Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands returns to the classic formula that made the series famous: fast platforming, spectacular acrobatics, dangerous environments, sword fighting, and supernatural abilities.

The adventure begins when the Prince visits his brother's kingdom and finds it under attack. A desperate decision unleashes an ancient Sand Army, transforming the kingdom into a dangerous battlefield.

The Prince must survive the chaos, uncover the truth behind the catastrophe, and confront forces capable of destroying the entire kingdom.

Developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft, the game originally released on May 18, 2010. The Xbox listing currently supports Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

Story

The Prince travels to his brother Malik's kingdom expecting a peaceful visit. Instead, he arrives during a devastating siege.

With the kingdom on the verge of destruction, Malik unleashes an ancient force in an attempt to save his people. Unfortunately, the Sand Army quickly becomes an even greater threat.

The Prince must navigate the ruined kingdom while searching for a way to stop the spreading darkness.

The story combines Persian-inspired fantasy, family conflict, supernatural forces, and the classic Prince of Persia theme of manipulating time and overcoming impossible situations.

Gameplay Overview

The Forgotten Sands is built around three major gameplay elements:

1. Platforming
2. Combat
3. Puzzle solving

The Prince constantly moves through ancient architecture, jumping between platforms, climbing walls, swinging from poles, avoiding traps, and crossing enormous gaps.

Combat breaks up the platforming sections with sword fights against supernatural enemies and powerful creatures.

The game also introduces supernatural abilities that expand the Prince's movement and combat possibilities.

Platforming and Parkour

Acrobatic movement is at the heart of the experience.

Players can:

• Wall-run across large gaps
• Jump between platforms
• Climb walls
• Swing from poles
• Leap across collapsing structures
• Avoid environmental traps
• Navigate ancient ruins
• Use special powers to overcome obstacles

Successful platforming requires good timing and careful observation.

Time Powers

Time manipulation is one of the defining features of Prince of Persia.

The Prince can use supernatural abilities to overcome situations that would otherwise be impossible.

These powers can help with:

• Recovering from mistakes
• Navigating difficult sections
• Solving environmental puzzles
• Crossing dangerous areas
• Managing moving platforms
• Surviving complicated traps

The time-based mechanics add another strategic layer to the platforming.

Combat System

Combat uses the Prince's sword skills alongside supernatural abilities.

Players fight different enemies while moving through the kingdom, combining attacks with movement and special powers.

Combat emphasizes:

• Sword strikes
• Dodging
• Positioning
• Enemy control
• Special abilities
• Timing
• Crowd management

Against larger groups, choosing when to attack and when to reposition becomes particularly important.

Enemies

The Prince encounters supernatural forces throughout the kingdom.

Enemy encounters are designed to challenge different parts of the player's skill set, requiring a mixture of sword combat, movement, and ability usage.

Some encounters involve multiple enemies simultaneously, encouraging players to use the environment and special powers rather than relying exclusively on basic attacks.

Boss Battles

Boss encounters provide larger challenges that combine combat mechanics with environmental hazards.

Successful boss fights require players to:

• Learn attack patterns
• Dodge at the correct moment
• Identify openings
• Use supernatural abilities
• Maintain good positioning
• Avoid environmental dangers

These encounters provide some of the game's most dramatic moments.

Environmental Puzzles

The Forgotten Sands isn't simply a combat game.

Many areas require players to understand the environment and determine how different mechanisms interact.

Puzzle elements can involve:

• Moving platforms
• Switches
• Water
• Rotating mechanisms
• Time manipulation
• Wall-running
• Platform sequences
• Environmental hazards

Observation is often just as important as reflexes.

Water Powers

Water plays an important role in some of the game's environmental mechanics.

Certain supernatural abilities allow the Prince to interact with water in unusual ways, creating new routes through the environment.

These mechanics help transform otherwise inaccessible areas into elaborate platforming puzzles.

Exploration

The game takes players through a Persian-inspired kingdom filled with:

• Ancient palaces
• Ruined architecture
• Underground areas
• Fortifications
• Towers
• Hidden pathways
• Dangerous chambers

Exploration is closely connected to platforming, with new routes often requiring players to combine movement skills and supernatural powers.

Progression System

The Prince becomes more capable throughout the adventure.

Progression focuses on improving:

• Combat abilities
• Special powers
• Movement options
• Survival skills
• Offensive capabilities

Rather than functioning like a traditional loot-based RPG, progression is designed around developing the Prince's abilities and mastering increasingly complex challenges.

Abilities

The Prince's supernatural abilities are particularly important because they affect both combat and exploration.

Players should learn how different abilities interact with:

• Platforms
• Water
• Traps
• Enemies
• Environmental mechanisms
• Time-based obstacles

Understanding these interactions is essential for progressing through more difficult areas.

Controls Guide

The game uses traditional controller-based controls.

Movement

Use the analog stick to guide the Prince through the environment.

Jumping

Use jumps to cross gaps and reach elevated platforms.

Combat

Use attack controls to perform sword strikes and combine them with movement.

Special Abilities

Use the appropriate ability controls when solving environmental puzzles or dealing with difficult enemies.

