Prince of Persia: Rival Swords (Wii)
Exclusive details and video on the Prince's Wii debut.
"I've spent a lot of time playing [Prince of Persia] games over the last few years, and Rival Swords for the Wii is by far my favorite," says producer Ben Mattes about his control preference for the series' upcoming Wii debut. Bold words, but could this be one of the few Wii ports (it's based on Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones) that improves on the original?
We're hopeful, so we went to Mattes to find out about Ubisoft's plans for the game, how the controls work, and how it compares with the upcoming PSP port with the same name. Both the Wii and PSP versions of Rival Swords are due out in March.
1UP: We've seen a few attacks from the game shown through the initial screenshots, but can you give us a comprehensive list of the motion control functions in the game?
Ben Mattes: While some Prince actions are tied to the buttons on the Remote/Nunchuck, many of the game's core mechanics are controlled with motion. Speed Kills, for example, use the Nunchuck to initiate [the attack], and timed strikes with the Remote in order to complete the multi-hit combos.
Perhaps my favorite use of the controllers, though, is in the unique Prince/Dark Prince platforming moves. The 'Dagger Plant' move by the Prince has always been a favorite of mine and is now made all the more intuitive and satisfying by the fact that you must strike (in a stabbing fashion) with the Remote in order to plant your dagger in the wall. When using the Dark Prince's Chain Swing ability, too, the motion control is used -- for each swing the Dark Prince does, the player must strike with the Nunchuck. You really need to play it yourself to fully appreciate the intuitiveness of the controls.
1UP: How will camera control work in the game? Similar to Splinter Cell on Wii?
BM: Camera control in POP is hugely important as we want players to be able to maintain a rhythm in their platforming. It is a great sensation when you pull off a string of spectacular acrobatic moves without pause.
e investigated a variety of camera systems but the one that is implemented by default will have you tilting the Remote in order to turn the camera left and right, and using the up and down arrows on the D-pad for vertical camera motion. This system integrates very well with the movement system, which will have you controlling the Prince using the analog joystick on the Nunchuck.
Because some people might prefer to control both horizontal and vertical camera motions the same way, we also included the ability to turn off the 'tilt' system, thereby using the d-pad for everything.
1UP: Heading into this game, what overall goals did the team have for the project?
BM: Our driving ambition throughout the entire project was to create the best possible control system -- something that did justice to the fluidity and impressiveness of the Prince's on-screen movements and gave the player a greater sense of immersion in this incredible world.
I would say we succeeded. I've spent a lot of time playing POP games over the last few years, and Rival Swords for the Wii is by far my favorite.
BLOG: In addition to Rival Swords, Mattes is working on a yet to be announced next-gen game at Ubisoft Montreal. Could it be a next-gen Prince of Persia? Check out his blog by clicking on the above image.
1UP: Are you aiming the game more at players who have played Two Thrones or new players to the series?
BM: I'm really hoping we'll be able to attract both! Fans that have already played The Two Thrones should play Rival Swords because, quite simply, no one has ever played the Prince like this before. I believe very strongly that the controls have added a new level of depth to the game that all fans of the franchise should experience.
Of course, people who didn't play The Two Thrones will find Rival Swords an exciting action-adventure game with gorgeous environments to explore and perilous combat to master.
1UP: Will the game content be the same on Wii and PSP?
BM: No. Despite the fact that the titles share the same name, the PSP version features some unique levels and features (such as a multiplayer "race" mode). [There will be no multiplayer features or added content in the Wii version. -ed.]
1UP: Besides any new content and controls, what have you guys done to make the game fit well on Wii?
BM: One area we spent a lot of time on is running play tests with a diverse group of gamers in order to tweak the difficulty level and ensure it was appropriate given the added physical challenges of Wii gameplay. As such, we expect the game to be very accessible to even novice gamers (on the Wii or otherwise) at the lower difficulty levels, while the hard mode should provide a challenge to those who have already played The Two Thrones.
http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3156629
Schade das der Online Mode fehlt, wäre garantiert ein Burner!!
.
.
.