Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown tips | What you need to know when getting started
While it may be only the first big game of 2024 so far, even genre experts might need some Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown tips to get them started. It’s a far bigger game than you’d expect, taking longer to complete, and offering countless side-quests, collectibles, boss battles, and powers to master. It’s also one of the best triple-A MetroidVania titles we’ve seen in ages, and is well worth playing.
Our Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown tips will mean you can not only get the most out of your time in the early hours of the game, but will mean you’re in good stead heading into the mid and late-game stages, and then the 100% mop-up operation that we know fans will be dying to be a part of. So let’s get started then, shall we?
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown tips: Save your materials
It’s often tempting to upgrade everything the second you can, but there’s a material in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown that is way harder to find than almost everything else: Azure Damascus Ore. Primarily, this Ore is used for upgrading weapons, including your starting swords, but also others you get along the way. And that’s where we’d suggest “calm”. Don’t upgrade your bow attack just because it’s new. In fact, while there is enough Ore to go around, due to how hard it is to come across, only spend it on your Sword upgrades until you’re at least +2, and even then we’d suggest holding onto it to prioritise the +3 and +4 upgrades.
Master the Parry, even if you hate parrying
We know this will be a sore spot for some, but while games like Cookie Cutter don’t mind you ignoring the Parry, some of the boss fights in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown are so much easier if you understand and practice the system. There are attacks you can’t parry (red ones), but yellow ones can be learnt, parried, and punished. Some bosses will take massive damage if you parry their yellow attacks, while some will be stopped in their tracks and allow you to smash them with Athra moves, or just combos. It may not be your usual type of favourite thing, the parry, but it’s a generous window, and learning it makes The Lost Crown a whole lot easier.
Do the Challenges at Haven, and come back often
Once you unlock Haven, you will find Artaban, The Swordmaster. Apart from hiding an Azure Damascus Ore above him in a tantalisingly out-of-reach spot, he might be easy to ignore, feeling a bit “tutorial-like”. However, not only does he reward you with a healthy amount of Time Crystals for every challenge completed, the challenges genuinely teach you fantastic techniques that you wouldn’t otherwise know. For example, the roll kick-launch; how to break through shielded enemies, and once you have the power, he teaches you some, frankly, genius moves surrounding time manipulation.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown tips: See a tree, use a tree
It may seem silly, but whenever you pass a Wak-Wak Tree, there is really no reason not to access it, and replenish your health, arrows, and amulets. Yes, enemies will respawn like in most games of this genre, but if you’re avoiding combat you’re going to always be short on Time Crystals to upgrade everything in your arsenal anyway. Search out every save spot (Wak-Wak Tree) you can, shown by a swirling yellow leaf-like guidance path on screen. With some of the best amulets you will need to replenish their use as well, so make sure you’re hitting “up” as you pass any of the trees.
Return to Haven often
As your hub for upgrades, challenges, and more, Haven is easy to forget while you’re out adventuring. Check the map (pictured above) regularly to see if any of the vendors and merchants have something new for you. As you progress the story, The Mage will get new upgrades, allowing you to carry more potions, and more more potent ones at that, while the Blacksmith will gradually let you get stronger weapons, better amulets, and more.
Pull every level, press every switch
In games like this, it’s easy to get distracted and go off and doing something else. The train of thought often extends your journey when playing a MetroidVania, but one of the biggest Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown tips we can give is that you never ignore a switch or lever. More often than not, these will unlock shortcuts, grated doors, and more, and if you ignore them, you’ll be cursing the moon when you find yourself the other side of a locked door, and realise you “meant to pull that lever” but got distracted by something else.
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown tips: Do the side quests
Do not ignore the side-quests in this game. Not only do they add flavour, and encourage you to get to out of reach places in the game, they give great rewards. The Moon Gatherer (picture above, for example) will give you the Dragon King amulet, an essential accessory in our books, and more, where other quest givers will reward you with Soma Tree petals allowing you to increase your maximum health, or Damascus Ore. And don’t forget to return to the “Three Princes Prophecy” room near Haven when you find new pots to smash, as this rewards you heavily with Crystals, but also important items with every picture filled out.