Defensive Movement

Dodging and repositioning are important during larger battles.

Beginner's Guide

If you're starting Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, keep these tips in mind:

Study the Environment

Before making a difficult jump, look for the next platform and identify where the Prince needs to land.

Don't Rush

The game rewards timing more than simply moving quickly.

Learn Your Powers

Supernatural abilities aren't only useful during combat. They can completely change how you approach environmental puzzles.

Watch Enemy Groups

Avoid getting surrounded whenever possible.

Practice Wall-Running

Wall-running is one of the most important movement techniques in the game, so learning its timing early will make later sections easier.

Advanced Strategy

Experienced players can improve their performance by:

• Combining acrobatics with precise timing
• Using powers efficiently rather than randomly
• Learning enemy attack patterns
• Maintaining distance from large enemy groups
• Planning platforming routes before moving
• Using environmental mechanics to your advantage
• Conserving powerful abilities for difficult encounters

Mastering movement is particularly important because many sections combine multiple mechanics in rapid succession.

Game Difficulty

The difficulty comes primarily from the combination of:

• Precise platforming
• Environmental traps
• Enemy encounters
• Puzzle sequences
• Timing-based abilities
• Boss battles

Players who are familiar with action-platformers should quickly understand the core mechanics, while newcomers may need some practice with the game's acrobatic movement.

Graphics and Atmosphere

The game presents a fantasy interpretation of ancient Persia with large palaces, ruined architecture, supernatural effects, and dramatic environments.

The visual identity focuses heavily on the contrast between a beautiful ancient kingdom and the supernatural destruction caused by the Sand Army.

This gives the adventure a strong sense of scale and atmosphere.

Music and Sound

The soundtrack and sound design reinforce the game's fantasy atmosphere.

Sword clashes, environmental effects, supernatural abilities, and enemy encounters give combat a satisfying sense of impact, while atmospheric music supports the game's exploration and cinematic moments.

Game Modes

Main Adventure

The primary experience follows the Prince through the story-driven campaign.

Combat

Fight supernatural enemies using sword skills and special powers.

Platforming

Navigate challenging environments using acrobatics and supernatural abilities.

Puzzle Solving

Use environmental mechanics and powers to progress through the kingdom.

The Xbox listing identifies the title as an Action & Adventure game.

Xbox Version

The current Xbox Store listing confirms that Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands is playable on:

• Xbox One
• Xbox Series X|S

The game was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft, with an original release date of May 18, 2010. The US Xbox listing carries a Teen rating for violence and also indicates user interaction.

Technical Information

Official Xbox game page

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Excellent acrobatic platforming
• Strong Persian-inspired fantasy setting
• Time-based gameplay mechanics
• Engaging sword combat
• Environmental puzzles
• Cinematic action sequences
• Interesting supernatural abilities
• Playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

Cons

• Some mechanics can feel dated compared with newer action-adventure games
• Platforming sections require precise timing
• Combat can become repetitive
• The game is primarily designed around a linear adventure

Who Should Play Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands?

This game is a good choice for players who enjoy:

• Prince of Persia games
• Action-adventure games
• Platformers
• Acrobatic gameplay
• Fantasy adventures
• Sword combat
• Time manipulation mechanics
• Environmental puzzles
• Linear cinematic adventures

It's particularly appealing to fans of the Sands of Time era of Prince of Persia. Ubisoft's official trailer describes The Forgotten Sands as another chapter in the Sands of Time universe.

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands vs Other Prince of Persia Games

The Forgotten Sands stands out for its combination of traditional Prince of Persia acrobatics with expanded supernatural abilities and large-scale fantasy environments.

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This is the official Ubisoft gameplay trailer, published during the game's original release period. It showcases the Prince's journey through Malik's kingdom, the Sand Army, combat, movement, and supernatural powers.

Final Verdict

Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands remains an entertaining action-adventure for players who enjoy acrobatic platforming, sword combat, environmental puzzles, and supernatural abilities.

Its biggest strength is the way movement, combat, and time-based powers work together. The Prince isn't simply fighting his way through the kingdom—he is constantly climbing, jumping, solving environmental problems, and using supernatural abilities to overcome obstacles.

For Xbox players interested in a classic fantasy action adventure, The Forgotten Sands offers a focused experience with a distinctive Persian-inspired setting and the recognizable acrobatic gameplay that helped establish the Prince of Persia series. The game is currently playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands available on Xbox Series X|S?

Yes. The Xbox Store lists the game as playable on both Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.

When was Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands released?

The Xbox listing gives May 18, 2010 as the release date.

Is The Forgotten Sands part of the Sands of Time universe?

Yes. Ubisoft's official announcement trailer describes it as another chapter in the Sands of Time universe.

What type of game is The Forgotten Sands?

It is an action-adventure game centered on platforming, acrobatics, combat, puzzles, and supernatural abilities.

Who developed the game?

Ubisoft Montreal developed Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, while Ubisoft published it.

Does the game have time powers?

Yes. Time manipulation is one of the important mechanics associated with the Prince's abilities and the game's platforming and puzzle design.