameCube feature Dolby Pro Logic II mixes that are excellent, but the GameCube has some highly compressed speech that really detracts from a highly narrated game.

The Xbox is the undisputed winner with crisp clear vocals, sound effects, and music, all presented in an outstanding Dolby Digital mix. Those of you with a home theater rig will be showing this game off for months to come.

Round 4: Other Deciding Factors

Ubisoft has gone the extra mile to give owners of each console something special. All consoles feature the original Prince of Persia game locked away. It becomes available when you finish the Xbox version or find the secret wall in the PS2 and GameCube. The GameCube offers several key features that are accessible when you link to the GBA version. These features work both ways and unlock content on each system including secret treasure rooms on the GBA. Linking to the GBA can also enable a feature to regenerate your health on the GameCube.

Both the GameCube and the Xbox versions include a special “Making of Feature”, but the Xbox leaps into the lead and overall victory with the inclusion of the complete Prince of Persia 2: The Shadow and the Flame game locked away behind a secret wall within the main game. This version is also Xbox Live aware so anyone on your Friends List will know you are playing and can chat with you.

Admittedly, most modern gamers will probably glance at the retro games and move on, so these might not be game-selling features, but just doing the math, the Xbox tops the pack with the GameCube coming in second followed by the PS2 and the PC, which offers the barebones game and nothing else.

Bottom Line

The scores pretty much tell the story here. The Xbox comes in first with the best sound of all four formats and the best graphics of all the consoles unless you prefer richer colors to better lighting and polygons. The Xbox also offers the most features with two complete retro games and limited online features.

The GameCube slips into second with almost identical graphics and loads of connectivity features for those who own a GBA and the GBA version of the game. The compressed speech is certainly disappointing but is really the only flaw in an otherwise flawless game.

The PC version comes in third in the scores but if you have a monster system this could easily be the very best of all four releases. As with any PC game, your results are only as good as your hardware investment. Unfortunately, for the cost of the gear to play this game at the Xbox level you could buy all three consoles, the GBA and all four non-PC versions of the game and still have change.

The PS2 version slips into last place with some graphics that just can’t live up to the other systems. When standing still this version stacks up frame for frame with none of the expected aliasing issues or shimmering, but when the action gets hot the framerate goes cold and gameplay suffers.

Hopefully your decision is now a bit clearer. Regardless of which system you end up playing Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time on just make sure you play this landmark achievement in 3D action gaming.