Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Rated: T for teen
Reviewed by Walter Chaw

Simply one of the three or four best titles for the Xbox console, this platform/combat/puzzler update of Jordan Mechner's classic game, Ubisoft's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a beautifully constructed, astonishingly graceful game that marries the best of the storytelling and action genres to craft what is, at this point, the logical endpoint to the MArio Bros. franchise. You are the titular prince who discovers a dagger that can be filled with the sands of time, allowing you to rewind, slow down your enemies, or freeze them for a few precious moments. Innovative in terms of its structure and execution, what surprises isn't that one element is great, it's that all elements are great. Voice acting, save function, even the "visions" that open each new level to give players a hint as to the route the hero needs to take, the title is already legendary and deservedly so. An unusually dark storyline and some innovative violence make this unsuitable for the youngest players (as does a relatively high difficulty level), but for fans of art in an expert gaming experience, there are few alternatives better.

GAMEPLAY - A+
GRAPHICS - A+
SOUND - A+
OVERALL - A+